Angel Investing – An Overview (AIO)

his full-day seminar provides an overview of the angel investing process. Comprised of a balance of expert presentations, panel discussions and small group case studies, it is designed to be highly interactive for an audience of 25 participants. A faculty of experienced angel investors, serial entrepreneurs and expert service providers, delivers the content. The seminar is segmented with several opportunities to encourage networking between participants and the faculty, including refreshment breaks, a luncheon and a cocktail party at the end of the event.

Click below for specific information about:

1. Who should attend
2. The day’s agenda
3. How is the seminar taught?
4. Study materials
5. License arrangement and cost
6. Contact Information

Who Should Attend?

1. Successful entrepreneurs who have exited from their businesses and have an interest in staying involved in early stage companies.
2. High net-worth individuals with senior business experience who now have the time and interest in investing in early stage companies.
3. Angel investors who have done from one to three deals.
4. Community leaders and entrepreneurial support professionals who are interested in promoting angel investing in their communities.

What is the Day’s Agenda?

1. How angel financing fits in
2. Is angel investing right for you?
3. Angel portfolio strategy
4. Due diligence
5. Structuring the deal
6. Valuation
7. The post-investment relationship

How is the Seminar Taught?

A faculty of experienced angel investors, serial entrepreneurs and expert service providers, delivers the content. Faculty members are provided a fully scripted set of delivery guidelines. The delivery of content by faculty is coordinated in advance by teleconferences to assure presentation of a complete curriculum. The local faculty are led by lead instructors:

Bill Payne is currently a Senior Program Advisor at the Kauffman Foundation and the chief architect of the AIO curriculum. He an active investor and an advisor to entrepreneurs. Bill is an active member of the Tech Coast Angels, Vegas Valley Angels, Frontier Angel Fund, and Aztec Venture Network. Over three decades, Bill has successfully founded or invested in 24 start-up companies.

John May is the chairman of ACA and managing partner of New Vantage Group (NVG), a firm that directs private equity into early- stage companies. New Vantage Group administers the Dinner Club, eMedia Club, the Washington Dinner Club and the newly formed Active Angel Investors. NVG also has joint ventures with WomenAngels.net and the CEO Club. John is co-author of Every Business Needs an Angeland co-editor of the book and multimedia CD State of the Art: an Executive Briefing on Cutting-Edge Practices in American Angel Investing.

Susan Preston is the managing director of the CalCEF Clean Energy Angel Fund, an angel investor, member of the ACEF advisory board, entrepreneur and lawyer. Ms. Preston is the author of Angel Financing for Entrepreneurs published by Wiley Publishing in March 2007. Additionally, she is the author of the Kauffman Foundation publication, “A Guidebook to Developing the Right Angel Organization for your Community.”  Ms. Preston is also founder and past-president of Seraph Capital Forum, an all-women's accredited investor angel investment forum, which educates women on early stage investment and provides a venue for introduction to promising new companies.

Robert Okabe is a managing director of the RPX Group LLC, a consultancy focused on assisting universities, research institutions, and corporations with spinning out some of their innovative technologies as startup companies, an angel investor, and co-founder of Prairie Angels.  Formerly, Bob served as managing director at BancAmerica Robertson Stephens, as senior vice president at Lehman Brothers, and as vice president at Kidder, Peabody where he participated in numerous debt, equity, M&A, and advisory assignments.  Bob is a frequent guest lecturer at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and the Kellogg School of Management and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Mayor’s Council of Technology Advisors in Chicago.

Stephen Mercil is President and CEOof RAIN Source Capital (formerly the Minnesota Investment Network). He has over 20 years experience in small business finance including structuring and negotiating transactions for manufacturing and technology companies. He served nine months as interim CEO of one of Minnesota Investment Network's portfolio companies. As the Equity Fund Manager of Minnesota Technology, Inc., Mr. Mercil was responsible for the development and launching of the equity fund. As a result of his eight-year tenure as President of Crookston Jobs, Inc. and Executive Director of Crookston EDA, he has a proven track record with business development and finance for small to medium-size companies in rural Minnesota. Mr. Mercil is a member of the ACA board.

Catherine Mott is a founding partner of BlueTree Capital Group and BlueTree Allied Angels, member of the ACEF board, and angel investor and entrepreneur. Previously, Catherine founded Synergetics Sales Performance Group (formerly Strategic Sales Solutions) and Indigo Capital Development, LLC.  She serves as a board member for RedPath Integrated Pathology, Inc., Mass Mutual’s Women Advisory Board, Grove City College Entrepreneurship Program, and Theil College. Her professional affiliations include the Pittsburgh Venture Capital Association, Association for Corporate Growth, and Angel Capital Association.

Study Materials

A customized workbook has been developed for each participant with copies of all presentations, substantial additional background materials, a comprehensive glossary, bios on each faculty member and a profile of each sponsor. An attractive aspect of the workbook is its flexibility. For example, portions of the content can be tailored specific to the investment environment in the host community or region.

Workshop License

The host will enter into a licensing agreement with ACEF (acting for the Kauffman Foundation). The license fee includes the provision of significant support for marketing and implementation. Optional national experts from a certified list can be retained by local host organization to serve as lead instructors, with the host organization to negotiate with the outside expert on costs for their time and travel.

Contact Information