The Founders Club, (www.founders-club.com), a unique venture capital equity exchange fund, announced that it has accepted an undisclosed angel investment from the partners of US venture capital firm Meritage Funds. Meritage VC Ryan Pollock has joined the Technology & Cleantech team of Venture Advisors at the club. The partners of Meritage Funds invested their own personal cash as part of The Founders Club angel round and join a powerful syndicate of other VCs, fund of funds VC investors, CEOs and entrepreneurs in the US and Europe.

Andrew Romans, founder and general partner, said: “The commitment of the partners at Meritage Funds with a personal investment demonstrates that seasoned VC veterans in the US see value in the club. The Meritage founders have a very strong investing track record in the USA and Europe over the past 30 years. With over $600M of assets under management and a unique model for combining operating and venture talent, Meritage is an ideal addition to our ecosystem. The investment by the Meritage team, and the addition of Ryan Pollock as a Venture Advisor, represent an important beachhead into the US market as we build on the club’s existing relationships with the best Founders, CEOs and Venture Capitalists worldwide.”

Ryan Pollock of Meritage said: “We have been a sounding board for this innovative ecosystem since Andrew first came up with the idea. Now that The Founders Club is a reality, we wanted to join as both participants as well as investors.” Pollock continued, “Meritage has always brought a global perspective and network to the entrepreneurs it backs. Our participation in the club fits with our approach to venture investing and we believe membership in the club will provide us with access to a powerful international group of respected entrepreneurs and fellow VCs who have uniquely aligned their incentives to collaborate.”

The Founders Club is an established family of funds where VC backed entrepreneurs agree to invest a percentage of their future equity returns into one of The Founders Club funds in return for fund ownership and membership in the club. There is no cash cost to join. Members only contribute cash from proceeds at the time they sell or liquidate their equity position in their company. Each fund comprises between 20-30 high potential venture backed portfolio companies, thereby affording any single entrepreneur a strategy to create wealth while accomplishing portfolio diversification. Portfolio companies are selected by committees comprised of Venture Advisors from premier venture capital firms in the US, Europe and Israel. Entrepreneurs accepted into the club on this basis have access to other members as well as the venture capitalists serving on our Venture Advisory committees.

The Founders Club is currently accepting the final few members into its two existing portfolios, namely: Healthcare & Life Science Fund I (biotech pharmaceutical, medical devices, healthcare IT & services) and Technology & Cleantech Fund I (classic ITC, mediatech & environmentally friendly technology).