The US's oldest and largest national angel investing group, Investors' Circle, announced today the IC20, an index of the top 20 most impactful companies that have received funding through its network since 1992. Investors' Circle used qualitative and quantitative metrics to assess 197 companies, identifying the top achievers in financial, social, and environmental success.

Investors' Circle Co-Director, Deb Parsons, says "these companies stand as shining examples of the potential of social enterprise, proving that a focus on sustainability and social impact need not compromise profitability and that socially responsible investment can result in substantial internal and external return." Like the Inc. 100 before it, Investors' Circle hopes that the IC20 will become the next benchmark of success for new enterprise.

Led by Cardinal Resources, a Pennsylvania based engineering services firm creating solar-power water purification systems for low-tech environments, the IC20 embody a growing trend towards social and environmental initiative in enterprise. Ninety-five percent of the companies interviewed attributed their entire revenue to socially and/or environmentally beneficial products and services. These same companies did not forfeit financial success for themselves or their investors.

Measuring success in multiple bottom lines highlights the achievements of mission-led businesses and socially responsible investors, laying the foundation for the future of social enterprise. Chris Mann, Founder of #2 ranked Guayaki, says "To take sustainable business to a level where it can drive massive progressive change we need to continually improve our methods for valuing the social and environmental services that businesses like ours create. Investors' Circle recognizes this and has been helping to drive these changes for almost 20 years."

Public announcement and celebration of the IC20 will be held at the IC Fall 2009 Conference and Venture Fair, November 15 -17th in Washington, DC. The event will feature IC20 speakers and exhibitors and showcase 22 new early-stage mission-driven companies.

Investors' Circle is a network of over 225 angel investors, professional venture capitalists, foundations, family offices and others who are using private capital to promote the transition to a sustainable economy. Since 1992, Investors' Circle has facilitated the flow of over $133 million into more than 200 companies and small funds addressing social and environmental issues.

For Information: www.investorscircle.net

Investors' Circle - SJF Institute

Investors' Circle - SJF Institute

SJF Institute was founded in 2001 as an independent nonprofit affiliate of SJF Ventures, a leading national impact investment venture capital fund. SJFI develops national and regional programs to connect, inspire and accelerate impact entrepreneurs and the fields that support them. SJFI has provided direct technical assistance to over 1500 impact entrepreneurs and has helped hundreds of others through its signature programs, including Getting Ready for Equity™, CleanLinks networking events, the SJF Cleantech Mentorship Program, the Green Jobs Award, and field-building reports such as Employees Matter: Maximizing Company Value Through Workforce Engagement.

Since 1992 Investors' Circle has built a network of over 150 angel investors, professional venture capitalists, foundations and family offices who are using private capital to promote the transition to a sustainable economy. During that time Investors' Circle has facilitated the flow of over $145 million into more than 220 companies and small funds addressing social and environmental issues. Members in IC's network of impact investors include some of the most experienced angels, early-stage and growth funds working to change the world.

Together, SJF Institute and Investors' Circle will increase entrepreneurs' access to capital, resources and networks, and will provide more opportunities for collaboration among impact investors.

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