Joel Radtke is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in financing, acquisitions, and strategic advisory across diverse industries. Before transitioning to entrepreneurship, Joel built an early career in investment banking and private equity, where he honed his skills in complex financial structuring and deal execution. His early career involved advising on high-profile transactions and managing complex debt and equity structuring - experiences that laid the groundwork for his later entrepreneurial ventures.
In 2007, Joel co-founded United Orthopedic Group, where he played a pivotal role as a key operations partner and CFO. During his tenure, the company grew rapidly from $15 million to $90 million through a combination of strategic acquisitions and organic expansion prior to ultimately selling the business to a larger competitor. This direct experience in scaling and stairstep financing for a complicated business provided him with unique insights into operational efficiency and strategic growth—a foundation that he later applied to his fintech venture, CollateralEdge.
With CollateralEdge, Joel co-founded a fintech platform designed to address the structural challenges faced by middle market banks. The company developed an innovative financial product to boost commercial and industrial (C&I) lending. The experience of working with bank customers, especially in the wake of the bank challenges in 2022-2023 deepened his understanding of the structural challenges affecting parts of the market that banks found increasingly difficult to service.
In conjunction with the founding of Banbridge Capital in 2024, Joel transitioned from an active operational role at CollateralEdge enabling him to focus full time on Banbridge. At Banbridge, he leverages his extensive background in investment banking, private equity, and entrepreneurial leadership to capitalize on market dislocations in commercial real estate lending.
An alumnus of Harvard University, Joel’s career is defined by a commitment to disciplined risk management, operational excellence, and strategic innovation.