Venture capital involves providing early stage funding to growing companies with promising potential, while angel investing typically involves one or a few individuals making a personal investment in a business in exchange for equity. Both methods of investment carry risks, but also offer potentially high returns.
To be an angel, you need to qualify as an accredited investor, defined by the SEC as $1 million of net worth or annual income over $200,000. (I'm simplifying – the real definition is a bit more complex – but it gives you the idea.) You don't have to own a professional sports team, or pass an exam.
While there are no hard and fast rules, the most common ways to structure an angel investment is by taking on board a minority stake in the company, or investing in convertible debt.
Not everyone gets to this stage, but those who do are generally categorized into three types: personal investors, angel investors, and venture capitalists. Knowing the stages and types of investors is essential, not just for people who are diversifying their portfolios.
Early stage investors are people and companies who provide start-up businesses funding for their projects, typically when these projects are just beginning and are still in the market research or development stages.
THE FIRST REQUIREMENT FOR BEING AN ANGEL INVESTOR IS YOU HAVE TO BE AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) first developed these accredited investor rules back in 1933 to protect potential investors.
How to find angel investors Get involved with angel groups and angel investment networks. Attract interest to your business on social media. Attend networking events. Compete in startup events and pitch competitions. Talk with fellow founders. Engage with an incubator or accelerator. Participate in local startup ecosystems.
In the Shark Tank setting, entrepreneurs appear on a national television show to pitch their businesses to the sharks, a group of well-established angel investors. Each investor then decides whether to invest in the pitched businesses and, if so, negotiates the investment terms.
An individual investor who has net tangible assets of at least INR 2 crore excluding value of the investor's principal residence, and who: has early stage investment experience, or. has experience as a serial entrepreneur, or. is a senior management professional with at least 10 years of experience.