Instead of chasing the next big disruption, Nishita Cummings focuses on something steadier: industries evolving step by step, where hands-on partnership can make the biggest difference. As Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Composition Capital, she’s bringing that approach to healthcare, fintech, supply chain logistics, and beyond.
Her career journey has been shaped by curiosity, experimentation, and a passion for bridging technology and business. She admits “If I said I knew I wanted to be an investor early in my career or in college, I’d probably be kidding myself. But I always knew I wanted to be at the intersection of technology and business. My father was an engineer, my mother started her career in finance, so exposure to both was in my DNA,” Nishita explains.
In her early career, she experimented with roles in a medical lab, technology, investment banking, and consulting, reflecting “I was a little bit like Goldilocks”. In these experiences, she discovered her passion in combining data-driven underwriting with the human element of working closely with teams. “Being accountable for decisions and working hand in hand with management drew me to private equity, especially in growth equity and the lower middle market, where businesses are scaling but still need true partners.”
After more than a decade in the industry working alongside “entreprenuers and operators who are constantly defying the odds” Nishita was inspired to create something of her own, leading to the founding of Composition Capital.
She explains, “By launching Composition, I still get to invest, but I also get to build a team and create a culture of excellence, focused on doing the right thing, being kind, being good partners, and having fun. We like to call it ‘joyful rigor.’ That opportunity to build from the ground up with my co-founder Leon Chen has been the highlight of my career so far.”
Composition Capital focuses on sectors like healthcare, fintech, and supply chain logistics, areas where Nishita’s team determined they can make a meaningful, lasting impact. “We looked at two things: where our strengths and experience were, and where we believed there would be ample investment opportunities for the next decade or two. That led us to three core areas: supply chain logistics, healthcare, and financial services,” she notes. “What they have in common is that they’re laggards in technology adoption. We’re not chasing the next whiz-bang technology; we like industries that evolve step by step.”
The complexity of these sectors and the need for careful compliance makes partnership and thoughtful deal structures essential, but at the core of these multilayered transactions and partnerships, Nishita reveals a simple guiding principal, “The key is pairing capital to the needs of the business and the management team.”
Nishita emphasizes the importance of collaboration through all stages of partnership, “We’ve always believed that value creation comes from true partnership with management”, adding “We bring operators in early, at the sourcing and thesis stage, so by the time we invest, management already knows the team and the value creation plan. That continuity builds trust and makes execution far more effective.”
To add to this unique business plan is Composition’s unique team structure. “No one is full time”, she shares, “our operators are seasoned executives, former CROs, COOs, even the former head of logistics for Walmart. They’re on retainer with us, they sit on boards, and they share in the economics of both the companies and the fund. That alignment allows us to drop them in when needed, but also engage them continuously. It gives us flexibility while giving our companies meaningful expertise.”
Finally, she shares candid advice on balancing a demanding career with family. “You can’t always be there for everyone at all times, and you can’t guilt yourself for that. It’s about prioritization and creating boundaries, for yourself, for your family, and for work. Someone once told me that for every yes you say to someone else, it’s a no to yourself. Don’t feel afraid to say no to things.”
Nishita Cummings brings a clear-eyed approach to investing: focus on durable industries, build strong partnerships with management teams, and create value through hands-on collaboration. Her perspective is a reminder that private equity isn’t just about capital, it’s about purpose, alignment, and trust.
Written by Olivia Vanderhart
Olivia is a Product Marketing Associate at Kayo Conference Series