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Our Criteria
Investors' Circle seeks early-stage companies whose businesses address significant social or environmental issues.
Please NOTE: We no longer accept applications for investment into venture funds.
Target Industries
Typically these
companies are focused in the following sectors:
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Energy & Environmental Solutions
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Organics & Natural Products
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Education & Media
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Health & Wellness
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Community & International Development
We also accept and encourage minority and women-led companies so long as the underlying business does not detract from the sustainability and socially responsible values of Investors' Circle. Because our members invest primarily in companies in the five industries listed above, a minority- or women-led company in one of these sectors would be particularly attractive to our members.
Deal Stage
We consider private companies in many different deal stages
including early, expansion and growth. We do not consider
individuals or technologies, only fully-formed companies. We do not consider businesses that are in concept-stage only. Companies that
do not expect to generate revenues of at least $5 million within the next 5
years will not be accepted.
Financing
Needs
We do not accept companies with capital needs greater
than $10 million as that amount is beyond the means of our membership of
primarily angel investors. Companies with capital needs under $3 million
are more likely to find interest among our members.
Scalability
Investors’ Circle members are interested in maximizing
social and environmental impact as well as financial return. For this reason,
companies that have a potential for national or international growth tend to find
more interest within our network than companies that do not have such
potential. For example, we will consider a submission from a company that
sells organic coffee to retailers across the country but not from a company
that is launching a single, local, organic coffee shop.
Other Criteria
- We do not accept companies that are religion-based.
- We do not accept applications from purely non-profit organizations. We will accept for-profit subsidiaries or partners of non-profits.
- Investors’ Circle does consider non-US companies, but these companies should be aware that our members are primarily interested in US-based firms due to the complications of investing in foreign companies. The most likely way that a foreign enterprise would find interest among Investors’ Circle is as a US-based firm with operations overseas. Fees for our services must be paid in US dollars.
Key Characteristics
Companies that are most likely to find interest within
our membership will have a combination of the following characteristics:
- A strong management team
- A clear understanding of their market(s)
- Legally defensible technology
- Proof of concept demonstrated by contracts, revenues, strategic partnerships, etc.
- Clear commitment to a social and/or environmental mission
Our Selection Template
- Our reviewers use the following template to evaluate companies in our venture fair selection process
Note: Some ventures are considered in multiple industry categories.