This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “Impact Investing in a post-COVID World”, you’ll hear about growth in the impact investing industry.

As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new era. The impact space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift to a post-COVID world. Impact investing in the areas of sustainability and the environment takes precedence in the financial industry. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up.

Our guests are:

Brad Gurrie, CEO, Socialsuite [01:12]
Luni Libes, Founder and Managing Director, Fledge [03:29]
Vishal Arora, Managing Partner, VDOSH [05:24]
Chelsea Burns, Principal, Escaladora Ventures [07:32]
Richard Samuelson, Chief Investment Officer, SWAN Venture Group [09:46]

We hope you enjoy the show.
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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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What Is a Startup Ecosystem?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

A startup ecosystem is a network of startups, investors, and others who come together to foster startup formation and growth.

The network fosters innovation through shared resources such as capital, talent, and mentorship.

At the core of the network are startups led by founders who launch high-growth businesses.

Accelerators and incubators provide education around the initial launch of the business.  

Investors, including angels, venture capitalists, online crowdfunding sites, and grant providers, provide capital.

Universities provide the talent for launching and supporting startups.

Freelancers provide additional talent in the form of labor. 

Providers offer support for legal, financial, marketing, and other services.

Mentors provide coaching and guidance on how to grow the business.

Events, newsletters, and blogs foster the community through communication.

Local corporations may also participate through sponsorship and other support.

Look for these elements in building your startup ecosystem.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Denise Dunlap, Founder and Managing Partner at Sage Growth Capital.

Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Boise, Idaho, Sage Growth Capital makes revenue-based investments in companies that need growth capital. It is their mission to provide a more flexible funding option to growing companies that do not fit traditional equity or lending models.

Denise has a record of successfully building and operating companies as well as coaching startups and entrepreneurs. Two of her former roles include CEO of an IT services company and Director of Boise State University’s business incubator. She has been an active angel investor and leader in the angel investment community since 2008 and travels the country teaching angel investing courses as an Instructor for the Angel Capital Association’s Education program. (Post-COVID update: she now teaches courses via Zoom….)

Denise co-founded Loon Creek Capital Group in 2010 and has grown the company to provide consulting and administrative services to hundreds of angel investors across the country.

Denise discusses her investment thesis and some of her investments that fit that thesis. She also advises startups and investors and shares some of the challenges they face.

You can visit Sage Growth Capital at www.sagegrowthcapital.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/sage-growth-capital/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/sagegrowthcap.  

Denise can be contacted via email at denise@sagegrowthcapital.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/denisedunlap55, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/sassydd55.   

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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University Angel Network vs. Traditional Angel Network

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

The university angel network has similarities and differences to a traditional angel network.

They both consist of a group of investors interested in funding startups.

They both want to make a return on their investment.

They both want to socialize with others.

They differ in several ways:

The university angel network puts the give back to the university as their first priority.

Providing a student experience and job placement for the student is primary.

The university angel network has a built-in target audience of anyone associated with the university.

Traditional angel networks come together because they live in the same city.

The university angel network can tap into the university entrepreneurship and finance programs and startups accelerators for support.

Traditional angel networks must look for local programs to partner with.

The university angel network must work within the rules and regulations of the university.

The traditional angel network has no restraints beyond SEC regulations.

It’s important to understand the differences before joining either a university angel group or a traditional one.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Barbara Clarke, Angel Investor, and Founder and President at The Impact Seat.

Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, The Impact Seat invests in ideas that solve the world’s biggest problems – focusing on the most innovative, diverse, early-stage startups. Their approach combines advocacy, philanthropy, and investment to build a new and more equitable economy.

Investor, economist and entrepreneur, Barbara enjoys interacting with professionals who believe in creating diverse teams to drive innovation and business success. Called ‘The Force’, Barbara fuels change in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, stimulates growth in early-stage tech startups, and boosts organizational excellence with her investment expertise and global insights.

Barbara has been investing in emerging technologies, including medical devices, for almost a decade. To date, she has invested in more than 60 companies and 12 funds in North America and Europe. Barbara has been creating opportunities for under-represented entrepreneurs by investing in companies that are either led by women of color, or have women on their funding teams – even before it became fashionable to do so. As a key member of the investment community, she also advises entrepreneurs and innovators on launching companies, accessing capital, and leveraging the international network of investors.

Barbara serves on several boards, including Portfolia, Founders First Capital Partners, and Boost.

Prior to launching The Impact Seat, Barbara spent more than a decade in management consulting firms, including KPMG and PwC, and launched a nationwide nonprofit to support grieving children. She holds a bachelor’s degree in quantitative economics from Tufts University, and a master’s in international economics and finance from Brandeis University. A polyglot, she speaks several languages, including German, French and Italian.

When she is not scoping out promising startups to invest in, Barbara enjoys exploring new cities, supporting local artists, and listening to alternative/indie rock.

Barbara speaks about the state of angel investing and its evolution, her biggest challenge as an angel group leader, and some of the companies she has invested in.  

You can visit The Impact Seat at www.impactseat.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-impact-seat, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/impactseat?lang=en.  

Barbara can be contacted via email at barbara@impactseat.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/barbaraeclarke/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/beclarke?lang=en.  

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Finding the Champion

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In launching an angel network at a university, it takes a champion to see it to fruition.

In addition to a business school sponsor and five check-writing angels, you’ll need someone who will be the champion for the group.

The champion needs to be well connected with the university, the alumni, and the investor community.

The university angel network lives at the intersection of those three groups.

The champion must have a solid reputation in the community and be recognized for their contributions to the university.

The champion needs to be good at crafting the message and effective at delivering it to faculty, university administrators, alumni, investors, and students.

The champion must show how the university angel network benefits all of the groups and not just one or two.

It takes time to build momentum in launching the group, so anyone signing up for the champion role needs to commit at least three years to getting the group launched.

The alumni have a strong affinity for their alma mater and want to support it.

The university angel network provides an ideal platform for connecting the alumni back to the university.

Before taking on a university angel network, make sure you’ve identified the champion.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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Please follow, share, and leave a review.

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Retaining Members

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In running a university angel network, the attrition rate is often lower than for non-university angel networks.

The university group has a great answer for “Why invest in startups?”.

Many members join to support the university.

The group’s primary purpose is to provide the student an educational experience and help prepare them for their first job after graduation.

An effective tool for retaining members is to have the graduating students send a “Thank You” note to the investors they worked with.

Another tool is bringing the students who have graduated from the program back to the university angel meetings to update the investors on their job placement and career progress.  

Showing the investors the results of their work in this way inspires the angels’ continued service to the investor group and the students.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Erwin Jager, Chairman, and CEO at Barrows Hotel Enterprises.

Headquartered in Dubai, Barrows is a family-owned private company, established in 2008, with a successful track record in property investment, development, and strategic land promotion in the Middle East, Africa, and the USA. 

The hotel company focuses on the development and sale of internationally oriented hotel real estate with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Seychelles, and the USA. In addition to the development and sale of hotel real estate, the company also focuses on management consultancy for hotel operators. 

Barrows' retail business focuses on the development and sale of supermarket real estate in strategically located locations. Related to supermarket real estate came the demand for logistics-oriented real estate. An area that the company has been focusing on since 2020 following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive increase in online purchases by consumers and businesses.

With the residential department, Barrows mainly focuses on new vacant locations on which communities are developed. Together with the other business elements, many elements come together here, which increases sustainability. In the Middle East and Seychelles in particular, there is an enormous increase in demand-oriented real estate within residential real estate.

Erwin is married to Dyane with whom he has two children. In his spare time, Erwin likes to travel to foreign countries such as Africa, India, Indonesia, New Sealand, Australia, and French Polynesia. He loves to read books, sail at sea, and swim in the ocean with turtles and dolphins. To stay, fit Erwin runs 12 kilometers every day combined with fitness and kickboxing. In the presence of family and friends, Erwin loves to cook and drink a good glass of quality wine. Fashion and design are as well a great interest of his. He loves Italian suits and Italian and French fashion and likes to do business with a tie.

Erwin discusses how he sees the hotel industry evolving and some of the changes he thinks we will see in the next 1-2 years. He also shares some of the challenges investors and entrepreneurs face.

You can visit Barrows Hotel Enterprises at www.barrowshotels.com/, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/barrowshotelinvestments/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/barrows_hotels. 

Erwin can be contacted via email at management@barrowshotels.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/barrowshotels/#.

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Thank you for joining us today for our TEN Capital Fundraise Launch Program.

In this program, we help startups prepare for a fundraise. 

We provide templates, tools, eGuides, and advice to founders who are working towards raising funding.

We’ll kick off the session with a short overview on a fundraising topic, then we’ll answer questions from the founders.

I hope you enjoy this episode.
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Thank you for joining us for the TEN Capital Fundraise Launch Program where we help startups prepare for a fundraise. 

For more episodes, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

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Offline vs. Online Meetings

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In running a university angel network, consider both offline and online meetings for the members. 

Online meetings allow you to run education sessions, screening meetings, and pitch sessions along with diligence follow-up.

Since the members need not travel to campus, these can be short half-hour calls or longer ones. 

These meetings can be set up during the workweek and recorded as well for those who can’t attend the live session.

Offline meetings provide face-to-face interaction with the students.

One of the main benefits of an angel network is the education experience the student receives.

Face-to-face meetings provide better opportunities for this experience.

You can run social events around athletic events, business plan competitions, entrepreneurship days, and more.

Consider two major offline events per year, one in the fall and one in the spring.

Align with other activities on campus to drive a larger turnout.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes James Pringle, Managing Partner at Goldsmith Ventures.

Goldsmith Ventures invests in and provides support to early-stage UK companies developing innovative technology across fintech and insurtech. The Goldsmith Ventures Fund I is targeted exclusively at investors who understand the risks of investing in early-stage businesses and can make their own investment decisions. 

James' story is fascinating and one of determination and resilience.

Starting out at VC-backed MatchChat, he eventually worked his way up to become Commercial Director. Whilst there, James recognised the inefficiency of the manual selection of videos by editors and as a result, decided to launch Suggestv, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) video recommendation and machine learning company, for which James was able to secure over £1.2m in total funding from angel and VC investors. In 2019, Suggestv’s technology and assets were acquired by a US video advertising company. Following this experience, James decided to launch Pringle Capital, which has quickly grown into one of the largest and most active angel networks in the UK with over 435 members combining to invest over £1m already in 2021. The Pringle Capital network has led angel rounds in fintech, proptech, insurtech, and augmented reality, connected fitness, and eCommerce startups.

As a venture capitalist, James was a co-founder and partner at Love Ventures before leaving to launch his own fund Goldsmith Ventures in 2021. Goldsmith Ventures is a new specialist fund investing in fintech, proptech, and insurtech companies in the UK. The fund is backed by top limited partner investors from around the world.

His latest project, launched in September of 2020, is Riding Unicorns, a podcast he co-hosts with Hector Mason from Episode 1 Ventures. The podcast is looking to educate fellow founders on what it takes to make a startup a success and has already debuted in the top 100 UK Business podcasts and is set for further growth this year.

James details his investment thesis, advises startups and investors, and shares some good opportunities for investors to pursue.

You can visit Goldsmith Ventures at www.goldsmithventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/goldsmith-ventures, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/goldsmithvc.  

James can be contacted via email at james@pringlecapital.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/thejamespringle/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheJWPringle. 

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Fund Documents

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In setting up a university angel network, you’ll need fund documents for the prospective members to review.

You’ll need to establish a legal entity for the fund, typically an LLC.

After that, you’ll need to write the company agreement documents. 

This includes the formation of the fund, its term, purpose, and more.

You’ll need a subscription agreement for members to sign indicating their investment commitment to the fund.

Venture capital funds use a General Partner and Limited Partner structure.

Angel group funds often use the Investment Club model.

Everyone is a member of the group with specific persons assigned roles such as manager, screening committee, etc.

This simplifies the reporting to the members and the tax authorities.

Members must be accredited investors as the investments are made under Section 501, Regulation D.

For setting up your fund, start with a core group of angel members to understand the size of the fund, purpose, and type of deals you intend to pursue.

With their support, continue to build out the documents.

After you set up a legal entity, launch the fund to the wider university community.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group  

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Wesley King, Co-Founder of Coherent Capital.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Coherent Capital is focused on supporting successful late Seed and Series A fundraises ($4m to $20m raises) with a health and wellness technology focus. The company exists to support early-stage entrepreneurs in raising capital and forming commercial partnerships. Over the years of helping great companies grow, these two items have proven to be clear factors in successful growth. The right partnerships create the right ecosystem. The right ecosystem supports the entrepreneur through its first niche markets. The right investors provide strategic capital. The right capital helps pay for the right talent and helps create the success spiral needed to escape the rear-drag, momentum-eating sprint from Seed to Series B.

Wesley is a licensed investment banker; he co-founded Coherent Capital to assist promising technology companies with strategic investor relations. In addition, Wesley is an award-winning innovation ecosystem designer, having developed five novel internal technologies as an Innovation Architect at Cisco Systems.

Wesley is a Partner at IGC Fund and has advised a series of successful early-stage startups, utilizing his expertise in innovation, technical operations, commercial partnerships, and fundraising to accelerate business growth. He has sourced promising startups for deep tech and health technology-focused venture funds. In addition, Wesley was hired to build co-investor and private equity investor databases for several boutique investment banks, giving him a unique and proprietary perspective on the international early-stage investment market.

Wesley discusses his investment thesis and shares some of the challenges investors and entrepreneurs face in the health and wellness industry.  

You can visit Coherent Capital at www.coherentcap.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/coherent-capital/.   

Wesley can be contacted via email at wesley@coherentcap.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/wesleygking. 
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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group   

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

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Why Set Up a Fund?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Consider setting up a fund early on for your university angel group.

For every one alumni who joins the angel group, there will be three who will join the fund. 

Angel investing takes time and many will not be able to participate in pitch meetings and diligence.

The fund gives them the opportunity to join the group without having to review specific deals.

The fund also provides diversification to the members and gives exposure to a variety of sectors.

The fund concentrates the deals together for reporting and follow-up.

The group can recruit experienced angels to join the screening committee and so members get the benefit of the knowledge of those investors.

Finally, the fund can pool their investment dollars, gaining them access to the bigger deals.

The fund provides a consistent re-engagement of the members.

In setting up an angel group at a university, consider launching a fund at the same time and setting up a screening process to manage the deal flow.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Adrian Mendoza, Founder and General Partner at Mendoza Ventures.

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, and founded in 2016, Mendoza Ventures is women-owned and the first LatinX-owned venture fund on the East Coast. They are an early-stage and growth fintech, AI, and cybersecurity venture fund that provides an actively managed approach to venture capital. They focus on diversity as playing an important role in their investment decisions, as roughly 75% of their portfolio consists of start-ups led by immigrants, people of color, and women.

After having two VC-funded startups in Boston, Adrian started Mendoza Ventures to address the funding gap in the pre-seed investment stage for underrepresented founders. Born in Los Angeles to parents who immigrated from Mexico, Adrian moved to Boston for graduate school at Harvard. He has spent the last 20 years leading technology teams and building products for financial services and fintechs. He is the author of "Mobile User Experience", a book on mobile user experience published by Elsevier in 2013, adapted industry-wide as the standard for mobile user experience education, and of the video series “CSS for designers” published by O’Reilly in 2015. 

Adrian earned his Bachelors from the University of Southern California and his Masters from Harvard University.

Adrian advises investors and startups in the fintech space, discusses the evolution of the industry, his criteria for investing, and more.

You can visit Mendoza Ventures at www.mendoza-ventures.com/, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/mendoza-ventures, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/mendozaventures.    

Adrian can be contacted via email at adrian@mendoza-ventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/adrianmendozavc/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/AdrianMendozaVC.
______________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
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For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group   

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

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Student Participation Is Important

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In setting up a university angel group, the student experience is the primary objective.

To ensure the success of the group, set up a program for the students to provide investor and startup engagement.

Finance students can leverage their education by analyzing the startups applying to the group and performing diligence work.

Entrepreneurship students can bring their education to bear by diligencing the operations of the startup.

Both provide invaluable experience to the students as they work with real deals and discuss the results with investors who will make investment decisions.

Finance students can take the results of their work and use it in their search for a job after graduation.

Entrepreneurship students can take the lessons learned and use it in their efforts to start their own business.

Set up a program to track the students through the process and invite them to return to future angel group meetings to reconnect with their peers and the investors. 

Also, track the job placement and startups those students achieve to share with others. 


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
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Please follow, share, and leave a review.

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes AJ Shepard, Co-owner of Uptown Properties.

Uptown Properties offers a full range of property management services tailored to you as an investor, homeowner, or landlord. They have an extensive portfolio of single-family homes, townhouses, and condos in the Portland Metro area.

They offer to fill vacancies, advertise your rental, handle tenant inquiries, perform background and credit investigations, and more. There are also optional services such as the Certified Pet Program, eviction insurance, and the preventative maintenance program.

AJ is a licensed contractor in Oregon. His experience in real estate started more than 12 years ago in the contracting business. AJ graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and has a Master's of Engineering Systems Management at Texas A&M University.

Finding his passion in real estate and construction management has created an avenue for this company to help provide all services necessary to its clients. Knowing the trade and the ability to manage many allows for streamlined maintenance for the investor’s property at a reduced cost. AJ volunteers at ULI and FRESH to give back to the Real Estate Community. He is an active member of NARPM, the recipient of the Darryl Kazen Scholarship, the current Regional Vice President of the Pacific Division, and the recipient of RMP and MPM designation.

AJ is also the co-host of the Westside Investors Network podcast (WIN). WIN strives to bring knowledge and education to the real estate professional that is seeking to gain more freedom in their life. 

AJ discusses how to maximize investment property profits, and advises investors and startups in the real estate space.

You can visit Uptown Properties at www.uptownpm.com/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/3741570/admin/.  

You can listen to the Westside Investors Network podcast (WIN) at www.westsideinvestorsnetwork.com/podcast and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/WIN_pdx. 

AJ can be contacted via email at aj@uptownpm.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/aj-shepard-uptownproperties. 

____________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Where Does Making a Return Fit In?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Many angel investors want to support their university group, local entrepreneur ecosystem, and more.

The primary goal is building up their local community or network.

In addition to supporting the community, the investor needs to make a return on the investment. 

Investors will want to see a return so they can continue funding startups.

If there are no returns, then the community-building effort comes to a close.

Returns provide the means by which the investors can continue supporting the university group.

Leaders of the group should make sure the deal flow can provide returns to the investors.

It is helpful to structure deals so that there is a return in a timely manner of, say, five years.

The university angel network is not the place for donations as those are typically one and done.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

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What Is the Mission of the Group?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In starting an angel group at a university, the key mission of the group is not to make money.

Supporting the university by providing students with a quality academic experience and job placement is the primary goal.

Alumni who join the angel group will see that mission as primary while making money as secondary.

Angel groups with a strong “Why?” will last longer and see less turnover in members.

Those groups who only want to make money will have higher turnover.

They will run the usual course of find a few deals, deploy the available funds, and then wait for the result.

In startup funding, the waiting for the result takes several years. 

Most members of those groups will drop out. 

It’s important to build the “Why?” into your angel group and make clear through your time and priorities what is important.

Choose a “Why?” that is compelling to your members.

For university angel networks, it’s the student experience that counts.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Nick Spiller, Podcast Host and Fundraising Coach at Beta Business.

Beta Business is “The essential podcast for first-time entrepreneurs”. Through multiple episodes per week as well as in-person events, Beta Business helps entrepreneurs gain practical tactics and meaningful connections for starting their company. 

Nick moved to Texas in 2009 to attend UT Austin. As an undergraduate, Nick founded the Longhorn Entrepreneurship Agency (LEA) in Student Government. As an alumni today, Nick stays involved in UT’s Director of Deal Flow for Genesis which is an on-campus fund for entrepreneurs. 

After graduation, Nick worked as a Market Launcher for Favor Delivery. He also created the Investor Relations program at Capital Factory where he worked up until the end of 2020. 

Nick discusses the state of investing in startups, and the biggest change he expects to see in the next 1-2 years. He speaks about his investment thesis and mentions some good opportunities for investors to pursue.

You can listen to Nick’s podcast at https://www.betayourbusiness.com/.  

Nick can be contacted via email at nick@fundingcamps.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/nickspiller/ and www.linkedin.com/company/betabusiness/, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/Nick_Spiller. 

_________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Elizabeth Edwards, Managing Partner at H Venture Partners.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and founded in 2017, H Venture Partners is a seed, venture, and early growth equity fund that invests in consumer products and devices. H Venture Partners invests across the US and Canada, focusing primarily in New York and San Francisco.

Elizabeth has been a VC for over 17 years. Before launching H Venture Partners, she invested in over 30 companies including Peloton (unicorn IPO), Freshly ($1.5Bn acquisition), Bill.com (unicorn IPO), CardioInsight (acquired: Medtronic), Roots (IPO), and Paydiant (acquired: PayPal), creating top quartile and top decile venture returns.

Elizabeth shares with Hall what excites her now, advises startups and investors and speaks about her investment thesis. She discusses the state of investing in consumer product goods and how she sees the industry evolving.

You can visit H Venture Partners at www.h.ventures, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/h-venture-partners.

Elizabeth can be contacted via email at e.edwards@h.ventures, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethannedwards/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/eedwards. 

_____________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Providing Mentorship to Startups

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Angel groups are often asked to provide mentorship to startups.

Here are some best practices for engaging your angel investors into mentorships with startups.

Start by matching the investor with the startup based on the business model, sector, and stage of business.

Identify a specific challenge the company is facing and look for members who have experience in that area.

Introduce the investor and the startup and check to see if it’s a good match.

Is the startup ready for a mentor and interested in solving the problem?

Is the mentor able to help the startup?

Help define the mentor/mentee engagement, so it’s well defined and has an endpoint.

Identify a schedule and format. Is it a weekly call on Tuesday or a monthly lunch on the first Friday?

Track progress to make sure it’s working.

Relationship building is a key step to achieving progress.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes David A. Rosen, President and CEO at Acrelic Group.

Acrelic Group is a strategic advisory firm headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with additional locations in Philly, Chicago, Cleveland, and Tel Aviv. Their principals are experienced business owners, operators, executives, and board directors who are focused on “Helping People and Business Achieve Remarkable Results.” 

As player/coaches, Acrelic’s team delivers significant value by removing people and business process blockers found in solving short-term problems or causes, achieving incremental and stepwise lift and growth, and evolving client’s business and people maturity in governance, strategy, leadership, market dominance, and value creation. Acrelic’s clients range from startups to the global 500 in technology, manufacturing, electronics, transportation, and automation industries, along with the spectrum of B2B middle-market companies.

David is a successful board director, CEO, serial entrepreneur, executive business leader, and strategic advisor. In 2020, he founded and became President of the Boston/New England Chapter of the Private Directors Association which now has more than 150 chapter members. He also mentors, judges, and guest lectures at Boston University, Questrom School of Business, and Northwestern University at both the Business (Kellogg) and Engineering (McCormick) Schools.

David sits on several boards and has held board director roles in 9 prior companies, both public and private. David founded seven startups and angel invested in more than 12 companies.

David’s accomplishments include leading roles in 40+ successful M&A transactions in companies ranging from $500K to $2.75 Billion, CEO/Managing Director of three businesses achieving high double-digit growth (Revenue of $.5M to $150M+), Founder/CEO of an enterprise SaaS software company, Acrelic Interactive (WarpSales), launched new business efforts on four continents outside North America, commercialized defense technologies in semiconductors, microwave systems, amplifiers, and software algorithms and solutions including a company that achieved 80% market share in the TV broadcast industry.

David currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with his wife, family, and Golden Doodle (Stan Lee) and relocated from Chicago (his wife is a proud Chicagoan). Prior to that, David and his family lived in the New York Metro area for 20+ years.

David details some of the challenges startups face, and how to prepare for them. He also discusses must-dos for the growth company. 

You can visit Acrelic Group at https://acrelicgroup.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/acrelicgroup, via Twitter at www.twitter.com/acrelicgroup, and via telephone at (617) 865-4770.

David can be contacted via email at drosen@acrelicgroup.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/davidarosen, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/DavidARose.

_____________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Who Else Should You Involve?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In launching a university angel network there are legal considerations specific to the university to keep in mind. 

A university is a non-profit and therefore cannot participate in startup investing.

The first step in launching a group is to contact the university legal counsel about how to separate the mentorship for students from the investing by the angels.

In most cases, you’ll need to set up a separate legal entity for the angel members’ investments.

The legal counsel of the university can help set the boundaries of what is done inside the university and what is done outside.

Angels participating at university events need to make clear what role they play in the event -- providing mentorship or making investment decisions.

If the group decides to set up a fund, this will be placed in the outside legal entity.

Also, deep-dive diligence and investment decisions should be placed in the outside entity.

Students who participate as paid interns can work for the outside legal entity and engage in the investment process.

Before launching, check with the legal counsel of the university regarding the functions of the angel group.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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The Two Keys to Success

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

A university angel network is a group of investors formed around the affinity to a university.

The primary goal of it is to provide student experience and job placement.

Making money from the investments is secondary.

There are two keys to successfully launching an angel network at a university.

The first is a dedicated faculty member focused on running the student education program.

The faculty member sets the curriculum, runs the course, and works with the angel group on the students' participation in analyzing the deals.

This makes for a strong educational experience as the students work with real investors, real investment opportunities, and real dollars invested.

The second key to success is five check-writing angel investors.

Investors who participate regularly to view the deals, diligence them, and invest.

The investors provide key mentorship roles to the students.

Before launching an angel network at your university, line these two up first.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Brett Brohl, Managing Partner at Bread & Butter Ventures.

Bread & Butter Ventures is an early-stage VC firm based in Minnesota - the “Bread and Butter State” - investing globally while leveraging the State and region’s unparalleled access to strong corporate connections, commercial opportunities, and industry expertise for the benefit of their founders.

They lead rounds in some cases, and in all cases, they look to help syndicate and bring strong co-investors who can add additional value.

Bread & Butter Ventures works hard alongside their teams after investment and support through their platform efforts to connect you with the people, resources, and partners you need to scale globally.

Brett is the Managing Partner at Bread & Butter Ventures and also the Managing Director of the Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator, partnered with Cargill and Ecolab. An experienced entrepreneur, investor, and mentor, Brett is driven by making a difference in the world through helping entrepreneurs succeed.‍

Prior to the Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator, Brett served as Director of the inaugural Techstars Startup Next Food & Ag in Partnership with Land O’Lakes and as the Entrepreneur in Residence at Techstars Retail Accelerator in Partnership with Target. Brett honed his start-up skills as the CEO of multiple companies including ScrubSquared and BoomBoom Prints. He led 3 of his teams to exit but also went through a company failure, experiences he draws on when working with founders.

Passionately committed to growing the Minnesota startup ecosystem, Brett is a founding member of the Forge North coalition and sits on their leadership council as well as an initial member of the Launch MN advisory board. He earned his BA from Wake Forest, and his MBA from the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business. When he’s not engaging the world’s startup scene, Brett can be found hanging with his wife and kids, driving a lobster boat, or pretending to be a tennis pro. Brett’s bread and butter is building teams, identifying talent, and diving for lobster.

Brett advises startups and investors in the food tech space. He discusses the state of investing, the evolution of, and the biggest change he thinks we will see in the next 12-24 months in the sector. 

You can visit Bread & Butter Ventures at www.breadandbutterventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bread-and-butter-ventures/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/bread_buttervc?lang=en. 

Check out their podcast at fullstackfood.io.  

Brett can be contacted via email at brett@breadandbutterventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/brett-brohl, and via Twitter at www.https://twitter.com/brettbrohl?lang=en.

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Why Start a University Angel Network?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

A university angel network is a group of investors formed around the affinity to a university.

It typically consists of alumni and supporters of the university.

So why start an angel network at a university?

It’s a great way for alumni to connect back to their alma mater.

The members are like-minded business people who connect with each other.

The primary purpose of the group is to provide a better education experience for the students as well as job placement.

The angel group can focus on startups related to the university or look for startups more broadly.

The students participate by helping with the process of funding startups such as providing analysis of the deal flow.

The university can extend the  student education program through the group by offering course credit and internships.

Students who participate find invaluable experience and often receive job opportunities that further their career.

Finance students can learn diligence and apply their venture finance education to the startups the angel investors review.

Entrepreneurship students learn how startups work by applying their entrepreneurship knowledge to the screening process.

The angel group can also draw on resources from the university for analyzing the deals.

The university is a non-profit so there’s no investing inside the university. 

An LLC must be set up for any investments the angel group makes. 


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Real Estate Problem”, you’ll hear about changes expected in the coming 12 months and our guests’ final thoughts.

As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The real estate space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift to a new normal way of life. Work from home and the shift to work from anywhere is changing the real estate market. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up.

Our guests are:

Chi Hathiramani, Chief Investment Officer, Casoro Group 01:19
Brent Bowers, CEO, The Land Sharks 06:48
Lauren Hardy, Founder, TMF Real Estate 07:53
Wade Micoley, Founder and CEO, RealtyHive 10:52

We hope you enjoy the show.

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/  
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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Matteo Scarabelli, Director of Insight at L Marks.

Headquartered in London, England, and founded in 2014, L Marks is an investment and innovation advisory firm, specialising in applied corporate innovation. Working with some of the worlds’ best-known brands, including, BMW Group, Lloyd's of London, Arsenal FC, and EDF Energy, L Marks identifies challenges and opportunities and creates bridges to access technological innovations from start-ups and scale-ups from around the world. Having created 70 innovation labs across a variety of sectors, L Marks is the UK's largest operator of corporate accelerators and has exported its methodology into Europe, Japan, and the U.S.

Matteo has 10 years of experience working with and investing in early-stage B2B and B2B2C digital businesses. He has broad experience as an operator in small scaling organisations, in portfolio companies’ management at board level, helping with strategy skillset, and a broad network in the European investment ecosystem.

As Director of Insight, Matteo currently leads the investment and intelligence work at L Marks. He manages both the Scouting team, as well as the Insights team, interacting and gaining insights from external mentors, investors, and startup support partners. Previously as Head of Investment at L Marks, Matteo ensured the smartest investments across all the programmes and also supported the startup portfolio in their growth, where he leveraged his broad experience of the startup world, drawing on past operational roles at VC-backed startups, and support for numerous startups from due diligence to further investment.

Matteo discusses how he helps startup and growth companies, some of the challenges they face, and what their focus should be. He speaks about under and over investing, and more.

You can visit L Marks at www.lmarks.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/l-marks/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/lmarks.  

Matteo can be contacted via email at matteo@lmarks.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/matteoscarabelli.
___________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Why You Should Move Your Angel Group Online

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

As the world moves online, so you should move your angel network online as well.

This includes your screening process, presentation meetings, diligence process, and education sessions. 

The screening process can be made more efficient by capturing 1-3 minute pitch videos from those applying to pitch to your group.

These videos can be viewed individually or as a group, such as your screening committee.

Investor members can join an online meeting to discuss and vote, or they could vote individually.

You can source deals from a wider network as you’re no longer limited to those in your geographic area.

Move your presentation online so more members can access them live or by recording.

Investors can use online tools for formulating their questions.

The online format can also facilitate investors sharing their thoughts, concerns, and questions about the deals with other investors in the group.

For diligence, you can use tools such as a Slack channel for your group to share information and follow the diligence process.  

Through Slack, you can capture questions and feedback. You can create a separate channel for communications with the startup raising funding. 

Online tools can help run a standardized process for diligence.

Use recorded calls to capture the results and make them available to others.

Online tools can facilitate education courses about angel investing you can provide your members.   

You can create a library of content for your members, both present and future.  An online education format lets you source content from other groups.  

Online meetings can augment your group rather than replace the physical meetings entirely.  Social and networking events can continue for members to meet each other.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Matt McGraw, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Anthropocene Ventures.

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Anthropocene Ventures is a global, early-stage VC firm investing in founders that leverage exponential technologies and hard science to make humanity more resilient. 

Matt is a successful leader, CEO, entrepreneur, and investor. He finds great talent, helps uncover and activate a fun, positive culture and mission, and designs high-performance, high-growth operations. Matt has taken multiple companies from $0 to $10M+ with no outside funding, led mergers in the $100M range, advised startups to successful exits, and grew teams in the hundreds. He’s best at setting the right course, getting the nucleus perfect, and scaling quickly. 

Matt invested early and often in the most successful technology companies in the 2000-2015 bull run.

Matt shares some of the challenges investors and entrepreneurs face in the climate sector, how he sees the industry evolving, the biggest change we might see in the next 12 months, and his investment thesis.

You can visit Anthropocene Ventures at www.anthro.ventures, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/anthropocene-ventures/.   

Matt can be contacted via email at matt@anthro.ventures, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/mjm11/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/mjm11?lang=en.
_________________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Meeting Considerations

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In setting up your angel network you’ll need to set up the meetings.

Here are some key points to consider:

1. How many deal flow cycles are you planning?
2. Are you online, in person, or both and at the same time?
3. How will you set up the screening meeting, the presentation meeting, and the diligence follow-up?
4. How far apart should these meetings be?
5. Do you include a meal, appetizers, or wine bar?
6. Where will you meet?
7. How much time will the meeting take?
8. How many companies will pitch?
9. How much time for networking?
10. What are the duties to be done before, during, and after the meetings?
11. How often will the board meet and when?
12. Where do sponsors fit into the meeting agenda?
13. Will there be education sessions?
14. What are the needs of the members and how best to facilitate the education?
15. Who is the best to provide the training?

Consider these points in setting up the meetings as it’s a key decision set for the group.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Carlos Gutierrez, Managing Partner at Simma Capital.

Headquartered in Bogota, Columbia, and founded in 2019, Simma Capital invests in early and growth-stage companies that are cofounded by outstanding teams, are scalable, have solid unit economics, and are connected with Colombia and the rest of Latin America.

Simma Capital has invested in 16 startups and several other small companies. Together they have built experience, methodologies, connections, and a deeper passion for investing in high-growth companies. 

Carlos has 11+ years of experience investing and working in startups, from being the CFO in several startups, to working at the Telefonica corporate venture capital fund in Colombia and investing with his first fund INVX. Carlos has a 360º view based on his experience as an entrepreneur and investor. His education includes a business degree from Universidad de los Andes and a Master’s in Digital Business Management from Universitat de Barcelona.

Carlos is excited about the fintech and edtech sectors. He advises investors and entrepreneurs, shares some of the challenges they face, and discusses the state of investing in the LATAM region.

You can visit Simma Capital at www.simmacapital.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/simma-capital/.

Carlos can be contacted via email at carlos@simmacapital.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-felipe-gutierrez-camacho.

____________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/  

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group   

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

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Working With Other Angel Groups

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In setting up an angel network, it’s important to build relationships with other angel groups.

Here are some key points to consider:

• Other angel groups can provide additional deal flow to your group.
• They can provide follow-on investment for your funded deals.
• They can provide expertise and help solve problems you may encounter.
• They can join with your group in raising the investor profile in your entrepreneur ecosystem.
• They can help you recruit new members.
• They can help you form a syndicate of investors for funding larger deals.
• They can help you advocate for the angel investment class itself.
• They can provide best practices and experiences.

Your angel network received help from other groups during the formation stage, so you should pay it forward by helping other groups.

Reach out to the angel groups in your sector or area and form a relationship with them.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Fred Walti, CEO of the Network for Global Innovation (NGIN).

The Network for Global Innovation is an international network of entrepreneurial support agents. Its mission is to accelerate the expansion of new sustainable technologies while simultaneously generating significant economic growth in both developed and emerging markets. NGIN currently has 26 members in 20 countries with partners or program experience in Armenia, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, and the U.S.

Fred is an expert in creating innovation ecosystems that drive economic development. Prior to joining NGIN, Fred was the Co-Founder and, for a period of six years, served as the Founding CEO of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), combining experience as an entrepreneur with his passion for clean technology. Fred built LACI from a start-up in a bus repair garage into a statewide commercialization ecosystem with an international footprint. LACI is now recognized as one of the premier cleantech commercialization programs in the world.

Under Fred’s leadership, LACI has helped 120+ companies raise $228 million in funding, thus creating 1,700 jobs and delivering more than $400 million in long-term economic value for the City of Los Angeles. Fred has been involved — either as a founder, consultant, principal, or investor — in the startup of several-dozen technology companies. He was named in Techweek100 as one of the most impactful technology leaders in 2014.

In October 2018, Fred was invited to join the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee by the US Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross.

Fred often speaks on subjects that include creating high-performance innovation ecosystems that drive economic development; the new mega-city revitalization concept “The StartUp City”; leveraging a region’s strengths to build a large green economy, entrepreneurship, the role of innovation in creating jobs, and public/private partnerships.

Fred discusses the state of investing in the sustainability space and how he sees the industry evolving. He advises startups and investors and shares some of the challenges they face.

You can visit the Network for Global Innovation at www.ngin.org, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-network-for-global-innovation, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/NGINnews.   

You can contact Fred via email at fred@ngin.org, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/fredwalti/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/fwalti  

____________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/  

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group   

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

Music courtesy of Bensound.

Sponsorship Issues

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Sponsors bring needed financial support to the angel network.

Here are some key points for managing sponsors:

1. Keep the number of sponsors low so it’s easier to manage.
2. Allow a limited number of sponsor representatives to join the meetings so they don’t overwhelm the members.
3. Set the rules of engagement on how sponsors should interact with the members regarding service offerings.
4. Add the sponsor to the website to give brand recognition.
5. Allow the sponsor to place marketing materials at the meetings for takeaways.
6. Tap sponsors to provide training to the members.
7. Canvas sponsors for any potential members to pursue.
8. Invite sponsors to coach the startups where there’s a good fit. 
9. Leverage the sponsors’ network for potential speakers for events.

Sponsors add not only financial support, but also domain expertise to the angel funding process.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group  

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

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This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Real Estate Problem”, you’ll hear about participation in the real estate segment and what investors look for.

As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The real estate space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift to a new normal way of life. Work from home and the shift to work from anywhere is changing the real estate market. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up.

Our guests are:

Chi Hathiramani, Chief Investment Officer, Casoro Group 01:19
Brent Bowers, CEO, The Land Sharks 03:49
Lauren Hardy, Founder, TMF Real Estate 05:44
Wade Micoley, Founder and CEO, RealtyHive 09:54

We hope you enjoy the show.
_______________________________
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group  

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

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Consider Service Providers

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In setting up an angel network, it’s important to have support from services providers such as lawyers, accountants, and financial advisors.

Startups will need legal, accounting, and financial support.

Review your community for current service providers who are already helping the startups.

Assess the skills of the providers to see if they are a fit for early-stage companies.

Some providers only work with more mature companies, but the angel network will be dealing with very early ones.

Discuss with local entrepreneur groups and professional organizations about their experience with the providers.

Identify the ones who provide the best experience for their clients.

Reach out and develop a relationship with them as potential speakers, sponsors, or even members.

For those services missing from the community, reach out online to other organizations that can provide the support virtually.

If the demand is big enough, providers will move to the area to support the community.

This often occurs in entrepreneur hubs that are growing fast.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
____________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group  

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

Music courtesy of Bensound

Educating the Members

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In running an angel group, it’s important to educate the new members on how to invest in startups.

Most new members will not have experience with startup funding.

It’s important to set up an education program for the members.

The members will receive education through the process of screening the deals, negotiating the terms, and diligencing the startups.

In addition, there should be formal training on key issues such as how to assess potential investment opportunities.

The training should cover the basics of angel investing as well as the following topics:

1. Term sheets including key terms, deal structures, and concepts.
2. Valuations, including how to figure valuation and negotiate with startups.
3. Due diligence topics such as financial analysis, market review, and team assessment.
4. Capitalization tables and how to read them.
5. Portfolio strategy and how to build a portfolio of startup investments.
6. Investment returns in startups and how to calculate them.
7. Board work and how to support the startup as a board member.

While there is a great deal of information on the web, there should be an organized approach to covering these topics and allowing members to ask questions.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group  

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

Music courtesy of Bensound

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Giuseppe Liberati, Executive Director at Bridging Value, Board Member of the Houston Angel Network, and Author of “Next: How to Innovate From Within”.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, and founded in 2012, Bridging Value has successfully helped global startups, business units, and small-to-large global organizations facilitate product, organizational and ecosystem activation and transformation.

Fluent in five languages, Giuseppe is a global visionary change agent, offering more than 20 years of expertise in driving business into new markets internationally and swelling market share. He is a board member of the Argentina Texas Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado School of Mines Materials Department.

Giuseppe opened new market channels in the USA, Europe, and Latin America from Hydrogen FCEV, to advanced water treatment, to industrial retail solutions, to O&G engineering and management, expanding clients business by three times the average.

He established relevant strategic partnerships between Fortune 500 companies, created four international brands, earned nine patents, and co-authored six international papers.

Giuseppe shares with Hall what excites him now, advises startups and investors, discusses the state of startup investing, and what he thinks will be the biggest change we will see in the next year or two.

You can visit Bridging Value at www.bridgingvalue.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bridging-value/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/bridging_value.    

Giuseppe can be contacted via email at giuseppe@bridgingvalue.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/liberati/. 

You can purchase his book from www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, and other digital platforms.

__________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/  

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group   

Please follow, share, and leave a review.

Music courtesy of Bensound.