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06/29/12 | Uncategorized

This Is What An Angel Investor Looks Like – Kelly Hoey

Women 2.0 profiles women (from angel investors to venture capitalists) who invest in women.

By Angie Chang (Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Women 2.0)

The numbers are bleak – 11% of investment partners at venture capital firms are women and 15% of angel investors are women. And according to this handy infographic on investing in women, women investors are far more apt to be directly connected to and able to attract female-led ventures. Women invest in women where there are women to be found.

A solution to the low rate of women entrepreneurs receiving investment to go big with their ventures would be to increase the pipeline of women angel investors and venture capitalists.

Luckily, there are several initiatives in the United States to create more women angel investors!

The Pipeline Fellowship trains women philanthropists to become angel investors through education, mentoring, and practice. Fellows invest in a woman-led for-profit social venture in exchange for equity and a board seat at the end of the training. Golden Seeds makes investments in early stage high growth companies led by women. In addition, Golden Seeds offers investor training for future angels.

We at Women 2.0 will begin profiling women – from angel investors to venture capitalists – who invest in women with the hopes of clarifying the role of and identifying women who invest in women.

This week, we talk to one of the founders of women-focused accelerator Women Innovate Mobile.

Meet Angel Investor Kelly Hoey

Meet the Managing Director and co-founder of Women Innovate Mobile accelerator in New York. Kelly answers our questions about becoming an angel investor in women-led startups:

What was the moment you decided to become an angel?
“During a discussion with Natalia Oberti Noguera when she outlined the goals of the Pipeline Fellowship, I had the ‘aha’ moment.”

What investments have you made since graduating from the Pipeline Fellowship?

Company: PhilanTech
Founder(s): Dahna Goldstein*

Company: The Levo League
Founder(s): Caroline Ghosn* and Amanda Pouchot*

Company: Appguppy
Founder(s): Ash Nadkarni*, Anu Nadkarni* and Raj Dandage

Company: Loudly
Founder(s): Sophia Chou* and Foy Savas

Company: SQL Vision
Founder(s): Roshan Hall* and Boris Kerbikov

*Women founders!

Range of initial investments?
“US $5,000 – $50,000”

What types of companies do you look to invest in?
“For me, it starts with the entrepreneur and whether it is a person (or team) I want to work with.”

How has your background played a role in your angel investing?
“I have a diverse professional career (law, legal marketing, consulting) including not-for-profit board experience, and it has all influenced by journey into angel investing.”

One piece of advice to an angel-in-training?
“My advice to women would be to trust your gut and don’t wait till you are 46 to become an active participant in your wealth creation.”

One piece of advice to an entrepreneur looking for capital?
“Be smart about why you (really) need capital and who you want to share ownership in your company with.”

What does impact investing mean to you?
“Taking a real hard look at the big investment picture and asking – does this investment reflect my social values?”

How would you define a for-profit social venture?
“A smarter, sustainable way to effect change.”

Favorite quote?
“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” – Coco Chanel

Random fact?
“I’m quite a good cook.”

Angel investor Kelly Hoey was a graduate of the Pipeline Fellowship – Apply to join the next class and help change the face of angel investing! Applications are currently being reviewed on a rolling basis for the 2012 fall programs in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.

Angie Chang co-founded Women 2.0 in 2006. She currently serves as Editor-In-Chief of Women 2.0 and is working to mainstream women in high-growth, high-tech entrepreneurship. Previously, Angie held roles in product management and web UI design. In 2008, Angie launched Bay Area Girl Geek Dinners, asking that guys come as the “+1” for once. Angie holds a B.A. in English and Social Welfare from UC Berkeley. Follow her on Twitter at @thisgirlangie.

Anne-Gail Moreland

Anne-Gail Moreland

Anne-Gail Moreland, an intern with Women 2.0, was on the StartupBus. She studies neuroscience at Mount Holyoke College, where she is trying to merge a passion for tech and the brain into a new wave of cognition-based technology

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