San Francisco-based Keiretsu Forum, among the large angel investor networks in the world, has acquired Ankur2Angels, an angel investment group with strong presence within the Indian community in Silicon Valley. This strategic acquisition will strengthen and diversify the Keiretsu Forum angel community in the San Francisco Bay Area with the addition of investors who are among the technology elite in Silicon Valley and will build a bridge to India for both investors and entrepreneurs.
Keiretsu Forum was founded in 2000 by Randy Williams in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now with 31 chapters and over 1,100 accredited investor members, Keiretsu Forum is among the world's largest by-invitation angel investor network. Keiretsu Forum members provide early stage capital in the range of $250k-$3 million in high quality, diverse investment opportunities and collaborate in due-diligence process, but make individual investment decisions. Through the Keiretsu Forum, more than $465 million has been invested into technology, consumer products, Internet, healthcare, life sciences and real estate companies
Since 2011, Ankur2Angels has been nurturing entrepreneurs to become tomorrow's industry leaders. Entrepreneurs will benefit from the opportunity to present to a larger group of angel investors and access global capital and resources. Ankur2Angels investors will benefit from Keiretsu Forum's deal flow from 31 global chapters, disciplined and structured company screening and due diligence processes and participation in a community of like-minded seasoned angel investors.
"By acquiring Ankur2Angels, Keiretsu Forum gains talented investors, a valuable angel investment platform, enabling additional cross-border investment and expanding our presence in the Indian market," said Randy Williams, Keiretsu Forum Founder and CEO.
"This deal will allow Ankur2Angels investors to have access to the extensive Keiretsu Forum network of investors and will facilitate collaboration to provide angel funding to some of the most promising startup companies. We believe that combining the passionate Ankur2Angels' community with the systems and resources of the Keiretsu Forum will create a unique win-win opportunity for both angel groups," said Gajanan Bhat and Harish Goli, Ankur2Angels Founders and Managing Partners.
It is like shark eating small fish, said Narasimhan Kasthuri, co-promoter of New India Angels, another angel group in the Bay Area. "But it is a good sign for Indian startups that are looking for funding that Angel bodies like Keiretsu are focusing on India," he added.
