Newark Business Nonprofit Acquires ‘Pipeline Angels’ Network

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark-based business nonprofit has announced an acquisition deal that it says may help funnel more capital from angel investors to “historically excluded entrepreneurs.”

The Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL) recently announced its acquisition of Pipeline Angels, an angel investing network focused on increasing funding for women (trans and cis), nonbinary, two-spirit, agender and gender-nonconforming founders.

According to a news release from the IFEL:

“For more than 20 years, the IFEL has worked with over 6,800 small business owners and entrepreneurs and has a volunteer community of 1,000+ professionals nationwide. IFEL’s debut initiative in the angel investing community, The Making of Black Angels, has introduced over 250 people to angel investing since 2020. The acquisition of Pipeline Angels combines the strengths, expertise, and resources of two transformative organizations to create a powerful force for inclusivity and innovation.”

“Pipeline Angels has built an influential community in the angel investor ecosystem that works to center inclusion in their investment thesis,” said Jill Johnson, CEO and co-founder of the IFEL.

“By combining our programming, we create a unique platform for addressing the seemingly intractable problem of access to capital,” Johnson said. “Our objective is to not be talking about the same issues 10 years from now.”

• See Related: Education Can't Trump Lack Of Capital For Black Business: NJ Advocate
• See Related: 5 'Pearls Of Wisdom' From Women of Color Summit In Newark

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