For those who back ventures and those who build ventures
BACK VENTURES: Invest in meaningful startups with Epic Angels
Epic Angels is the largest network of female angel investors investing in APAC and LatAm.
With over 750 investors in 40+ countries, we support early stage startups with capital, knowledge, mentorship, and a global network.
Our goal is to empower women through education and a peer-community, giving them the confidence to make informed investment decisions and become change-makers through allocating capital.
Curious about investing in early stagestartups or looking for a one-of-a-kind community of female angel investors? Find out more about Epic Angels here!
BUILD VENTURES: Launch your venture with 'The Leap Series'
The Leap Series exists to remove the barriers that stand seasoned professional women in the way to build and scale meaningful ventures. Entrepreneurship is a rewarding path, whether you are looking for personal fulfilment (got more in you?), a new career (ready for a new challenge or got laid off?), more flexibility (work on your own terms?) or more purpose in life (do more meaningful things with your time?). Dip your toe in in the safe environment of The Leap Series - a choose-your-own-adventure suite of programmes and experiences. For everyone who is considering a career change or has already made the leap.
Explore The Leap Series here.
ABOUT
HESTER SPIEGEL
Hester Spiegel-van den Steenhoven is an entrepreneur with international experience as a leader in blue chip companies. Before starting her own companies, she had more than 15 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deutsche Bank. Hester pivoted her career and brought the modern education system and coding school ‘42’ to Germany. In support of this venture, she raised double-digit millions from the country’s largest company and foundation, hired teams and found the route to market.
Living in Singapore since 2020, Hester co-founded and runs Epic Angels, the largest all-female angel investor collective investing in Asia. She is venture partner at the venture capital firm Kaizenvest and supports many startups as a mentor and advisor for renowned accelerators. In her roles as the founding and managing partner of Epic Angels, mentor and advisor, Hester sees on average 100 startup founders and ideas every month.
Hester is driven to apply her experience to inspire others to recognise genuine opportunity, accelerate novel ideas and take leaps of faith towards their dreams. In the venture capital industry, she advances the diversity of perspectives by growing the number of confident women as investors and founders.
OUR EVENTS
Let's meet here!
Events and experiences free to attend
Second Act Founders: the leap into entrepreneurship and how to start strong
This energetic, practical workshop helps you successfully navigate the first steps of your entrepreneurial journey. Learn what matters most in the early stage, avoid common pitfalls, and gain clarity and confidence to turn your idea into traction. *Perfect for: women at the start of their entrepreneurial journey or considering a career pivot.
Every first Wednesday of the month, 4-5pm GMT+8
First steps into Angel investing (free, online)
Wondering how to start angel investing with clarity and purpose? This webinar is designed specifically for women who want to invest not just money, but also their vision for societal change. No jargon, no fluff - just the essentials of how to get started.
Twice a month, am and pm
Ready to take the next step in your entrepreneurial journey? Reach out to us to explore how our coaching services can empower you to achieve your goals and elevate your business.
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News & Stories
About
HESTER SPIEGEL
After 15 years in corporate life I took my own leap into entrepreneurship. The freedom and fulfilment that my entrepreneurial journey has given me, I want to make accessible and achievable for everyone. At mid- to end-career, your role may change, but your purpose has not expired. The Leap brings together my philosophy, programmes, and stories that help ex-corporate professionals move from idea to traction to impact, while staying connected. From seeing things differently, to making a difference through purpose-driven entrepreneurship.
- Hester Spiegel
Hester knows like no other what it takes to balance entrepreneurship with other things that life is made up of. As a mum of two, she took the leap of faith and gave up her 15+ international corporate career with PwC and Deutsche Bank to pursue a projects with purposes that drive her deeply. She revolutionised Germany's education landscape with the coding school '42'. Now based in Singapore, she co-founded and leads Epic Angels, Asia's largest all-female angel investor collective. The community of over 800 female investors she and her business partner built from the ground up.
As an entrepreneur and investor in female-led companies, she knows how to build and scale a company. Hester sees dozens of founders every month, mentors, and is regularly judging on pitch competitions for renowned accelerators and programmes. With lived-life experience and a great passion for breakthrough ideas, efficiency and equality, she loves to create paths of access for women and men to become change-makers, through allocating time and capital. She knows how to inspire people and is easy to relate to thanks to her international and cross-industry experience working with both corporate leaders and entrepreneurs.