The Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership announced Monday that it has acquired Pipeline Angels, an angel investing network focused on increasing investor diversity and increasing funding for women, nonbinary, two-spirit, agender, and gender-nonconforming founders.
The acquisition unites two trailblazing organizations committed to increasing capital access to foster a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
About IFEL
IFEL is a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of relationship capital to increase inclusion and equity within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Founded in 2002, IFEL’s mission is to eradicate the systemic barriers that prevent people from historically excluded populations from being able to access the knowledge, networks, and capital required for entrepreneurial success and wealth creation.
IFEL, known for its innovative programs, is a staunch champion of economic inclusion and wealth-building through entrepreneurship for people from historically excluded communities. For more than 20 years, 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.
IFEL Co-founder and CEO Jim Johnson feels the acquisition will have great impact.
“Pipeline Angels has built an influential community in the angel investor ecosystem that works to center inclusion in their investment thesis,” she said. “By combining our programming, we create a unique platform for addressing the seemingly intractable problem of access to capital. Our objective is to not be talking about the same issues 10 years from now.”
Founded in 2011 by Natalia Oberti Noguera, Pipeline Angels has played a significant role in breaking down the access to capital barrier through its inclusion-centered training for early-stage investors who often serve as the friends and family round for entrepreneurs who may not already have support at that critical stage.
“Many investors ask, ‘What could founders be doing better?’ Pipeline Angels flips the question, ‘What could investors be doing better to be more inclusive, founder-friendly, and equitable?’,” said Natalia Oberti Noguera, Founder and CEO of Pipeline Angels. “Jill’s vision for a paradigm-shifting approach will transform both the investing and entrepreneurship ecosystems for the better. I am thrilled Jill and the IFEL team will steward the Pipeline Angels community into its next chapter.”
