Downland selected to present at Stella Angels Spring Showcase
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOLANA BEACH, CA – February 18, 2025 – Downland, a succession planning startup serving landowners and farmers, announces its selection to pitch at the Stella Angels Spring Showcase on February 27, 2025. This prestigious quarterly event connects accredited investors with promising female-founded startups, offering Downland the opportunity to present its innovative solution to investors across Stella Angels' network.
"We're honored to be selected for the Stella Angels Spring Showcase," said Jessi Roesch, CEO and Founder of Downland. "This platform allows us to advance our mission of improving land access for young farmers while addressing one of agriculture's most pressing challenges: The upcoming wealth transfer of 1.5 million family farms in the next two decades."
Downland's approach combines estate and succession planning with regenerative agriculture expertise, addressing both immediate land transfer needs and long-term sustainability goals. By connecting retiring farmers with skilled regenerative practitioners, Downland ensures agricultural lands remain productive while transitioning to sustainable management practices.
Stella Angels stands at the forefront of addressing systemic funding disparities in venture capital. In 2019, all-female founding teams received just $3.3 billion in venture capital investment, representing 2.8% of capital invested across the U.S. startup ecosystem. The numbers are even more stark for diverse founders, with Black women receiving just 0.27% and Latinas receiving 0.37% of venture funding.
Women-led startups received only 2% of venture capital funding in 2021, with indications that lower rates of capital were invested in female-led companies in 2024. Downland's selection highlights the growing recognition of women-led companies developing solutions for complex challenges.
Downland will pitch at the Stella Angels Spring Showcase on February 27, 2025.
"Women impact 80% of buying decisions. Why aren't we impacting a majority of the investment decisions?" Catherine Gray, investor and producer of the documentary Show Her the Money told an audience during a film screening. "Woman are getting short changed and they can participate in fixing it because it's essential to our future."
Stella Angels differentiates itself through its comprehensive support system, offering rigorous business training programs, high-touch mentorship, and curated consulting services alongside capital access. Their network includes professionals, serial entrepreneurs, and investors with deep functional expertise across industries, providing founders with critical resources from ideation to exit.
The Stella Angels Showcase exemplifies the organization's mission to increase equality for women-led startups while fostering innovation across industries. Interested accredited investors can contact rylie@stella.co to participate in the showcase.
About Downland. Downland is dedicated to accelerating the transition to regenerative agriculture by improving land access for young farmers. Through estate and succession planning, Downland empowers families who wish to keep their farm in agriculture even if there's not an heir interested in carrying on the operation by matching with a skilled farmer in search of land.
About Stella Angels. Stella Angels is committed to inspiring, equipping, and propelling diverse female founders while cultivating a thriving investor network. Their mission focuses on increasing equality for women-led startups through mentorship, resources, and capital access, working toward equal representation of female founders and funders across the venture table.
Media Contact: hello@godownland.com
