The New Name Reflects Its Evolution into a National Venture Organization
CINCINNATI, Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Queen City Angels today announced that it has officially rebranded as QCA Ventures™, marking a strategic evolution into a nationally recognized venture organization supporting early-stage founders with capital, expertise, and long-term partnership.
Founded in 2000, QCA Ventures has grown from a small group of local investors into a network of more than 219 accredited members across 25 states. The rebrand reflects the organization's expanding national footprint, institutional fund platform, and increasingly sophisticated venture operations. "We started with five investors in Cincinnati and have grown into a professionally structured venture organization with national reach," said Founder and Chairman Tony Shipley. "QCA Ventures reflects who we've become — disciplined investors, active mentors, and long-term partners to founders building successful, high-growth companies."
Proven Track Record of Early-Stage Impact
Since inception, QCA Ventures has:
- Invested nearly $130 million across 123 portfolio companies
- Helped attract more than $1 billion in follow-on syndicated capital
- Supported companies driving innovation, job creation, and strong investor returns
QCA Ventures operates multiple venture funds alongside its direct investment platform. Its latest fund, QCA First Fund VII, was launched in late 2024 and has already invested in 12 companies following the organization's comprehensive screening and due diligence process. The fund remains open to new accredited investors through 2026. "We measure our success by the success of our founders," said Michelle Gibbs, QCA Ventures member and co-fund manager of First Fund VII. "The quality of companies we've backed through this fund reflects both the strength of today's entrepreneurial ecosystem and the rigor of our investment process."
More Than Capital: Hands-On Venture Support
Unlike traditional angel networks, QCA Ventures members actively engage with portfolio companies by providing strategic guidance, board participation, customer introductions, talent connections, and follow-on fundraising support. "Our members invest both capital and time," said Executive Director Scott Jacobs. "That hands-on involvement is a major differentiator and one of the reasons founders consistently seek out QCA Ventures as a long-term partner."
Rooted Locally, Investing Nationally
While QCA Ventures maintains strong ties to the Cincinnati entrepreneurial ecosystem, the organization now deploys capital nationally while continuing to support innovation and startup growth in the Queen City.
"Our roots in Cincinnati remain strong," Shipley added. "At the same time, this rebrand reflects the national scope of our investing activity and the professionalism of our investor community."
New Brand Identity and Tagline
Along with the name change, QCA Ventures is introducing a new brand identity and tagline:
Capital. Connections. Commitment.
"The tagline captures what makes QCA Ventures unique," said Mike Halloran, QCA Ventures member and professor at Xavier University's Williams College of Business. "We provide capital, open doors through meaningful connections, and stay committed to founders from the first check through successful exit."
About QCA Ventures
QCA Ventures is a group of 219 experienced accredited investors located in 25 states. Investor members include successful entrepreneurs, former C-suite corporate executives, R&D/technical experts and others with related business backgrounds. QCA Ventures operates multiple venture funds supporting high-growth startups across four major industry sectors: in life sciences, IT (B2B SaaS), advanced materials, and advanced manufacturing. QCA Ventures leverages its proprietary Standards + Practices Guide© to educate, train, and mentor both entrepreneurs and its early-stage investor members. QCA Ventures members typically donate approximately 50,000 hours per year in pro-bono mentoring, coaching, and guidance to entrepreneurs with the goal of helping them improve the probability of a successful outcome. Since 2000, QCA Ventures has directly invested over $130 million in 123 portfolio companies. The total capital invested in these companies, including QCA Ventures members' capital, syndication partners' capital, follow-on venture capital funds, and venture debt is more than $1 billion. For more information, please visit www.qca.com.
SOURCE QCA Ventures
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