Angel Investors in Australia and the US
In his article – ‘The Top 10 Angel Investor Groups’ Jason Fell looks at the largest groups that fund startups, ranked by number of investors.
In the United States, the Angel Capital Association is the “trade association” of investment groups. Angel investing in Australia are represented through the Australasian Angel Investors Association.
It is useful as an Australian startup, to assess if there is value in establishing early, a US presence for your company and attracting Angel support there. Some Angel groups syndicate support across 2 or 3 groups, capitalizing on the other group’s research and due diligence processes. Jason Fell lists the following groups as the largest in the US to support startups:
Ohio TechAngel Funds, Columbus, Ohio
Number of angels: 282
Who it helps: Supports early-stage Ohio-based information technology, advanced materials, and medical technology companies.
Tech Coast Angels, Los Angeles
Number of angels: 263
Who it helps: Provides connections, knowledge, mentoring and operational assistance to early-stage entrepreneurs in the tech, biotech, consumer products, Internet, information technology, life sciences, media, software and environmental markets.
Investors’ Circle, San Francisco
Number of angels: 225
Who it helps: Uses private capital to promote businesses that address social and environmental issues. The group has invested almost $150 million in 225 companies, it says.
Golden Seeds LLC, New York City
Number of angels: 190
Who it helps: Members invest directly, or through a managed fund, in companies that are founded by or led by women. Sectors include consumer products, technology, software and life sciences.
North Coast Angel Fund, Cleveland, Ohio
Number of angels: 180
Who it helps: Invests in Ohio-based technology startups.
Band of Angels, Menlo Park, Calif.
Number of angels: 136
Who it helps: Group of former and current high-tech executives that has invested almost $200 million in early-stage technology companies.
Hyde Park Angel Network, Chicago
Number of angels: 133
Who it helps: Members invest in seed and early stage businesses, primarily located in the Midwest. Industries include: information technology, business services, industrial technology, financial services, consumer or industrial products and healthcare services.
Alliance of Angels, Seattle
Number of angels: 100
Who it helps: Early-stage investors in startups based in the Northwest region of the country.
Pasadena Angels, Altadena, Calif.
Number of angels: 100
Who it helps: Provides up to $750,000 in early-stage and seed financing to startups in southern California.
New York Angels Inc, New York City
Number of angels: 99
Who it helps: Made up of entrepreneurs, CEOs, venture capitalists and other business leaders, the group invests between $250,000 and $750,000 in early-stage technology companies generally located in the Northeast.
Kate Ingham is a partner at Alchemy Equities, a boutique corporate advisory firm that specializes in private equity capital raising for growth companies in Australia. For more information on venture capital australia please visit: http://alchemyequities.com.au/