Endeavour takes minority stake in Slick City to fuel franchise expansion
What's the deal? SlickslideDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Slick City Action ParkDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the indoor slide and air court franchise, have secured a minority investment from private investment firm EndeavourDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The private placement, announced in August 2026, was led by Endeavour, which will provide strategic guidance at the board level.
Why now? The deal follows more than a year of evaluation between the two companies. It lands as Slick City passes 50 parks open, with more than 150 in development.
What's the endgame? The Chesterfield, Missouri-based company plans to invest in franchise support, technology and operations. Co-founder and chief executive officer Bron Launsby retained his full ownership stake and now leads both Slick City and Slick Slide under unified leadership.
Slick Slide, which holds more than 60 patents on its proprietary dry-slide technology, will keep designing and manufacturing the company's signature attractions. It plans to expand its team across logistics, innovation and operational infrastructure. The transaction also bought out minority interests previously held by co-founder Gary Schmit and others.
What did they say? "With Endeavour's support, we can strengthen our infrastructure, invest more deeply in our franchise system and thoughtfully scale the brand," Launsby said. Mark Dorman, managing director of Endeavour, called Slick City "a highly differentiated brand in the family entertainment sector."
The signal: Founder-owned franchise brands with patented, hard-to-copy concepts are drawing capital that lets founders scale without ceding control. Endeavour's minority approach — leaving leadership and ownership intact — reflects a growth playbook built on preserving culture while adding board-level muscle for expansion across the US and internationally.
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
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