Denver, CO, September 29, 2014 – Impact Angel Group (IAG) announced today that it has transitioned into Investors’ Circle Colorado (IC Colorado), a change that connects its 40 plus members to high-quality deal flow from across the country, and gives Colorado impact entrepreneurs better access to Investors’ Circle’s national funding network. Home to a strong sustainable and natural goods market, pioneering impact-oriented incubators and workspaces like the Unreasonable Institute and HUB, and B Lab’s first-ever state office, Colorado has become a hotbed for impact entrepreneurship. Friday’s inaugural IC Colorado pitch meeting gave investors the first look at two game-changing energy startups, a taste of local and national impact investing opportunities thanks to IC’s SOURCE partnership.
“Since starting Impact Angel Group four years ago I’ve been trying to find enough people committed to impact investing at the angel level to create a viable network here in Colorado,” said Elizabeth Kraus, Founder of Impact Angel Group. “I’m thrilled that we’ve reached a critical mass that makes it possible to connect what’s happening here to the national impact investing ecosystem – we have a lot to offer and gain.”
Investors’ Circle’s regional groups enable impact investors to foster local mission-driven companies and contribute to economic development within their communities. By participating in the national network members have access to deal flow across the country, and can also attract capital from the network to invest in companies in their own region. Colorado is the 4th largest source of deal flow for IC’s international network and IC hosted its first Beyond the Pitch event in Colorado in February 2014, bringing together over 70 investors and paving the way for a Colorado-based IC local network.
“We’re honored to have Impact Angel Group’s robust and early-adopter impact community become a part of Investors’ Circle,” said Bonny Moellenbrock, Executive Director of Investors’ Circle. “With impact investing gaining momentum across the country it’s time to plug what’s happening in Colorado into this national movement.”
Elizabeth Kraus launched the Impact Angel Group in 2011 to cultivate and fund Colorado-based impact enterprises and has grown IAG to nearly 50 private investor members that meet and invest locally. Investors’ Circle has a rich history within the impact investing space. Started in 1992 to increase the flow of capital to the next generation of mission-driven companies, it’s founding members have become today’s most recognized impact investors including Calvert Founder Wayne Silby and Angel Capital Association Chairman Emeritus John May. IC Colorado joins a roster of thriving local IC networks that includes Philadelphia, New York, North Carolina, San Francisco Bay Area and Boston. IC consistently ranks as one of the top 10 most active angel groups in the US, having invested $25+ million in 75+ enterprises over the last two years and funding 50% of pitching entrepreneurs.
Investors’ Circle also has innovative partnerships that generate unique deal flow access for members across the country. In collaboration with The Hitachi Foundation and Village Capital, SOURCE connects businesses that solve pressing social problems affecting low-wealth Americans to the investment capital and mentoring needed to scale. At the culmination of SOURCE’s energy cohort, Village Capital awarded two $50K investments based on a unique peer-selection process and IC Colorado invited these peer-winners to be its first presenters.
About Impact Angel Group
The Impact Angel Group is an angel investment group equally dedicated to making a difference and realizing a return. The group of nearly 50 angel investors invests in high-growth, early-stage companies with the potential to make a significant social and/or environmental impact. The group was founded in 2011 and became a formal membership organization in 2013. In its first year as a formal membership organization, the group committed over $700,000 to ten different angel investment opportunities presented by the Impact Angel Group. For more information visit www.impactangelgroup.com.
About Investors’ Circle
Investors’ Circle (IC) is the largest early-stage impact investing network in the world. Together with hundreds of angels, venture capitalists, foundations and family offices, IC has propelled over $185 million into more than 285 enterprises dedicated to improving the environment, education, health, and community. A nonprofit organization, IC cultivates its impact investor network, provides opportunities for high-potential impact entrepreneurs to meet impact investors, and facilitates investment.
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