Angel investors and social entrepreneurs are an incredible source of inspiration and information, especially as you grow your business and seek to become an early-stage founder. The angel investors listed below have become masters of their craft and represent the pinnacle of the profession.
Serik Kaldykulov
The founding partner at Silicon-based firm, Elefund, Kaldykulov holds an impressive angel investment portfolio that includes major players Astranis, Hyperloop One, Coin, Orion Labs, Calm and Robinhood. Holding a series of notable investments in his burgeoning portfolio, Kaldykulov’s background in finance and his interest in psychology have helped him to successfully apply his core value investing principles into intriguing startups. He holds a uniquely creative ability to connect the dots to help foster growth in meaningful companies and is sought after for his expertise. He has offered advice on his investment strategies on Forbes and other publications like Medium. You can follow him on Twitter for advice and updates on his angel investments.
Xandra Laskowski
An angel investor and startup advisor with over 25 years of experience with large multinational tech companies, Xandra Laskowski’s background alone offers inspiration to young investors and entrepreneurs. Laskowski has held positions as a Worldwide Community Manager and National Major Accounts managerial roles before moving into the angel investment and startup fields. She went on to establish OSEA Angel Investors in 2017, a woman-focused angel investment group based at the UCI Cove in the University of Irvine in California. The fund is an investment partner with Angel Syndication Network, Women Angels of the Bay Area, Tech Coast Angels, Titan Angels and The Cove Fund. Through Xolas, she assists in startup consulting, helping entrepreneurs produce their “startup roadmap.” In 2019, the Orange County Business Journal OC included Laskowski in their directory of Influence for Innovation. In October 2020, she was recognized with the Women of Influence Awards Gamechanger award for her work with OSEA Angel Investors. Follow her online for news, advice, and to stay in the know.
Brad Feld
An early-stage investor and entrepreneur since 1987, Brad Feld is one of the most profound angel investors in the field. Before co-founding Foundry Group, he also helped to establish Mobius Venture Capital and Intensity Ventures. Brad is also known as the co-founder of TechStars, which provides networking, mentoring and $118,000 in seed funding for startups. Today, he writes and speaks on various topics in the investment world and offers advice to entrepreneurs. Brad has written numerous books, including the Startup Revolution series and he provides advice and insights on his blog Feld Thoughts.
Brad Feld is also an inspiration in his personal life, holding a Masters of Science degree from MIT, a vast art collection and a passion for long-distance running. He has completed over 24 marathons and plans to finish a marathon in all 50 states.
Esther Dyson
A prolific entrepreneur, author, philanthropist and angel investor, Esther Dyson brings decades of experience and expertise to the industries revolutionizing our world. She largely focuses on startups in the healthcare, open government, digital tech, biotechnology and outer space sectors. Among her lucrative investments, she was one of the earliest investors in LinkedIn and Facebook. As an angel investor, Dyson actively invests and nurtures new startups like NanoRacks, 23andMe, Space Adventures and over 115 other investments as a chairman of ED Venture Holdings. She remains an active board member for a variety of startups.
Dyson is fascinated by new business models, new technologies and new markets (both economically and politically). An inspiring person you’d always want to sit next to at a dinner party, Dyson even lived in Moscow from October 2008 to March 2009 where she trained as a backup cosmonaut. Esther offers business advice and tips on investing in publications like INC. and you can follow her on Twitter.