When angel investors join forces, their combined capital can fund ideas and endeavors that may otherwise be too uncertain, expensive or crazy enough they might work. In the light of reduced personal risk and more available spending, angel investor groups are helping to kickstart the next generation of American innovation.
Angel investor groups dabble in just about every industry where innovation is taking place. Some focus on specific markets, while others keep a more open mind and door, offering a jumpstart to promising ideas, regardless of their humble beginnings or destination. Pharmaceutical and healthcare-focused groups are among the most productive, backing projects that include groundbreaking therapies and medical devices. Technology and products based on internet or software development are also hot commodities and popular picks among groups. Location also seems to be a powerful driving factor, with many investor groups favorably choosing to back locally-based projects whenever possible.
Of more than 400 registered angel investor groups in the United States, some shine just a little brighter thanks to factors including (but certainly not limited to) proven previous performance, overall network strength, investment selection aptitude and brand capacity.
With these and many other factors in mind, angel investor groups can more or less be ranked based on the success and impact of their investments. These are some of the angel investor groups, in no particular order, that are making a strong impression in the realm of startups, entrepreneurship and sheer human innovation.
Tech Coast Angels
Tech Coast is well known in their hometown of Los Angeles and beyond. As one of the most famous investor groups for startups, Tech Coast has an affinity for giving entrepreneurs in tech, biotech and life sciences a solid leg-up. It’s also one of the largest angel investor groups in the United States, with more than 425 members. Their mega-sized network also comes with perks like mentorship and valuable business connections.
Life Science Angels
This angel group calls Silicon Valley home and is particularly focused on—you guessed it—life sciences, most notably healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Life Science Angels boasts 130-150 accredited investor members, 12-18 highly qualified fellows, and 12-15 sponsor organizations. Their partnership with Nanostim is one of their most brag-worthy selections, yielding a medical device that St. Jude Medical has since acquired.
Golden Seeds
The Golden Seeds angel investment firm provides exclusive early funding for women-founded and led startups. This Massachusetts-based group has over 340 members and is changing the face and future of entrepreneurship, championing gender diversity and transforming industry norms.
New York Angels
The New York Angels love a startup based in the Northeast, particularly tech startups still in their early-stage. The group has supported over 300 startups, thanks to its list of more than 140 investors, comprised of like-minded professionals, entrepreneurs, operators, and industry experts.
Alliance of Angels
Hailing from Seattle, WA, the Alliance of Angels regularly invests in more than 20 startups annually and provides invaluable mentoring services to their selected budding entrepreneurs. With over 140 active angel investors and a healthy seed fund, Alliance of Angels is showing no signs of slowing down as they continue to kickstart early-stage startups in the Pacific Northwest in sectors including IT, Consumer Products & Services, Hardware and Life Sciences.
There’s no magic formula for assembling the perfect group of Angel Investors, but many of these organizations are close to nailing the recipe. In a fast-paced digital world, knowing when and where to strike can make the difference between an investment that has fallen flat and one that takes to the skies. With countless other investor teams hot on their tails, these angel investor groups are leading the charge into a future where promising research, dedication and development are crucial components of real progress.