AngelList was founded by Naval Ravikant and Babak Nivi in 2010.
The platform began as an online directory and fundraising network for startups and investors. It helped young companies present information about their businesses while connecting them with angel investors and other members of the technology ecosystem.
AngelList later expanded into several services, including startup recruiting and investment vehicles. Its products helped make early-stage investing more accessible to accredited investors and supported syndicates in which an experienced investor could organize participation from other backers.
AngelList is sometimes confused with Product Hunt because the two companies became connected through ownership. AngelList acquired Product Hunt in 2021, but AngelList itself predates that acquisition by more than a decade. The company’s name refers to angel investors, who typically provide capital to startups at an early stage.