Exclusive Online Community of Accredited Investors has fueled 20 Upstate NY Companies with $2.17M
Launch NY is celebrating a major milestone with the addition of its 400th Investor Network member, Flossie Hall, a serial entrepreneur, startup strategist, and Chief Executive Officer of the Stella Foundation. Hall’s commitment to fueling opportunities for women-led and underrepresented ventures underscores the growing impact of Launch NY’s investor community across Upstate New York.
The Investor Network, founded in 2020, now connects more than 400 accredited investors with featured startup investment opportunities, including Launch NY portfolio companies, across the region. In 2025 alone, the Network has closed three deals totaling $210,000 and welcomed 56 new members, reflecting the strong momentum behind early-stage investing in Upstate NY’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Hall, a 7-figure business builder, launching and scaling multiple businesses in sectors from tech to education, to food and CPG, with a national profile as a startup advocate, brings her deep passion for advancing women founders to Launch NY’s community of investors. Through her leadership at Stella Foundation, a venture fund and platform that provides capital, mentorship, and a network of investors to women entrepreneurs to help them launch, scale, and sustain their businesses, she has scaled programming and partnerships that open doors for female founders and funders. A Brockport, NY native, Hall brings experience facing the challenges of being an entrepreneur who has grown new ventures from her numerous homes across the United States as a military wife, mother of four, and co-founder of the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs (AMSE),
“As both the CEO of Stella Foundation and an active angel investor, I believe in putting my capital and energy where it matters most -directly into the hands of women founders and underrepresented entrepreneurs,” said Hall. “Joining Launch NY’s Investor Network was a natural step. It provides a structured, collaborative way to connect with incredible founders right here in Upstate New York while also expanding the pipeline for investors who want to drive meaningful change.”
As the most active seed funding source in the state, investing exclusively in New York State startups, Launch NY augmented its nonprofit and for-profit seed funds with the Investor Network in 2020. The Investor Network is the only online platform dedicated to connecting investors with individual Upstate NY companies seeking equity capital. Investor Network members can fund each featured startup with as little as $10,000 after reviewing the company’s due diligence information and checking out the “meet the founder” sessions. Launch NY takes care of all the administration, legal, and tax documentation to make it easy for the members to “invest local.” Since its inception, the Investor Network has invested $2.17 million in 20 companies, broadening access to venture capital in a region where entrepreneurs have historically been undercapitalized. With more than 1,850 companies supported to date through its mentoring and funding programs, Launch NY continues to build a vibrant innovation ecosystem where founders and investors alike can thrive.
“Reaching 400 members is about more than numbers. – It’s about building a diverse community of investors who bring both capital and expertise to the table,” said Marnie LaVigne, Ph.D., President and CEO of Launch NY. “We are thrilled to welcome leaders like Flossie Hall, whose vision for inclusion and growth in entrepreneurship helps us build the visibility of the Network to investors near and far who want to support startups in our region.”
This milestone not only demonstrates the growth of Launch NY’s Investor Network but also the increasing momentum for startup investment across Upstate New York. Launch NY. With 402 Investor Network members, Launch NY is offering a no-cost sign-up to its first 500 members, with no obligation to invest. Accredited investors can learn more here.