Comparison · 8 material differences
Angel Capital Association vs Golden Seeds
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact; it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Professional association
Verified September 2026 Angel Capital Association
Individual accredited angel investors, organised angel groups, angel funds, family offices investing in private companies, equity crowdfunding platforms, and ecosystem…
Investment community
Golden Seeds
Accredited investors who want to invest in early-stage companies founded or led by women
What the records say
- Accredited-investor status: Angel Capital Association: Individual membership is aimed at accredited angel investors; online equity marketplace platform members must be comprised of accredited investors; Golden Seeds: SEC accredited investor status is the only requirement to request a membership agreement; members must confirm their accredited status annually.
- Annual dues: Angel Capital Association: $310 a year; Golden Seeds: Golden Seeds confirms ongoing annual dues but does not publish the amount..
Side by side
| Angel Capital Association | Golden Seeds | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Professional association | Investment community |
| Founded | 2004 (Formed out of four Angel Organization Summits convened by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in 2002 and 2003. One business directory gives 2005; 2004 is the date recorded on Wikipedia and in ACA's own account of its origins.) | 2004 (Founded by Stephanie Hanbury-Brown, who remains Managing Director of Golden Seeds and Managing Partner of the Golden Seeds Fund.) |
| Headquarters | Overland Park, United States | New York, United States |
| Geographic footprint | United States, with some international members; ACA also serves as the US representative to the World Business Angels Association | Nine chapters in the United States, with members in 28 states, Washington DC and internationally |
| Members | 15,000as of September 2026 | 300as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | ACA has no chapters. Its 250+ member angel groups and platforms are independent organisations that join as institutional members. | 9 |
| Primary audience | Individual accredited angel investors, organised angel groups, angel funds, family offices investing in private companies, equity crowdfunding platforms, and ecosystem organisations such as accelerators and universities | Accredited investors who want to invest in early-stage companies founded or led by women |
| Typical member | Individual members are accredited angel investors, most of whom belong to one of ACA's member angel groups and are automatically included through that group's membership. Institutional members are angel networks, funds, family offices and platforms. | Members are SEC accredited investors from varied professional backgrounds who share a stated commitment to advancing women entrepreneurs. Members must confirm their accredited status annually. |
| Qualification | ||
| Accredited-investor status | Individual membership is aimed at accredited angel investors; online equity marketplace platform members must be comprised of accredited investorsACA states that membership is available to individual angels, accredited platforms, angel group investors and family offices. It does not publish a separate verification procedure for individual members.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | SEC accredited investor status is the only requirement to request a membership agreement; members must confirm their accredited status annuallyverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | No | No |
| Application process | Applicants complete an online application, agree to the ACA Member Code of Conduct and pay annual dues for the relevant category. Online equity marketplace platforms are asked to contact the membership team rather than self-serve. Individual investors who belong to a member angel group are enrolled through that group. | Newcomers to angel investing are directed first to a one-hour virtual open house where current members describe the experience. The next step is attending a forum meeting to observe the investment process and meet members. A prospective member then requests an invitation through the investor forums page, or contacts the membership team directly, and receives a membership agreement on confirming SEC accredited investor status. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. Admission is by application and code-of-conduct agreement rather than by selection; ACA publishes no rejection or acceptance data. | Not publicly disclosed. Golden Seeds publishes no acceptance data; the only stated gate is accredited-investor status. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $310 a yearIndividual Investor membership, "starting at $310". Members of ACA angel groups are automatically included.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Golden Seeds confirms ongoing annual dues but does not publish the amount.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Dues are published as starting rates; the tiering above those floors is not detailed publicly. | Golden Seeds states that membership consists of a one-time initiation fee and ongoing annual dues, but does not publish the amount.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Event costs | Not publicly disclosed. ACA's annual summit carries a registration fee that is not published on the membership pages.verified September 2026 | Golden Seeds confirms that both an initiation fee and annual dues exist but publishes neither amount. |
| Membership term | Annual | Annual |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Annual summit held in a different city each year, plus webinars and education programming through the year | Monthly chapter pitch meetings, plus investor forums, open houses and an annual summit |
| Peer forums | Peer group syndication channels rather than confidential peer forums | Chapter forums with company pitches and member-led due diligence teams; member-managed annual funds run alongside direct investment |
| Confidentiality | Members agree to the ACA Member Code of Conduct; no separate confidentiality regime is published | Not publicly disclosed |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Event-focused, Virtual | Chapter-based, Event-focused, Virtual |
| Confidential peer forums | Partial | Partial |
| Local chapters | No | Yes |
| Virtual membership | Yes | Yes |
| Online community | Yes | Partial |
| Member directory | Yes | Not documented |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Partial | Partial |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | No |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | Yes | Yes |
| Investment opportunities | Yes | Yes |
| Philanthropic component | No | No |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Low | Medium |
Next
Last verified: not yet reviewed
Report an error on this page
Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Angel Capital Association · Golden Seeds