In a celebration of a decade of innovation and investment, VentureSouth Asheville announced its 10th anniversary. Founded as Asheville Angels in April 2014, the group has played a pivotal role in supporting and shaping the startup landscape in the Southeastern region. 

Asheville Angels joined VentureSouth as its first chapter outside the state of South Carolina.  

“All that time, we’ve held on to the original ‘Asheville Angels’ name. Given the immense growth and success of VentureSouth, this milestone feels like the appropriate time to align branding throughout the greater organization,” said Jeffrey Kaplan, Market Director for VentureSouth and Executive Director of Venture Asheville, the high-growth entrepreneurship initiative of the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville – Buncombe County and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.  

What began as a local initiative has evolved into a chapter under the umbrella of VentureSouth, the renowned early-stage venture fund headquartered in Greenville, SC. Asheville Angels has been a key contributor to VentureSouth's success, demonstrating how engaged investors can help fund and support entrepreneurs in cities of all sizes and locations and contributing substantially to the total capital invested of over $80 million in over 100 companies. 

With nearly 600 active investors across 20+ cities ranging from Jacksonville, Florida to Central Virgina, VentureSouth has consistently ranked among the Top 10 angel investor groups in the United States since 2014.  

To mark this occasion, Asheville Angels is proud to announce its rebranding to VentureSouth Asheville. This transition aims to align the local chapter more closely with the VentureSouth brand and leverage the momentum behind this influential investment network. 

“It has been a great pleasure to add our small contribution to the growing startup community in Asheville since the launch of Asheville Angels a decade ago,” said Paul Clark, cofounder of VentureSouth.  

Clark, who is lucky enough to spend much of his time in Asheville, will be participating in an educational event to mark the milestone next month. 

The Rebranding Celebration Lunch and Learn with AMA on Angel Investing takes place Feb 6 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. The community is invited to the event which marks a decade of success while celebrating the beginning of a new and exciting chapter as VentureSouth Asheville. The program includes an engaging “Ask Me Anything” session on angel investing, providing attendees with the opportunity to ask questions of seasoned investors, addressing the crucial aspects of maintaining a balance of control in angel investing, with a focus on board service and responsibilities.  RSVP required at TeamUp.com/Event/Show/id/kMpcFZFYhvTnqUJHnKgxag8DqLBVSc.

About Venture Asheville  

Venture Asheville is the high-growth entrepreneurship initiative of the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. Venture Asheville grows Asheville’s startup community and connects high-growth entrepreneurs to talent, mentors and investors through unique programming and events. For more on Venture Asheville, visit VentureAsheville.com.   

About the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County  

The Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County is a public-private partnership committed to: creating and retaining high quality jobs, community leadership, and being a resource for better business decisions.  The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s staff executes the EDC mission through five core services: business retention and expansion, entrepreneurship, marketing and recruitment, workforce development and Riverbird Research.  The EDC is funded by Buncombe County, the City of Asheville, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and the AVL 5x5 Campaign. For more information, visit AshevilleChamber.org/Economic-Development. 

About Asheville Chamber of Commerce