“For context, innovation in the health sciences happens everywhere. Yet, a distinct gap sits before our eyes. Investment firms avoid funding solutions to female health care issues. Run predominantly by men, the firms are ‘uncomfortable’ addressing such issues, even when they are likely to make exceptional returns on their investment.
“…A movement is happening to address this. Bands of women angel investment organizations are floating to help…Among these, Portfolia’s angels are most on a mission.
“Portfolia’s angel network aims to funnel more than $1 billion into start-ups addressing women’s health issues by 2020. They plan to solve this gap by engaging at least 100,000 women investors. The aim is to invite affluent women to consider investing in start-ups that address relevant issues about which they care. More importantly, Trish Costello, founder and CEO of the investing platform Portfolia has a holistic plan. She understands women new to investing need to learn how to do well at it. Drawing from her leadership of the Kauffman Fellows career development program for venture capital investors for more than a decade, she created a method that teaches investors while investing wisely. Out goes the traditional angel network in which investors make their own decisions about pitches and write their own checks. Portfolia operates more as a micro-VC. Investors can join a fund with as little as $10,000. Each fund is lead by a small group of seasoned investors who manage deal flow and conduct the due diligence while teaching the investors during the process. Novices and veterans collaborate: angels teach angels.”
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