Supporting the San Francisco and North Bay Start-up Community with Resources and Funding
Circle Bank (www.circlebank.com) today announced an alliance with Keiretsu Forum (www.keiretsuforum.com), the world’s largest angel investor network, to work with start-up and early stage companies in San Francisco and the North Bay.
“This is an exciting opportunity for us to work with entrepreneurs who are seeking to bring innovative products and services to market”
Keiretsu Forum has 850 accredited investor members in 21 chapters on three continents. Since Keiretsu Forum’s founding in 2000, its members have invested more than $260 million in companies in technology, consumer products, healthcare/life sciences, real estate and other segments with high growth potential.
“This is an exciting opportunity for us to work with entrepreneurs who are seeking to bring innovative products and services to market,” said Kim Kaselionis, CEO/Chairman of Circle Bank. “We will be collaborating with the Keiretsu program in the North Bay and San Francisco. We will provide our financial expertise and knowledge of financing programs to help the companies obtain the funding required to build their organizations.”
While Forum members collaborate in the due diligence process, they make individual investment decisions, with rounds in the range of $250,000 to $2 million. Keiretsu Forum’s community is strengthened through education on angel investing, as well as charitable giving. Forum members have donated in excess of $1 million to 111 non-profit organizations.
“Circle Bank is a perfect partner for Keiretsu Forum in San Francisco and the North Bay,” said Randy Williams, CEO/founder of Keiretsu Forum. “We have met extensively with Kim and her staff and they have a thorough understanding of the banking needs of the entrepreneurs that our members have funded. We’re excited to provide this additional source of financing as our portfolio companies grow.”
Williams, who has 30 years of experience in finance, real estate, and marketing, created Keiretsu in September 2000 to provide a disciplined and structured approach to private equity investing. There are Keiretsu chapters in the United States, China and Europe. In Northern California, Keiretsu Forum also has chapters in the East Bay and Silicon Valley.
