ANGELS AT THE STARTING BLOCK
Published September 19, 2023 by pgalums in
If you have been following the latest developments in the PGAN Catalyst Program, then you are aware of the program’s mission to identify high-potential, alumni-led startups and to connect them to alum investors and advisors who are able to contribute to the startup’s success.
You may also know that this spring PGAN launched a global “call for startups” interested in participating in the “2023 Entrepreneur Stars” program. More than fifty promising startups around the world responded to the call and are now in the Catapult pipeline. So far, so good
But you may be wondering, “How will this work?” Well, the key lies in bringing together the essential players in this virtuous cycle of value creation: the startups, the investors, and the advisors.
In this article, we will focus on the role and motivations for PGAN ‘angel ‘investor participation in this new program.
In the past, angel investors were typically high-net-worth individuals who provided initial seed money to early-stage startups in exchange for equity and the expectation of future capital appreciation. However, with the advent of the SEC’s crowdfunding regulations and the availability of online investment platforms, it is now possible for anyone to invest in unlisted companies that align with their investment goals. And the investment may be as little as $100.
Although ‘angel’ investing is higher risk than investing in stocks and bonds, and angel investors must carefully evaluate potential investments, there are many benefits to ‘angel’ investing.
Let’s look at some of the rewards of ‘angel’ investing :
- Getting in on the ground floor of a potentially high-growth company.
- Diversifying an investment portfolio by including a higher-risk, higher-potential asset class.
- Supporting startups that have a product/service that aligns with investor’s values and beliefs.
- The personal satisfaction that comes from helping to grow a small business.
For me, ‘angel’ investing is an opportunity to learn about new technologies and business models that may radically change our future. And what could be more exciting than that?
Over the next 2-3 months, the PGAN Catapult program, in collaboration with our investment platform provider, will launch several online capital-raise campaigns for the startups that participated in the ‘2023 Entrepreneur Stars’ program. Interested PGAN ‘angel’ investors will have the opportunity to discover, evaluate, and easily invest in PGAN-led startups via our investment partner’s online platform.
If you are interested in investing in Catapult Program startups, or just interested in what opportunities are available, then please follow this link and answer a few brief questions.
‘Angel investors’, get ready, get set, and let’s go!