Access To Capital
Is Not A Privilege.
"The Soho House of founder experiences."
ICW® Capital is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) founder-to-investor access network — closing the structural gaps that keep great founders from reaching the investors and resources they need to scale.Through curated events, strategic programming, and direct investor connections, we build the pathways that traditional networks leave behind.
ACCESS • COMMUNITY • CAPITAL • SCALE •
Active Cities
5
Philly · Lehigh Valley · DMV · NYC · San Diego — and growing
Founders Connected
50+
Early-stage to Series A, across industries and communities
Investor Partners
12+
JP Morgan, New York Life, Vista Wealth, Honeycomb Credit & more
Years of Access
3+
Curating rooms, events, and pathways since our founding in Philadelphia
Our Mission
Bridging the gapbetween founders& funding.
Too many great founders are locked out — not because their ideas aren't strong, but because they lack proximity to the right people, rooms, and resources.
ICW® Capital was founded on a simple belief: access to capital is a human right, not a privilege reserved for those already inside the system.
We operate at the intersection of community, capital, and strategy — creating intentional pathways that move founders from idea to investor-ready, and from invisible to undeniable.
Our Values
01
Every connection we make is purposeful. No performative networking — only rooms that move things forward.
Access with Intention
Strategy over Hype
02
We cut through noise to give founders what actually matters — timing, positioning, and relationships.
03
Community as Capital
Relationships are the first round of funding. We build ecosystems, not just events.
04
Equity in Innovation
Access to funding is a right under UDHR Articles 17, 23 & 25. We organize our work around that truth.
Our Founder
Behind every successful businesswoman is herself.
Katie Kupstas is a Philadelphia-based entrepreneur, speaker, and advocate whose life's work sits at the intersection of access, innovation, and community capital.
As Founder and CEO of ICW® Capital, she built the organization from a grassroots network into a nationally expanding founder-to-investor access platform now operating across five cities and on a clear path toward acquisition by 2028.
She is also the architect behind Cocktails & Capital™ — the in-person event series that has redefined what founder programming looks and feels like, bringing together founders, funders, and community partners in curated, high-impact gatherings from Philadelphia to San Diego.
Katie holds a Human Rights Consultant certification through USIDHR and grounds her work in UDHR Articles 17, 23, and 25 — the right to property, work, and an adequate standard of living — connecting capital access to a broader framework of human dignity. She is a George Mason University alumna and has been featured in national media and conference stages alongside USPTO officials, VC leaders, and innovation policymakers.
Katie Kupstas
Founder & CEO · ICW® Capital
Featured In
Recognized across media & industry.
What We Build
Three pillars.One ecosystem.
Community
The Incubator & Network
Early-stage founders gain proximity to investors, programming, and peer community — without overextending before they're ready. Connection before consulting.
Capital
Cocktails & Capital™
Our flagship in-person event series now spans five cities. Intimate, intentional, and expansive — where relationships become the first round of funding.
Strategy
Investor Readiness Lab
For founders with traction preparing to raise. High-touch advisory, legal strategy, PR introductions, and curated investor salons — by application only.
Ready to be in the room?
Access Starts Here
Whether you're a founder building toward your first raise, an investor looking for curated deal flow, or a corporate partner ready to align your brand with the future — ICW® Capital has a seat for you.