Forming Circles Global (FCG), headed by CEO and founder Renata Cooper (pictured), has launched in Australia as a unique angel investment organisation created to predominantly fund local and global women-led/founded tech start-ups.
FCG is an evolution of Forming Circles that launched in 2011 as a social and ethical investment organisation and has since supported over 100 individuals, businesses and causes. FCG is a leading angel investment organisation in Australia headed by a woman investing in women’s start-ups.
With a brand new identity, FCG will leverage the newly launched Forming Circles Fund to invest AUD$500,000 (in order of priority) into angel investments in start-ups, two annual Australian small business grants and support for Australian social enterprises operating in developing countries. Pitching opportunities will follow a scheduled calendar that will be announced at a later date.
What exactly is FCG aiming for?
A key focus area for FCG will be on building the Founders Circle of entrepreneurs who collectively support the start-up community and play an active role in its growth – through mentorship, investments and networks, now and in the future.
“The spirit of women-led entrepreneurship and its role in shaping the future of our economy is getting stronger every day. The energy is here and slowly, through an increasing number of success stories, women are fuelling the next phase of growth – in Australia and onto global markets.
“FCG is here to support women driving value based innovation and nurture an ecosystem and network of future investors, said Renata Cooper, CEO and founder of FCG.
“Many creative ideas that influence growth and positively impact people’s lives get lost due to lack of and access to funding. FCG is making a conscious effort to empowering women entrepreneurs with startups built on great ideas. In addition to financial support, we will give women valuable mentorship that helps their startups scale,” added Renata.
Renata already has a strong investment record
Renata is a member of Scale Investors, a female focused angel investor network and a muru-D (the start-up accelerator backed by Telstra) mentor.
Renata’s investment portfolio currently comprises innovative and disruptive startups including iVvy, Good360, Handkrafted and most recently, Workible – a leading mobile and social recruitment platform for service and supply industries and Our Little Foxes – a craft projects and activities subscription service for kids aged 2 – 10.
Through Scale Investors, she has invested in US based CloudPeeps and DayOne Response.
To date, Renata has invested over $2 million in Australian and US start-ups, social enterprises and women, youth and literacy focused sponsorships and causes.
Other causes and activities supported by Forming Circles include AFI award winning anti-bullying short film A Cautionary Tail featuring Cate Blanchett’s voice and its app, the multi-award winning Livvi’s place playground in Ryde, 2013 Sydney Writers Festival, tickle the imagination – Australia’s leading magazine for the handmade / artisan community and Griffith Review Novella Project III.
Forming Circles has also successfully run three Written Portraits annual national creative writing competitions for teens, published five books, two of which were selected for NSW Premier’s Reading Challenges, and given cash awards to the winners and the winning schools.
