AngeLink, founded by Gerry Poirier in June 2022, is revolutionizing the fundraising landscape with a mission to empower women around the globe. Inspired by her grandmother’s acts of kindness and her own experience as a woman in the male-dominated world of finance, Poirier launched AngeLink to address the economic and social disparities women face.
As Poirier recounts, her journey to creating AngeLink began on Wall Street, where she often found herself one of the few women in the room. “I wanted to help women, particularly those with limited access to capital,” Poirier said, explaining her drive to launch a platform that levels the playing field. AngeLink is built to foster social impact, providing a space for women to unite and support one another through crowdfunding.
Poirier emphasizes the global challenges women face, from the gender pay gap to limited access to capital and top-earning jobs. Women earn 20% less than men for the same work, and only 3% of venture capital funding goes to female entrepreneurs. Women of color, who are often the heads of single-income families, face even greater disparities. AngeLink aims to address these inequalities by providing a platform where women can share their stories, seek financial support, and find a community.
AngeLink stands out from other crowdfunding platforms as the first peer-to-peer platform built by women, for women. It allows users to raise funds for everything from unexpected medical emergencies to launching small businesses. Through its integration with major social media platforms, AngeLink also helps women spread the word about their campaigns and build an audience.
AngeLink’s impact is growing, with a TrustScore of 4.7, significantly higher than the industry average. In addition to its core platform, Poirier launched the AngeLink Community Foundation, which provides grants focusing on entrepreneurship, education, and emergencies. This aligns with AngeLink’s broader mission to advance economic equality and gender parity.
Looking ahead, AngeLink is set to host the Angels of Hope pitch competition in March 2025, aimed at empowering female entrepreneurs. This event, in collaboration with the SBA’s Women’s Business Centers, will help further Poirier’s vision of unleashing the economic power of women globally.
