Securing capital for your startup is a pivotal moment in your story. Get it right and set the stage for sustained growth and survival.
You have plenty of options for business fundraising—from crowdfunding to tax credits. However, angel investors stand out as a unique catalyst for rapid (and sustainable) development. They bring a wealth of capital, expertise, and guidance to the table, providing your startup with essential funding and a plan for how to use it.
But where do you find angel investors? And how do you convince them to invest in your business?
In this article, we’ll walk you through tried-and-true tactics to help you find and engage angel investors and equip you with the tools and know-how to navigate the realm of angel investing.
What is an angel investor?
An angel investor is an individual who provides financial backing to early-stage startups in exchange for equity or ownership in the company. These individuals tend to invest their personal funds, leveraging (and risking) their own wealth to support promising ventures.
Unlike venture capitalists (VCs) who manage funds from institutional investors, angel investors invest their own money and often take a more hands-on approach. They typically invest smaller amounts of money in fewer startups, often providing more intensive mentorship, networking, and opportunities.
Angel investors can be the perfect source of financing for young startups who fail to qualify for substantial bank loans or funding from venture capital firms.
The terms of angel investments can vary, but angels typically invest at the pre-seed, seed, or early stage of a startup’s development. Angel investors tend to take minority equity stakes and expect a return on their investment through an eventual exit, such as a sale of the company or an initial public offering (IPO).
How to find angel investors
There’s no one-single-best way to find potential investors. Some founders meet angels on Shark Tank, while others encounter them on Twitter. Some of the world’s most successful businesses—Uber, Airbnb, SpaceX—blossomed as angel-backed startups (such as Uber, Airbnb, and SpaceX). And yours can, too.
1. Get involved with angel groups and angel investment networks
It’s 2023. You can meet, engage, and seal deals with angel investors before meeting in person. You can get involved with angel forums, angel investor networks, angel groups, and more without leaving your home or office.
However, this is a competitive landscape. Angel funding is hot money for startup founders, and they can be just as ambitious and passionate about their startup as you are—that means they’re likely searching for (and finding) angel investors just like you.
Yet, just because it’s competitive doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Here are a few groups and networks to consider to raise money:
- AngelList
- Angel Capital Association
- Angel Forum
- Life Science Angels
- Angel Investment Network
- Gust
- Tech Coast Angels
- Investor Hunt
2. Attract interest to your business on social media
Social media is an often underappreciated tool for securing angel investment. While traditional methods of networking and pitching remain important, social media platforms offer a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to engage with potential investors. Using these platforms effectively can open the door to a range of angel investors who may be interested in your vision and product.
Here are a few tips for using social media to find angel investors:
- Build in public. Sharing your startup journey, including successes, failures, and learning experiences, creates an authentic and engaging story that appeals to angel investors. This can lead to inbound communication from angel investors.
- Use social media for sourcing. Social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn and Twitter, are teeming with angel investors. Often, they mention their investor status in their bio or their posts. Use strategic keywords, hashtags, and advanced search options to identify these individuals. Engage with their content, comment thoughtfully on their posts, and reach out with a succinct, compelling pitch when appropriate.
- Find virtual networking opportunities. Attend virtual events, and participate in relevant online discussions with fellow entrepreneurs and angel investors. This increases your startup’s visibility and creates opportunities to catch the attention of potential angel investors.
3. Attend networking events
Look for industry events and conferences to meet like-minded professionals and angel investors. Remember, it’s not just about what you know—it’s also about who you know.
When attending industry events, take advantage of networking opportunities. Strike up conversations with attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and panelists. Be proactive in introducing yourself, exchanging business cards, and expressing genuine interest in their work.
Remember, even if someone isn’t an angel investor, they might have valuable connections and insights to share. They could have the key to a connection you need to secure a startup-changing investor.
4. Compete in startup events and pitch competitions
Participating in startup events, pitch competitions, and industry conferences can be a great way to expose your startup to angel investors. Investors could be convinced by your product pitch, or your personality might inspire them.
Participating is one thing—winning is another. If you can win a pitch competition, you’ll get prime time with attending angel investors.
Whether you win or lose, they’re invaluable experiences for building your presentation skills and refining your startup pitch deck.
5. Talk with fellow founders
Your network of fellow founders can be a goldmine of opportunities for raising capital for your startup. These individuals have navigated the investment landscape, gained valuable insights, and built relationships with potential investors. Leveraging this network can lead to warm introductions, advice, and potentially even investment.
Here are a few tips for leaning on your fellow founders to scout angel investors:
- Ask for introductions. If a fellow founder knows an angel investor who might be interested in your startup, don’t hesitate to ask for an introduction. This can often open doors that cold calls, emails, and DMs cannot.
- Seek advice. Fellow founders can provide first-hand advice on pitching, securing, and working with angel investors. They can share their experiences, successes, and failures, helping you avoid pitfalls and hone your strategy.
- Participate in founder groups. Joining in-person groups or online Slack and Discord communities for founders can widen your network and provide access to shared resources, including connections to potential investors.
- Leverage mutual connections. Use platforms like LinkedIn to identify mutual connections between you and potential investors. A fellow founder might not know an investor directly, but they could provide a second-degree connection to facilitate an introduction.
6. Engage with an incubator or accelerator
Startup accelerators and incubators provide valuable opportunities to find and connect with angel investors. Many of the leaders of these organizations look for startups to invest in, and they have valuable connections in multiple industries.
First, you’ll need to find the right accelerator for your startup. Next, you’ll need to apply and get accepted.
Once you’re in, here’s how you can use your new resource to find angels:
- Tap into mentor networks. Incubators and accelerators often have a network of experienced mentors and industry experts who guide and support startups. These mentors may have connections with potential angel investors or can offer introductions.
- Attend demo days. Accelerators often organize demo days, and investor showcases to give founders opportunities to present their businesses. Prepare a compelling pitch deck, demonstrate your progress, and win an investor’s interest.
- Engage with other participants. You never know when another business might have the key partnership you need to make a valuable connection or expand your business.
- Leverage alum networks. Alumni often have their startups or may have transitioned to angel investing themselves. Engage with them, attend alum events, and seek advice on navigating the funding landscape.
- Connect with program staff. Cultivate relationships with the program staff, including program managers, directors, and administrators. They eat, sleep, and breathe the startup ecosystem and may have connections to many angel investors.
7. Participate in local startup ecosystems
You don’t need to travel around the country or the world to find the right angel investors—they might be in your backyard. Engage with local startup ecosystems and events to find them.
Here are a few places you can get started:
- Co-working spaces
- Startup events
- Industry organizations
- Local universities
Before you meet investors
You’ll need to take care of a few essential to-dos before you find, meet, and pitch these wealthy individuals. Sometimes, your character and ambition alone can convince business angels, but it’s better to come in with a solid business plan and financial projections:
- Document financial situation. Present financial documents and realistic financial projections for your startup. This will help explain how much funding you need to execute your business model.
- Highlight your founding team. Angel groups and investors want a team they can trust. Your founding team should be full of technology and business leaders who instill confidence.
- Build a business pitch deck. Put together a short presentation that you can use to pitch busy investors. It should be compelling enough that they can’t ignore it.
- Research the right angel investor. You don’t want just any investor. You want someone who’s the right fit for your startup and its mission. Do your research before meetings to decide if someone is the right match.
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