Recognition marks four years of measurable progress, 40+ brand investments, a 12% increase in industry representation, and a clear path to $2.4 billion in economic value.
NEW YORK, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pronghorn today announced that co-founders Dia Simms and Erin J. Hall have been named to Inc.’s 2026 Female Founders 500, an annual list recognizing the most dynamic women entrepreneurs in the United States. The 500 honorees collectively generated approximately $12.3 billion in revenue in 2025.
The recognition arrives at an inflection point for Pronghorn. Launched in 2022 with a $200 million commitment, the firm has become one of the most active investors in the beverage alcohol space and one of the few to build a replicable model for industry-wide impact.
By the numbers, Pronghorn’s progress is concrete:
- 40+ investments in burgeoning spirits brands since 2022
- Over 542 placements in careers in the spirits industry
- Focused portfolio brands averaging over 40% growth in a flat broader market
- $2.4 billion economic value target by 2032, tracking ahead of pace
Pronghorn’s portfolio includes Ten To One Rum, Greenwood Whiskey, Edmond’s Honor Madagascar Vanilla Bourbon, Mocktail Club, IslandJon Vodka, and more than three dozen additional brands available nationwide.
The company operates as a modern business solution that models the process to drive industry-wide transformation. Organized as a blueprint to drive innovation and accelerate growth, Pronghorn drives change in three key pillars: economics, entrepreneurship, and employment. The company focuses on capital deployment, incubation, talent development, and employment; actively cycling value through the beverage alcohol industry’s ecosystem.
“We built Pronghorn on the belief that when you put purpose and profits to work, the upside is enormous. Four years in, the data proves it; brands are growing at 40%, hundreds of careers have been launched, and an industry that is on track to reflect its customers. This is not a social mission. This is good business.” – Dia Simms, Co-Founder & Board Chair, Pronghorn.
Simms and Hall join a list of previous honorees that include Billie Jean King, Serena Williams, Sallie Krawcheck, and Emma Grede. Inc. editors evaluate candidates on revenue growth, funding, innovation, social impact, and brand momentum through a multi-round selection process.
“Everyone’s chasing the same playbook. The brands that will define the future of spirits are being built right now by founders who understand that culture moves first, and the market follows. We invest there on purpose – and the returns are proving it.” – Erin J. Hall, Co-Founder, Pronghorn.
“Each year, we are increasingly amazed by the extraordinary leaders on our Inc. Female Founders 500 list,” says Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. “The honorees on this year’s list include innovators in AI, beauty and wellness trendsetters winning devoted fans, and nonprofit leaders making a real impact in their communities. Together, they’re showing all of us what trailblazing female leadership looks like.”
Several honorees will appear in Inc.’s Spring print issue, on newsstands March 17, 2026. The complete list is available at inc.com/female-founders/2026.
To learn more about Pronghorn, please see our latest impact report here.
About Pronghorn
Pronghorn is a standalone business focused on creating a template for effectively diversifying any industry. Starting in the spirits industry, Pronghorn is laying the groundwork for a scalable methodology that can be applied to other industries and communities in the future. By leveraging capital investment, incubation, and recruitment initiatives, Pronghorn is actively building this template by accelerating access to the spirits industry for untapped businesses and individuals. Co-founded by industry veterans Dia Simms, Erin J. Hall, and Dan Sanborn, Pronghorn embodies the endurance and speed of its namesake, the fastest land mammal in North America. Pronghorn believes that creating meaningful, lasting change is a marathon, not a sprint. For more information and to learn more about Pronghorn, please visit: https://www.pronghorn.co/
About Inc.
Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
Adrienne Alexander
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SOURCE Pronghorn
