New investor report: Women-led startups more likely to get angel support than VC backing
October 30, 2018 | Austin Barnes
Angel investors support 10-times more women-led companies than venture capital-backed investors, revealed a first-of-its-kind report by the Kansas City-based Angel Capital Association.
“It didn’t shock us,” said Marianne Hudson, executive director of the ACA, the world’s largest cohort of angel investors.
Hudson cited previous ACA research that indicated 21 percent of angel investors had been identified as women.
“We could really see some growth there,” she said. “Any events and activities that were giving women momentum had a lot of interest.”
Newly released, the pilot for the ACA’s Angel Funders Report polls 26 angel groups from 17 states and examined factors that impact investor returns and overall entrepreneurial success.
“[Angel Groups] are very excited about this. They can see some real, potential benefits,” Hudson said.
Other highlights of the report include angel investors eager to support first-time entrepreneurs, investment opportunities located in more than twice the number of states as angel investors, and multiple angel investors collaborating to infuse startups with investments in the million-dollar range, Hudson revealed.
Click here to view the full Angel Funders Report.
“I think [collaboration] is a growing trend in that it really shows that angel groups need to work with each other to invest in entrepreneurs so they get the capital that they need,” she said.
Moving forward, the ACA plans to release the report quarterly, Hudson said. Beyond the release of the pilot report, an official launch timeline has not yet been determined.
“An angel investment is only successful if the company is successful,” she added. “I think over time this will give us the kinds of insights that everyone can learn from.”
Routine study of trends in angel investment will further cultivate the entrepreneurial ecosystem, by alerting investors and entrepreneurs to new opportunities in the startup space, Hudson said.
Featured Business

2018 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Ready to bet big? Kansas wants to help entrepreneurs win more federal innovation grants
Kansas innovators now have access to a new tool designed to help them compete for major federal funding. The Kansas Department of Commerce has opened applications for the state’s SBIR and STTR Matching Program, which provides financial support and hands-on guidance for entrepreneurs pursuing federal innovation grants. The matching initiative is part of ACCEL-KS, a…
New Maker of the Year: Why this mom’s side hustle for the girly girls couldn’t stay at home
A hobbyist venture that began with making shirts for her kids has earned Julie Swopes a spot on Made in KC’s shelves for her Chiefs- and Royals-inspired tees — along with one of the local-first retailer’s top honors: KC New Maker of the Year for 2025. “I’m just a stay-at-home mom that has turned her…
Don’t be a stranger: When this Crossroads refuge closes, another chapter begins for Afterword (and the space it leaves behind)
With two more Open Mic Nights and more than a month left on its lease at Afterword Tavern & Shelves — a cozy corner hotspot where patrons leisurely bond over drinks and good reads — the popular Crossroads third-space isn’t finished telling its story despite losing the space to its new landlord, said Kate Hall.…
Exporting KC to the world: Esports leader revs come-from-behind global takeover amid World Cup’s big draw
As the metro bundled up and showed out Friday, getting its latest taste of what the 2026 World Cup has in store, the Kansas City Pioneers dropped new heat — raising the thermostat on their commitment to seize the moment brought forth by the global gathering as a net for esports. “Now is the time for…

