Questions on angel investors who provides capital for a business start-up.
21
votes
8answers
2k views
Any experience with AngelList as startup?
AngelList sends almost hourly Tweets about Angels joining in, however I never heard anything about start-ups. Has anyone given it a shot or thought?
How long does the application process takes? What ...
15
votes
5answers
941 views
Losing Controlling Interest in a company, can that be bad?
Basically I have been lucky to get spotted by some angel investors and will be signing £60,000 for 60% of my current business come thursday, which will really boost my start-up massively and ...
11
votes
15answers
2k views
Do single-founder companies ever get funded?
Most companies I see funded usually have two or more founders. Do investors, angels or VCs, look down on one-man-companies? Are there many that get funded?
Or is it just that it's rare to have one ...
10
votes
5answers
409 views
Old and wise developer - Startup founder newbie
I'm a software developer/development manager with more than 18 years of hands on experience. For a year now a wonderful idea has fermented in my head. All the research I've indicates there is no ...
10
votes
5answers
3k views
Should I pitch my idea to Angel Investors?
We have an idea for a website. I am a software developer, but I don't want to spend all my time creating this site that won't sell or be marketable or popular whatsoever, and make us no money.
Would ...
9
votes
5answers
320 views
Looking for investment while still working full-time
I had it in my head (since I need my salary to pay my bills) that I would continue working full-time until either a) the business earned enough that I could quite or more likely b) we secured seed ...
9
votes
2answers
243 views
What can you share about your experience raising capital?
I'm currently raising capital for our startup and I have my first meeting with an angel investor next week. We are have achieved product/market fit, are ready to launch and are looking for $1.5 ...
9
votes
3answers
301 views
What does it take to be an Angel?
I'm a wannabe Angel.
I don't sit on a huge pile of cash, but my intention is to help startups in whatever possible way within my capacity. I haven't made a decision yet, as this thought has recently ...
7
votes
4answers
444 views
7
votes
3answers
514 views
“One Man Startup” - Should a add people before going out looking for funding?
i've been working on a project for the last year or so and during that time 4 out of 5 partners have left, leaving only me. I've turned the project into a modest success and have now received some ...
7
votes
7answers
487 views
How to find and approach Angel investors when you have no substantial connection to them
My network of people around me is almost nil. I am currently developing a software application. My partner and I are looking to find funding to hire a couple developers to finish our product and get ...
7
votes
3answers
815 views
Who are angel investors? How do they work out with start ups?
I have started a small software firm. Of course we need some funding. That's where I heard about angel investors. I would like know about angel investors and how start-ups normally work with them. ...
7
votes
6answers
527 views
First-time meeting with a VC and Angel Investor
Just to give some background, I'm building a software as a service offering which is almost in private beta and I have a few customers lined up to start using it at launch. Its a solo gig so far, and ...
6
votes
7answers
686 views
How complete should my business plan be before I approach investors?
I know there are a number of business plan questions already, but my question applies to a specific aspect of the process.
As my partners and I are researching and developing our plan, I've been ...
6
votes
4answers
448 views
How to get introductions to investors?
All over the internet, the consensus seems to be that when you are looking for funding it is important to approach angels or VCs through an introduction from someone they know, rather than cold.
...
6
votes
3answers
744 views
25% for angel investor for 20k$
These days I am in process of raising 20k$ for my project (a facebook application), that requires at least 30k$ (10k of which I am able to come up with myself).
When negotiating with an angel investor ...
6
votes
2answers
134 views
Investors looking at my site
So my friend came to me with a web idea a couple months ago. A few weeks back, I came around to it, and thought it would be awesome. I made the entire site in 3 weeks. It's now able to be tested ...
6
votes
2answers
189 views
My sales person (independent, not employee) wants to be an angel investor
I started a surveillance technology company in May 2010. Since the beginning, we have been working with a person that has been in the security industry for quite a while. He was providing some input, ...
6
votes
7answers
281 views
How to find Angels in my area
I would like to locate an Angel in the Jacksonville, Fl area to pitch my idea to. Although getting funded would be great right now I am just looking for someone to critique my pitch so that I can work ...
5
votes
6answers
614 views
Why so few “minority-owned” start-ups?
A study by the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire has just released their study on 2010 Angel Investment. By definition this money went to start-ups.
Buried in the study ...
5
votes
7answers
683 views
If I go to meet an angel investor without a business plan, will he dismiss my attempt immediately?
Can I probably get an investment from an angel investor even if I don't have a business plan? I have developed my website and my website is undergoing testing and it can be shown to an angel investor.
...
5
votes
4answers
635 views
Does all money invested by VC/Angels go to the company's use or to founder's pocket?
Let's say when a one-founder company owns 100% share. He sells 20% to a VC for $1m. Does this $1m go to the company for its expansion, or founder's pocket, or just a percentage of this money goes to ...
5
votes
5answers
601 views
I am the founder of a website. If I go to meet an angel investor,what questions will he probably ask me?
I have developed a website. It is under internal testing. My website is a platform. You can ask for people to do something for you and you pay them; on the other hand, you can do something for others ...
5
votes
2answers
416 views
What can Angel Investors do when the company is failing?
I'm an angel investor (B Round)of a new start up company. But unfortunately, the company seems to have failed. But the CEO never clearly says that the company has failed. So, what can I do. And most ...
5
votes
7answers
1k views
Start Up Seed Funding
How much is too much and how much is too little in getting funding for a web based start up?
5
votes
2answers
217 views
How long to wait for investing?
I'm the tech guy and doing a lot of technical development for the startup.
How long does one wait around for the business people to get funding from VC's and Angels? is there a ballpark of how long a ...
5
votes
4answers
2k views
Is there an index of startup incubators around the world?
Is there a list of places like the YCombinator, CapitalFactory etc arranged by their geographic operating regions?
5
votes
5answers
977 views
how do you protect your idea when going to a venture capital company?
I have an online idea that requires a lot of IT. I am the marketer and can implement on that front but do not have the IT experience or know-how. I would like to find a venture capital company that ...
5
votes
2answers
501 views
What percentage to give advisors / VC matchmakers?
I've been approached by two startup heavyweights who offered to recommend me to VCs and angels for my startup (I'm the sole owner). They've asked me what percentage of equity I would offer them in ...
4
votes
4answers
2k views
As an Angel Investor - How can I make money / exit
When an Angel invests, what is their typical exit strategy? to "Cash out" so to speak.
Say its an equity "A" round. ( I hope this make sense )
4
votes
2answers
214 views
Is it ok to present a different pitch deck than I emailed?
I just finished a pitch deck (11 slides, with 25 slide appendix), knowing that I'll often be emailing the deck to investors to read. So it's mostly text. I'm pretty sure that if I present at a live ...
4
votes
3answers
227 views
What has been your experience with VC/Angel Investor funding?
Have you taken VC money or angel investor funding for your enterprise? At what stage? What has been your experience so far?
I know Joel advises against it and hasn't used VC money so far, and I ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
Where can I find samples of good one page executive summary for a business plan?
We are applying for angel investment for our startup and looking for some samples of one page executive summary. Please share if you are aware of any.
Thanks,
4
votes
3answers
197 views
Sharing a list of angel investors
I've been aggregating a list of angel investors in the Boston area and I'm up to 180 or so now from around the area. The list includes links to Twitter pages, LinkedIn pages, and their investing ...
4
votes
1answer
172 views
Finding Investors. Who can you trust?
I see lots of investor hunters or finders on the web, but who can you trust? For instance many want a fee upfront to introduce you to 10 or 20 qualified leads. This is mostly done via phone and email. ...
4
votes
2answers
650 views
What does a seed money deal look like?
I have a personal contact that has shown interest in giving me seed money for a start-up. I am getting my package together to pitch the concept, and have virtually no idea what the investment deal ...
4
votes
1answer
555 views
Do Angel Investors get paid before a successful exit?
We have a new startup and are trying to meet with some potential angel investors. We were asked if we have a ROI schedule. I thought that investors get paid only when the company has a successful exit ...
4
votes
3answers
253 views
How to earn VC/Angel Investor financial and technical talent support?
More specifically, has any of you managed to convince both financial support, and getting additional technical talent to support the expansion of a startup concept/prototype? If so, where and how did ...
4
votes
4answers
216 views
How to get Investor's attention at the conference?
Here is the deal. I'm a Russian guy, living in Siberia. I have a great team and a prototype of a kick-ass project. I'm going to LeWeb 2010 (Paris), which is the biggest European Web conference. There ...
3
votes
4answers
312 views
Scenario: naive entrepreneur approached by angel investor
I am an aerospace engineer. On a whim I went to an entrepreneurial conference at the university that is in my town. And then, on a whim, at the evening pitch session, I pitched some hair-brained ...
3
votes
5answers
479 views
How long to wait for angel investor?
I have a big web project which I and my co-founder began our development on. We've been talking to our angel investor for a long time. He is very responsive but we cant get a final investment number ...
3
votes
6answers
628 views
Family money, now how much ownership do I give them?
I received family money to build a prototype. They gave me money with little questions ask, but expect to have some part of the action if the business actually works.
My question is, what kind of ...
3
votes
3answers
235 views
Mingling in angel investor gathering
I will be joining an event on angel financing where there will be quite some angel investors shown up.
Just wonder what I should talk about when meeting those angels, should I pitch them my ideas in ...
3
votes
2answers
346 views
Can you explain this angel Investment term sheet?
My startup received a Terms Sheet from an investor and my co-founder and I are trying to figure out if they are saying that they are going to want 30% of our profits at the end of every year or if ...
3
votes
2answers
222 views
What do you do when your Angel turns out to be a Devil?
Investor are in it for one thing, profit. That's okay if both the founders and the investors profit. What do you do when the "Angels" who have been funding your work kick out the founders and the ...
3
votes
4answers
564 views
What is the best way to present our business plan to potential investors or to a bank?
We have an excellent Business Plan, for some fantastic mobile ideas. The down side, we need funding to get these ideas developed and to market. What is the best way to meet with potential investors? ...
3
votes
1answer
119 views
Angel investor group has funded a similar but not identical startup?
So I was thinking of finding a connection to an angel group, but as it turns out one of the funded companies in there portfolio is a similar (but not direct) competitor. The platform / idea is close, ...
3
votes
1answer
603 views
term sheet vs convertible note
I have been talking to the people in angel circles and it seems that everyone takes only term sheets; and convertible notes are almost like an insult.
My questions is: when I can start offering ...
3
votes
8answers
537 views
Maximum number of angel investors?
What is the maximum number of angel investors you could possibly (not theoretically, but realistically) bring in to finance your startup (given you have traction and exciting potential)?
I'm ...
3
votes
3answers
186 views
Got initial traction, how do I know that it's “enough” to pursue investors?
My webapp is gaining traction, being passed around and written about in various countries around the world (it's nice seeing viral loops in action, I must say :) ).
And because I'm in the file storage ...
