Why You Should Join An Angel Group

As an angel investor, you would like to gain access to updated information, tips, trends, and opportunities from experienced individuals that are in the same boat as you. Your best bet would be to join an angel group also known as an angel investor network. These are groups of angel investors who have banded together to help one another prosper.

A typical angel group meets on a regular basis to discuss matters that would be of interest to its members. Some, like Gathering of Angels, a national network, gather once a month to listen to 6 companies as they make 20-minute presentations each. As a member, you can ask questions, compare notes, and weigh your options as to whether any of their ventures are worth investing in.

One good reason for joining is that even if the entrepreneur is looking for a seed money that is bigger than what you can afford individually, other interested members of the angel group can add to what you can invest. This can be particularly useful when a venture is very attractive but too expensive for a single angel to afford.

On the other hand, if you are not 100% sure of the venture’s potential and yet would like to risk a little because you perceive that it can be very profitable if ever it succeeds, you can still proceed by investing a fraction of what you would have invested fully. Anyway, other angels can pitch in until the entrepreneur gets his desired amount.

Some groups have a way of filtering proposals of interested entrepreneurs. For example, angel investor network like the Tech Valley Angel Network have managing partners who will review and screen business opportunities for you and then provide feedback so that only those that are worthy of your time will reach you.  

Practically all of these networks have regular workshops and seminars that tackle ways of honing your skills as part of the angel group. A typical activity is the Venture Evaluation workshop which discusses how you can render intelligent judgment on a presentation.

There are at least 5 national groups, while at least 25 are concentrated in certain geographical regions across the country. It is therefore possible to find an angel investor network near your state. Be sure to inquire first since some of them have temporarily stopped accepting new members.