Gaingels

Gaingels is one of the largest and most active venture investment syndicates in the world, and we are singlehandedly dedicated to supporting diversity and fostering social change towards equality via profitable investment in the venture asset class. The Gaingels syndicate and its network of partners invest in venture-backed companies in any sector and at all stages of growth – from pre-seed to pre-IPO. Gaingels does not lead rounds, and we only seek to invest as part of a group of other experienced and well established venture investor, primarily VC funds, but occasionally in rounds with meaningful investment from recognized super-angels. As a venture syndicate that’s laser focused on helping make the venture ecosystem more diverse, open, and inclusive, we seek to partner with companies that share our mission and are embracing of diverse leadership, inclusive of LGBTQ+ and gender expression. Gaingels was originally born to specifically invest in LGBT founded and led startups, but we believe we can drive social change in a broader way in the venture ecosystem by being valuable allies in bringing more diversity at all levels of leadership for our portfolio companies, within and without. While we may seek to support diversity where it already exists in whatever form, we will also invest in any company who recognize Gaingels as a partner that can assist them in rounding out and supercharge their diversity efforts. We do so by asking each of our portfolio companies to read, acknowledge and sign our Gaingels Letter as part of our investment process. While the letter is not designed to be a legally binding commitment on our companies, it is a way in which we overtly and explicitly discuss our principles and our values and solicit feedback, dialogue, and input on how those values may align with those of our investees, and of our co-investors. We are proud to have some of the largest number of LGBT founded/led startups in our portfolio in venture capital, but we will also proudly invest in companies without LGBTQ+ leadership that actively value diversity, and recognize Gaingels’ value as a partner in hiring diverse talent, building diverse boards, and include a broad and diverse set of investors and stakeholders in their success through cap-table diversification.