Where to find a business angel for a startup. A business angel is a bold investor in unknown but promising projects

Many aspiring entrepreneurs on the way to becoming their own business are intensively looking for potential investors. And they do it clumsily, often turning to relatives, friends and acquaintances. But few of them know about the existence of such a universal project as "Business Angels". Reviews about this company make you think about changing the search field. It is here that every businessman can find financing for his developing project. What are its features? And how useful is this project?

General characteristics of the project

The unique project "Business Angels" is a special program designed for start-up entrepreneurs. Its author is Yury Vladimirovich Matrosov (pictured below). According to him, the goal of the project was to create a virtual platform where one could find free cash with further investment in them. In other words, the author has created a large information and search portal that helps novice businessmen find investors.

This is a kind of catalog of all kinds of financiers and entrepreneurs who are ready to provide financial support to newcomers. The company presenting the project is non-profit organization, working as an intermediary between business professionals, start-up entrepreneurs and potential investors.

What is the algorithm of the project?

Before starting work on the project, entrepreneurs and investors - "business angels" (this is what the common people call people who invest in startups) - must register. During this process, you should indicate whether you are an “investor” or a “specialist”. In addition, registration short description your business idea. It is noteworthy that on this portal you can place not only a plan for developing your own business, but also publish your resume. This option is suitable for people who are looking for work.

After filling out the appropriate form, the profile of a new project participant is sent for moderation, which takes 24 hours. And then all that remains is to log in with your credentials and select the “idea”, “specialist” or “investor” that interests you.

What can be involved in the project?

"Business angels" (reviews about this project can be found in this article) is a project that opens up prospects for innovators, entrepreneurs looking for an idea for a business and investors. According to the developer of the web resource, after the publication of the project, ideas or summaries, all interested users can familiarize themselves with them.

The main advantage of the portal is the creation of a kind of service market, where everyone can offer or find a specialist, an idea for a business. It is noteworthy that to participate in the project it is not at all necessary to leave your main job, for example, if you want to offer your services.

According to numerous expert reviews, thanks to the capabilities of the site, thousands of users have already found their investor or employer. Among the most sought-after specialists participating in the project, the following experts can be distinguished:

• employees of design and scientific bureaus;
• employees of projection and statistical services;
• economists;
• copywriters and others.

Investors participating in the Business Angel project can invest in any startup they like. This will help not only open up new prospects for earning money, but also expand your sphere of influence.

What are the benefits of registering on the portal?

According to the majority of users who managed to register on the portal, participation in the project is completely free. It is believed that web service managers prefer to earn not from their users, but from advertisers. And this is a definite plus of this project.

The second important point that portal users describe is the live communication between a potential investor and an innovator. From the reviews it is clear that thanks to this service the investor has full control over the entire investment process. First, he studies the business plan, project or idea in detail, clarifying various details, then finds out how profitable this offer will be for him. Then he discusses all the subtleties of cooperation. And then controls the entire course of work.

And finally, each innovator has a unique opportunity to seek help from experienced professionals, for example, in order to calculate the “prospects” of his project. The investor also has the right to consult with experts who help to choose the most profitable source of financing.

How does the project start?

Work in the Business Angels project (reviews about this resource can be heard from both beginners and fairly experienced entrepreneurs) begins with a well-thought-out presentation.

According to the head of the web resource, the main task of an innovator is to find an investor. Therefore, he needs not only to distinguish himself from other participants, but also to present his idea as an ultra-modern know-how. This presentation must be placed on the site after a simple registration procedure.

Finding investors: the next step

At the second stage, each innovator can either wait until investors are interested in his proposal, or come to grips with the search for a suitable candidate. And then all that remains is to send out your presentation to the addresses of the selected financiers. This is how the virtual project “Business Angels” works. Reviews about it will allow you to get to know the company better. We will talk about the opinions of users and a large catalog of experts, innovators and financiers further.

What feedback can you hear about the portal?

Since its appearance on the network, the project has caused a flurry of emotions and criticism. Some people liked it, and some didn't. Consider the most common opinions about the service. For example, some project participants write that they are satisfied not only with the service, but also with high-quality information support. And also thank you for your help in finding the funding they need.

Others did not find an investor on the portal, but received a lot of useful advice on how to improve their presentation. According to them, now they know exactly how to make the idea “sellable”.

Still others admire the huge base of ideas for investments. They also like the fact that the service is free. The fourth describe the project itself as a user-friendly site with a presentable design and an accessible menu. In addition, they are satisfied with the regular mailing of new ideas and proposals for investment. In a word, you don’t need to look for anything, everything is “served on a silver platter”.

Satisfied with this project and specialists. According to them, the resource opens up unlimited opportunities for creativity for them, which is so often lacking at their main place of work. Moreover, it helps in finding a part-time job, and also provides an opportunity to make new mutually beneficial acquaintances. Financial experts, analysts, and business representatives also speak positively about the service. They themselves often give advice to beginners and share their invaluable experience. However, this promising project should not be confused with another resource with the same name. Let's talk about it in more detail.

"Business Angel": reviews (Ltd), or Difficulties in identification

Often on the network you can find negative reviews regarding the company "Business Angels". But in this case, we are not talking about the aforementioned project, but about a new financial pyramid - Business Angels Inc Ltd (Limited). The company, which started its work in May this year, offers investors a universal deposit program.

She promises compensation within 4% per day and 100% per month. The minimum deposit amount is $10. But is the company actively paying?

Here's what one review says about the "Business Angels" hype. It follows from this that initially the company worked flawlessly. In just 28 days, it was possible to return the investment and earn some extra money. However, now the resource works only for depositing money, but not for withdrawing. According to the investor, no matter where he turned, he has not been able to return the finances invested by him, including the interest earned, for several months now.

Others write that this is all that is likely to burst soon. Naturally, with all the money of naive investors. Others say that they regularly withdraw money with interest and are happy with everything so far. Experts, however, argue that when accessing such resources, it is recommended to invest a small amount, which will be uncritical to lose if something happens.

What other projects can help innovators?

Another company that can help in finding a potential investor is the Business Angels Association called "Seed Investments". This is a non-profit project that has been operating since 2006 in Nizhny Novgorod.

The company is not an intermediary between innovators and investors, but provides a kind of platform for like-minded people to communicate. Anyone can become a member of the Association.

Innovators and investors will also be interested in the AddVenture business angel fund, which has been operating in the business services market for more than 8 years. This organization assists in financing the most outstanding entrepreneurs and organizations.

In a word, if you wish and have free time, you can find not only an idea for investment, but also the investor himself.

The idea of ​​an enterprising person may forever remain in this status if funds are not found to implement it. "Golden minds" do not always have finances and do not have the ability to obtain a bank loan, because a novelty is always a risk. But there is a way out. So-called "business angels" can bring financial assistance. This article will be devoted to them.

Charity or settlement

Business angels are companies or individuals who invest personal funds in the development of new projects. Usually their interest is attracted by new technologies, productions that are in the embryonic stage or initial stage emergence into the world. The author of the idea is not yet known to anyone, but his discovery or idea can gain wide popularity and demand in the market.

Then the business angel acts as an investor, creating the basis for the fruitful development of a young business. Financial assistance depends on the financial situation of the benefactor and the scale of the idea. Some geniuses involve relatives and friends in their project, who partially invest. The rest is added, which does not require dividends or other payments at the stage of business development. This is a plus for a young entrepreneur who has not yet earned anything and cannot give a monthly payment, as with.

Such a circumstance cannot be considered charity, because, of course, a business angel has an interest. He will receive his profit in a few years, when the young company reaches the desired level in the market. Therefore, the investment of an individual or organization is not charity. This is help that will return with more profit.

Interest for a business angel is the profit that he will receive in a few years, when the young company reaches the desired level in the market.

Business angels include wealthy people for whom amounts from 10 thousand to a million dollars (and sometimes more) are not something fabulous. With free funds business people find a useful use for them. Investors earn up to 70% per annum on selected projects. Although, of course, there are big risks that the project will be unprofitable, the invested funds will burn out. The benefit happens only when the investor supports several projects, which are called startups.

Various possibilities

In Russia, too, there are investors who invest their personal funds in risky projects. The phenomenon for our country is young, but rapidly gaining momentum, because it involves real opportunity increase capital.

Business angels are conditionally divided into the following types:

1. Corporate - represented by individuals who do not yet have their own business, but are well versed in economics and marketing. Often these are top managers of reputable companies who were fired and received substantial funds when they left. Money must work, so you can become an investor. Such business angels get a job opportunity as a manager. The contribution to a startup depends on the personal budget, but usually does not exceed 20% of this amount, so as not to be bankrupt in case of failure.
2. Entrepreneurs. This type is most popular both in Russia and abroad. Successful businessmen have not only money, but also experience that is useful to a novice member of the business world. By investing, they expand their capabilities, analyze the new kind activities. Often they do not pretend to manage the investment project, because they have enough to do in their core business. They prefer to do periodic checks.
3. Enthusiasts. They invest in new business for fun. This is their hobby, which brings a good income with right choice companion. They often take a passive part in the development of events. At the same time, they can become a business angel for several startups.
4. Professionals. They work only with ideas that are close to them in spirit and the specifics of the work. They will not delve into what is unfamiliar to them. They often team up with other investors in order to promote a product or service to the market as efficiently and quickly as possible.

To become a partner of any of the listed business angels, you need to come up with something really interesting and useful. Some investors are willing to invest even at the research and development stage, especially in the field of scientific discoveries, information technologies, medicine, etc.

To become a partner of business angels, you need to come up with something really interesting and useful.

Advantages and disadvantages for partners

When it comes to funding, there are always pros and cons to partnerships. The same applies to the situation when a business angel takes a newcomer under his wing.

Let's list the positives:

1. For a young entrepreneur, a private investor is a lifesaver, because only a few will take on risky projects, and without money there is no chance even to make themselves known.
2. An experienced partner will share a wealth of knowledge, of which he has a lot, and he will do it for free, because he is interested in your success. This is important because many innovators only have an idea, but the basics of management and much more require knowledge and experience.
3. Unlike a bank or other type of partners, business angels do not require payment of money before the end of the investment period, which is indicated in the agreement by agreement of the parties. Usually, the entrepreneur does not give money himself, the investor sells his share and makes a profit.

The disadvantages include the following points:

1. By entering into an agreement, a private investor acquires a stake in the business and may participate in management, which will violate the plans of the owner of the idea. The entrepreneur is "under the hood".
2. The investor only invests in certain period, usually at the beginning of the process, and does not renew the agreement to further develop the case. As they say, they taught all the subtleties, then figure it out for yourself.
3. Funds are limited because benefactors rarely invest more than $1 million in a single project. If we are talking about creating a serious industrial enterprise, the owner has to look for additional finance.

But in general, the activities of business angels have much more pluses than minuses for both parties.

Help will come

Not everyone can find a mentor and financial assistant, because this is worth making an effort. It often takes a bit of luck. Some innovators are quick to jump on an idea, but lose hope at the first setback.

For success, you need to declare yourself so that the right business angel is interested in the idea. There are special forums, conferences where participants demonstrate a product or service. Private investors visit these sites in person or hire agencies to select creative and potential ideas.

Sometimes help comes at the stage of opening a production, office, department: when the funds for launch are found, but move forward new level without additional capital investment, the company can not.

Business angels choose directions that are unique, more often single and unknown to anyone. The main features of the relationship is that the investor is only interested in the stage of recovery and getting on his feet. When the brand gains popularity and its assets gain value, the investor can sell the contributor's share (both to the business creator and to a third party). And the amount of the sale is often many times greater than the investment.

There are examples of successful transactions in many countries, when business angels made serious investments in a risky project and remained in a big plus:

Their list is large, but will expand every year. For the Russian business environment, investment has opened up new horizons, which in 2017 will acquire new directions. Domestic businessmen and individuals who are looking for promising ideas and profit.

Summing up

In order for a young sprout to be able to break through to the sun, become strong and produce a harvest, a considerable investment is required, which young discoverers usually do not have. Banks and serious financial funds are not accustomed to taking risks and therefore refuse to finance such projects. The help of business angels is the basis for what has already become common property or is on the verge of success.

If you have an idea, then you should try all the possibilities, and if you have money, then become a business angel and make a good deal.

Who are business angels and what do they do?

Today, these are investors who invest their own funds in all kinds of innovative developments and promising projects. They see their task in supporting young companies that introduce innovations in production, trade, and other areas of life.

Business angels invest their own capital in exchange for a stake in the business or acquire a large enough – sometimes blocking – stake to have a decisive voice in financial and management decisions.

Wikipedia says that Business angel(English) business angel, informal investor, angel investor) is a private investor who invests in innovative start-ups (projects) even at the stage of creating an enterprise, and he himself receives a return on his investments and a certain share in the capital (most often a blocking stake, not a controlling one).

Where did business angels come from?

Investors, who received such a romantic name, first appeared in the 20s. XX century. It is believed that this was the name given to wealthy patrons of the arts who sponsored new theatrical performances in NYC.

According to another version, the name was first applied to private investors who invested in promising venture IT projects in Silicon Valley. The first lucky person whose innovative project was financed by a private investor was the American Eugene Kleiner.

An engineer and entrepreneur who decided to start his own business in the production of silicon microcircuits could not find investors for a long time. Big financiers considered the project utopian, and Eugene was already thinking about abandoning his plan. However, Arthur Krok suddenly appeared on his way, who had extensive connections in the financial sector. He helped find the missing amount, and in 1959, having received $1.5 million from a private investor, Kleiner opened his company, Fairchild Semiconductor.

Why do investors become business angels?

The goal of any investment is to get a good income, and in the case of venture projects, it should be maximum, since the risk of losing funds is quite high. Ordinary investors are far from always ready to venture on such an allocation of capital, preferring to invest in financial instruments with a lower, but guaranteed income.

Modern business angels, on the contrary, invest in innovative projects, in nascent enterprises, in companies at the stage of formation, which can potentially turn out to be very profitable. As a rule, the "angel" chooses 1-2 new projects out of 10-15 offered, focusing on those that seem to be potentially profitable. It is believed that competent venture investments should bring at least 50-70% per year.

Typically, the return on investment occurs at the time of the sale of a block of shares or a stake in the company. If the project is successful, their cost can significantly exceed the initial investment. You can sell the company's securities on the stock exchange or through closed trading. Investors interested in further development businesses, buy them at the offered price.

The main types of business angels:

1. Lead Investor- this strategy is mainly used by fairly experienced investors who have already completed several transactions and have experience in entrepreneurship. These business angels are actively involved in the life of the company in which they have invested.
2. manager- most often this is a former employee of corporations who, along with an investment, is trying to find a place for his employment.
3. Not a professional private investor- usually he is interested in a project or a new product, a desire to invest in a new company.

What is the difference between business angels and venture investors?

Both those and others invest in high-risk innovative projects, but they do it on different conditions. If a business angel always risks only his own money, then venture investors usually unite in a fund that can raise funds from citizens or other legal entities. A striking example of this option are venture mutual funds.

In other words, a business angel is a private investor who invests directly in a company, and not through brokers, investment funds, and so on. A business angel usually bears 100% of the risk and the company starts its activities solely thanks to him. A business angel is an investor who believes in a company at the stage of its inception and in every possible way supports its development by financially accompanying it, probably from here the name “angel” came from.

In addition, business angels invest not only for the purpose of making a profit, but also for self-realization as a person who helps others to stand on their own feet. Many of them take great pleasure in passing on their commercial experience to young entrepreneurs whose firms are still in their infancy.

Portrait of an ordinary business angel

It is believed that this is an experienced entrepreneur 35-55 years old, who has not only theoretical knowledge about business, but also their own positive experience in the implementation of new projects. Such an investor has excellent business acumen and can therefore provide valuable practical advice to new company managers.

Angels from the USA usually have an annual income of $80,000-100,000. At the same time, the standard investment amount ranges from $10,000 to $300,000, depending on the type of business, the stage of the project and the field of activity of the young company. According to American financiers, an innovation project is usually invested from $50,000 to $200,000.

History has some amazing examples of ordinary investors becoming successful business angels. First, it's well-known. The $91,000 once invested in it turned into $154 million for the business angel! Thomas Ahlberg, invested $100,000 in Amazon, and received his $26 million. And Ian McGlynn invested $4 thousand pounds sterling, for which he was awarded 42 million pounds.

Are there business angels in Russia?

Almost all Russian "angels" are people who have serious funds and have experience in building successful business. Conventionally, they can be divided into 3 independent categories.

• People from technology business or science who are looking for innovative projects in a certain area, often for integration into an existing business. They are excellent experts and know exactly what they want to get from their investments. Such business angels are a great success for an aspiring entrepreneur, since the combination of original viable ideas and enough funds to bring them to life usually gives excellent results.
• Representatives of large corporations and groups who do not want to advertise their interest in any developments. They usually look for an interesting project, invest in it, and then transfer their share of the business to the parent company. The firm that is the target of such angel investments is often in danger of being taken over, and its leader is usually trusted to lead the newly created structure within the parent corporation.
• Amateurs are a small category of investors for whom "angel" activity at the stages of "startup" and "seed" is a hobby, not a way to make a profit. They make investments in projects based on personal preferences, or the desire to contribute to the development of any area of ​​activity. Although their investments are non-professional, such projects often turn out to be quite successful.

To search for promising objects, pool capital and work more efficiently, business angels unite in networks. Abroad, their number is in the hundreds, in Russia today there are more than 20. The most famous are: the National Commonwealth of Business Angels, the St. Petersburg Organization of Business Angels and the Moscow Network of Business Angels.

In 2013, Russia began the process of systematizing "angelic" activities: a specialized portal for start-up business angels was launched, and various conferences were held to coordinate the work of investors. Over $100 million was invested in the first year alone. The average size investment is now about $ 120 thousand, with which it is quite possible to start a small business.

Statistics say that the chances of success and receiving more than 50% per annum as a result of their investments are only 23% among all business angels, and 17% receive a small income. 34% of investors had unsuccessful investments. Such a large, at first glance, the percentage of failures is often associated not with professional activity companies, not proper organization and often initially wrong miscalculations.

"Secret" presents the annual rating of the most active Russian business angels, compiled by Firrma Group with the support of RVC and the National Association of Business Angels (NABA). Participants are private investors, for whom investing in Russian and foreign startups is their main business, not a hobby or patronage. The main criterion that determines the place in the rating is the number of transactions in 2016 that received public confirmation. For a detailed methodology, please refer to

Alexander Rumyantsev

public data

personal data

Invested startups

Average check, $

A2 Leasing System, CyberGame.tv, My Schedule, Reg.fm, Flashsafe, Maroom, Agroinnovations, Zig-Zag, Little Pirate, MamaDoma.Biz, Teleport

Rumyantsev has been investing in startups for just over a year - and 15 deals at once. The former financier says that he came to the startup industry to earn money. As an investor, he is omnivorous, but he admits that he especially loves fintech, ecology and VR. He invests relatively small amounts - several million rubles. Judging by the handwriting, Rumyantsev acts mathematically: he has his own methodology and even a small team (although usually angels are still single filibusters). Interestingly, he does not communicate very closely with colleagues in the shop (which is rare in this business), and therefore he has no or almost no joint deals, but at the same time he is quite open (this is even rarer): 11 out of 15 deals are confirmed by public sources. Of the interesting transactions - Flash.so, whose founder Alexey Churkin managed to give his "endless flash drive" to Dmitry Medvedev, and the Agroinnovations startup with the Electronic Herd project, which monitors the number, health and quality of care for cows.

Alexander Borodich

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personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

GetShop.TV (twice), GrowFood, Inverse, WiMark System, Buklya, TicketsCloud, MingIvision

Boris Zhilin

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personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

100 000–200 000

UberChef, BoomStarter, ParkApp, Done

Zhilin lives in Lausanne, but at the same time, a significant part of his transactions are with partners from Russia (for example, with another well-known angel Alexei Menn and VTB24 top manager Nadia Cherkasova). In general, Zhilin is one of the few Russians who invest in domestic companies from abroad. And he does it very actively: 13 transactions per year (four are confirmed by sources), and 12 of them are in Russia, which is rare for a "foreigner". Zhilin is called a flexible investor, and he confirms this: “I believe in maximum flexibility and am ready to consider investments both at the very early stage of development (a team with an idea) and at later stages when growth funding is required.” The average check is quite high - $ 100-200,000. From the interesting in the portfolio: Zhilin, together with Alexei Menn, invested 20 million rubles in the apartment renovation service Made by Ilya Oskolkov-Tsentsiper, co-founder of Afisha and the Strelka Institute. Other notable projects include food delivery services FoodFox and Elementaree, as well as a cook-to-home service called UberChef.

Bogdan Yarovoy

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personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

Style Consierge, MasterZen, WiMark System, HiConversion

Yarovoy from Kaliningrad is one of the few active business angels living in Russia and not in Moscow. The former chairman of the board of European Bank began investing in venture not very long ago, but rather quickly turned this occupation into a conscious process. He organized the SmartHub venture company, which combines the functions of the club of angels (Yarovaya and the team are developing it as a platform for co-investment) and an accelerator. In communication, Yarovaya is corporately restrained, but nevertheless he invests recklessly: 16 companies in two years, five in the last year (public sources confirm four transactions). He plans to close “one or two more deals” before the New Year. The average check is quite high - $50–70,000. The stages are classic for seed and pre-seed angels. Among the interesting companies in the portfolio are the Russian-British photo marketplace Lobster (deal in 2015), TicketsCloud, AppFollow application monitoring service (the first release of IIDF in the history).

Julius Zegelman

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personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

AirCall, AllSet, Rolith

A successful California law practice owner, Zegelman has been investing in startups for years. At the same time, while living in America, he also looks at Russian or Ukrainian projects, although, of course, there are more American ones in his portfolio. Zegelman's investment speed is mesmerizing. According to him, this year he alone and with partners invested in 19 projects (only one from Russia). Three deals have been confirmed publicly. In addition, this angel manages to make exits, which, of course, is the highest class for an investor. The technological focus of Zegelman's investments is wide: cloud technologies, fintech, devices, Internet of things, e-commerce and new materials. Stages - from pre-seed to series A. Here is a typical investor transaction in 2016. Paris-based help desk start-up Aircall, an $8 million round (that's a solid European Stage A), which, in addition to Zegelman, involved several large and medium-sized investors, including Balderton Capital and FJLabs.

Oleg Cheltsov

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Invested startups

Average bill, $

Doctrine, Giroptic, 90 seconds (all - France)

Venture partner of Runa Capital and founder of the Fotolia photo bank, Cheltsov, a Frenchman with Russian roots, was once a music producer and is known for discovering the singer Patricia Kaas in Russia. Since the early 2000s, he has invested in more than 50 companies and made about ten successful exits. Cheltsov is still investing a lot. Mostly in France (the local venture capital market is considered quite vigorous). It is difficult to determine the average check, because this angel is usually invested as part of a syndicate. As a rule, this is a strong stage A (which is not very typical for an angel). In 2016, Cheltsov made three deals, all of them “French”.

Sergey Solonin

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personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

YouDo, Arena Marketing, Instamart

Co-founder of Qiwi, one of the main "blue chips" of Runet, invests in technological projects different scale for a long time - as an LP (partner with limited liability), through the Qiwi corporate fund, as well as individually. Focus Qiwi - everything related to payment and financial technologies, but the trick of Solonin is more difficult to understand. His portfolio includes the Arena-Marketing sports ticket distribution service, YouDo, and the Instamart grocery delivery service (by the way, Albert Sagiryan, managing director of Sberbank CIB, participated in this transaction). It is only clear that the investor Solonin prefers to invest at stage A or higher, and that he is interested in fintech in any case, so he headed working group FinNet of the National Technology Initiative (NTI).

Igor Matsanyuk

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Invested startups

Average bill, $

One of the most closed IT entrepreneurs and investors in last years completely gone into the shadows. He lives mainly in Vilnius, where he actively participates in the life of the local technopark. His main brainchild, Game Insight, a major global developer of mobile games, also moved there. Previously, Matsanyuk invested in dozens of startups - first himself, then through his own IMI.VC fund and indirectly as an LP in several Russian funds (which, however, is not documented anywhere). Now little is known about Matsanyuk's investments, and there is a feeling that he was somewhat disappointed by the startup topic. On the other hand, this year he entered board of trustees accelerator GenerationS. Matsanyuk's relatively recent investments include TicketsCloud, a new technopark in Vilnius, and an unnamed medical project.

Oleg Evseenkov

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personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

RollCon, Green Investments

Evseenkov invests a lot - in a year, according to him, he invested in 18 startups (however, only two were found). Basically, they invest at the preseed and seed stages in an area that is far from being the most popular among angels - "industrial technology". However, for the former top manager of Rosnano and RAO UES, as well as the Minister of Industry of the Ryazan Region, this is a completely logical choice. In addition, Evseenkov preach an unusual investment model. “My business model is less about exits and more about dividend yields,” he says. The average check is $50 thousand.

Edward Fiyaksel

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personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

50 000–150 000

there is no data

Perhaps one of the most successful Russian business angels. It was Eduard Fiyaksel who made several bright angel exits in the history of Russian venture, and immediately sold the projects to a strategist. So, in 2014, he sold the broadband Internet access operator Megamax and Internet Lab to companies from the Virgin group of Richard Branson. The multiplier for transactions, according to the investor, exceeded 28. This investor loves areas that are not very popular among angels: telecom, the Internet of things, medical devices. Invests from $50-150,000 at the seed and start-up stages - that is, on average, a little more than most angels. This year, Fiyaksel has invested in eight startups (public sources point to two). Fiyaksel is the Head of the Department of Venture Management at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. Permanently residing in his native Nizhny Novgorod, he leads the local association of business angels "Starting Investments".

Sergey Dashkov

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personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

Whatshelp, hellobaby

Dashkov is a member of the Venture Club, one of the most active angel groups. The range of investment interests is very wide: Big Data, fintech, new energy, VR, Internet of Things, biotech, etc. The portfolio includes projects such as Veeroute and Minglvion. Dashkov says he has closed eight deals this year, but only two are publicly available. The first is a customer support service via Whatshelp messengers (a $80,000 round, which also involved Pavel Cherkashin, a veteran of the angelic movement, and several other private investors). The second is the HelloBaby baby app. Dashkov invested in it together with the production center Riki Group (the owner of Smeshariki, Fixiki and Malysharikov) and several members of the Venture Club.

Andrey Golovin

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personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

Golovin, a veteran of the angel movement, began investing in the 1990s. At the same time, he does not really like the publicity and partying that is inherent in the angel market (Golovin is one of the few who does not make joint deals, and this is generally rare), so it is not so easy to meet him. He invests not only in venture capital, but also in infrastructure - for example, this year he invested in coworking in Spain. Geography, like all experienced angels, goes beyond the borders of the country: for Golovin, these are the Baltic states and Spain. There are also many topics of interest to him: platforms for developing bots and business communications through messengers, cross-border e-commerce, distributed online business systems, new interface technologies, etc. The main criterion for selecting projects is the quality of the team. “People are needed not only with burning eyes, but with good experience and professional background, he explains. “I even had to make early exits because I began to doubt the competence of project leaders.”

Oleksandr Chernyak

public data

personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

300,000–2 million

Instacarro (Brazil), Mobalytics (USA)

Chernyak is a big angel investing up to stage B inclusive (and this is definitely the domain of adult venture funds) up to $2 million. Mostly in his native Ukraine, but manages to watch good projects in Russia and even in Brazil, where Chernyak, according to him, already has one project. Interested in e-commerce, food tech, fintech, smart consumption and travel services. Perhaps one of the most stellar (at least among the known) transactions for an investor was an investment in CarPrice. Today it is one of the most promising young technology companies - you can’t even call it a startup anymore. Now such giants as, for example, Baring Vostok sit in it, but Chernyak was one of the first investors. Yak was one of the first investors.

Igor Shoifot

public data

personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

250,000–1 million

Sixa (USA), California in Ukraine (Ukraine)

This angel makes deals in the amount of $250,000 to $1 million - in fact, in the venture funds zone. Shoifot has lived in the US since the 1990s, but regularly invests in Russia and other countries former USSR(especially often in Ukraine). In America, he is also known as the founder of such companies as Epsylon Games, Fotki.Com, vInternship. Shoifot is on friendly terms with the RBC founders' fund - TMT Investments. The investor is interested in several topics: marketplaces, e-commerce, clouds, Big Data, media. Of the latest interesting transactions - the Sixa project. Shoyfot is also known for regularly making good exits - for example, he sold Kanvas to the giant AOL.

Alexey Menn

public data

personal data

Invested startups

Average bill, $

25 000–400 000

Done, Elementaree

Menn has been an active player in the market for about three years now. In addition, he founded his own venture fund Sun Capital, through which he also makes deals. How an angel invests $200-400,000 in a startup. Menn differs from many other participants in the rating in that he loves not only classic venture deals. “Traditional industries that haven't had technological changes for a long time are interesting,” he explains. “Retail, construction, food tech, e-sports, various b2b services are especially interesting.” At least one of his portfolio companies is known to many young Muscovites - this is the "food designer" Elementaree.

Igor Kaloshin

public data

How to attract business angels? What does the list of the most active business angels in Russia look like? What reviews about business angels can be found on the Internet?

Hello to everyone who visited the website of the HeatherBober online magazine! In touch with you - Denis Kuderin.

We continue to explore the topic of profitable financial investments. Today we will talk about business angels - individuals who provide start-up entrepreneurs with financial support, and not only.

The publication will be of interest to startup developers, businessmen who need to attract additional capital investments in their projects, as well as to everyone who is interested in topical financial issues.

So let's get started!

1. Who are business angels and how do they differ from venture investors?

You are an aspiring businessman, an inventor new technology or a developer of a unique startup. You have a promising business idea, a team of like-minded people, a detailed business plan.

There is only one thing missing - the means to implement their ideas. A natural question arises - where to find them? It is at this stage that business angels will help you.

This, as you understand, is not about celestial beings patronizing young businessmen. Patronage in our case has a completely earthly origin and is expressed in material financial investments in your project.

– individuals who provide financial assistance to companies at an early stage of their development.

Such investments are associated with high risks: not every startup makes a profit after its promotion. Business angels are experienced businessmen, top managers of large corporations and people who have achieved significant career success.

Their mission is not only professional investment in potentially profitable projects, but also mentoring, partial guidance and supervision of promising projects.

The activity of business angels is somewhat reminiscent of venture capital investment. In both cases, investors are dealing with high-risk investments. “Business angels” do not receive any collateral and guarantees, therefore they can only rely on experience, intuition and a competent approach to financial transactions.

The success of projects is facilitated by the joint teamwork of contributors-businessmen and project creators. In addition to money, business angels bring knowledge, business contacts and useful commercial skills to companies.

The long-term goal of business angels is the development of invested projects and the growth of their value. Business angels receive income mainly from the sale of their stake in the company after its promotion. This is possible when the project justified commercial hopes and began to bring profit to the creators.

Example

A huge number of world-class companies began their journey to conquer the heights of entrepreneurship with investments from business angels. Private investment has fueled the growth of corporations such as Google, Yahoo, Amazon and many others.

The lyrical term "business angels" owes its origin to New York theatergoers. This was the name of patrons who invested in new, often experimental theatrical productions. Investors made a profit only if the new performance was successful.

The main difference between business angels and venture funds is that the former use only their own capital for investments. Venture funds use the money of third parties who have transferred their finances to trust management.

Angels have more opportunities in terms of making investment decisions. The procedure for drawing up contracts between investors and project managers has also been simplified.

According to statistics, a third of all angels lose their capital, 20% have a yield in the range of 10-15% per annum, 25% receive a profit of more than 20%, the rest work "to zero", that is, they simply return their deposits.

This does not mean that angels do charity work. Sometimes new technologies and the latest scientific and commercial developments bring investors not only solid dividends, but also worldwide fame.

So, the main facts about business angels:

• these are professional investors who invest in companies at the seed or start-up stage;
• they are experienced businessmen, usually men over the age of 45, with management experience and economic knowledge;
• every fifth business angel is a millionaire.

Sometimes investors of this type invest in a pure idea, after which they take over the development of a business plan and the promotion of the project. Often, contacts between angels and startup developers are friendly and trusting.

Read related material in the article "".

2. What are business angels - TOP-5 main types

Innovative startup developers should consider the origin and type of angel investor when looking for investors and stakeholders.

There are several types of business angels. The classification below is somewhat arbitrary, but it allows you to see the difference in the goals, methods and techniques of investors.

Type 1. Corporate angels

These are former top managers of large international corporations who, upon dismissal, received substantial monetary compensation. They use these assets for investments. The average size of the capital of corporate angels is about $1 million.

In each potentially successful project, investors invest about a fifth of this money. Corporate business angels often apply for leadership roles in the company and usually oversee only one startup.

View 2. Enthusiast angels

Enthusiasts are not distinguished by high professionalism and solid experience in investment activities. As a rule, such investors operate with small amounts (about $10,000).

Enthusiast angels often choose several directions for investment at once and practically do not participate in the management and study of the profile of companies.

Type 3. Entrepreneurial angels

These are the most active business angels who, in parallel with investing, are actively engaged in commerce.

They invest substantial amounts ($200-500 thousand) in order to collect a promising investment portfolio. As a rule, they do not apply for management and leadership in projects.

View 4. Micromanaging angels

Micromanagers finance several startups at once, preferring to personally manage the companies. They usually apply for positions on the board of directors and are actively interested in business plans.

View 5. Professional angels

Are engaged in investing funds in projects whose activities they understand professional level. The size of investments is average (from 25 to 200 thousand US dollars). Prone to joint investment with other individuals.

Read a separate article about what are profitable.

3. How to attract business angels - 5 easy steps to hunt for a business angel

Search for funding sources - milestone commercial project development. Finding a business angel is always difficult: there are always more ideas and innovative developments than money.

The first advice for startups is to look for an investor who understands your topic and has already been involved in successful financial investments in similar projects.

The most valuable and desirable business angels are smart investors (smart investors) who do not just give money, but help valuable advice and consultations. It is useful to meet with investors in person: it is easier to identify mutual expectations and develop effective scheme interactions.

Step 5. Communicating with a business angel

Business angels always take risks, so they try to approach the choice of investment objects as carefully as possible.

Usually communication with investors takes place at presentation events. Applicants present their projects, angels evaluate them and choose suitable options. Speeches by startup leaders last no more than 10 minutes: during this time, you need to tell all the most important things about your project.

Oral presentation is not always enough. Those who use handouts, videos, and other demonstration methods will benefit.

4. What does the TOP-7 most active business angels in Russia look like?

Business angels are real people with their own commercial and personal preferences and financial capabilities. We present the 7 most influential private investors in Russia.

Alexander Borodich

In 2013 he founded the FutureLabs laboratory (development of mobile and Internet applications). Prefers to invest early in Russian and Western startups.

In list famous projects– Lovely service (search for real estate on the web), Verbling service for communication between people studying foreign languages, mobile applications for trading through Facebook.

Alexey Karlov

Founder of Angel Relations Group. Positions itself as a private investor, but sometimes acts on behalf of the mentioned company. Well-known projects include image recognition, several applications for Windows Phone.

Bogdan Yarovoy

Former co-owner of European Bank, developer of training programs.

In addition to investing, he is engaged in social projects - in particular, he develops a "venture boutique" in Kaliningrad.

Julius Zegelman

Invests in Russian and foreign startups.

Lives in San Francisco, runs GetHoused.com. He invests in the field of data protection, new technologies, projects at the intersection of online and offline.

Vitaly Polekhin

Manages the investor club of the Skolkovo School of Management. In parallel, he is engaged in social activities. It invests in the early stages in a variety of areas - "economy on demand", Internet services, health and science.

Konstantin Sinyushin

Founder of the "angelic network" The Untitled Venture Company. It invests in projects at the "seed" and "pre-seed" stages. In the field of interests - "cloud" technologies, management mobile applications, entertainment, new ways of communication.

Edward Fiyaksel

President of the community of business angels "Starting Investments". Founder of the Department of Marketing at the National Research University " Graduate School Economy".

He invests in startups in the field of telecommunications and biotechnology. Over the past 2 years I have invested about 800 thousand dollars. Author of textbooks and manuals about venture business.

The table will help you visually understand the areas of investment and financial opportunities of the largest business angels of the Russian Federation:

№		Average check	Priority directions
1	Alexander Borodich	$25-75 thousand	Internet technologies and information services
2	Alexey Karlov	No fixed amount	Medicine, mobile technologies
3	Bogdan Yarovoy	$100 thousand	Financial services and technologies, data processing
4	Julius Zegelman	$20 to $50 thousand	Data protection, IT
5	Vitaly Polekhin	$50-100 thousand	Health and science, Internet services
6	Konstantin Sinyushin	$200-300 thousand	Mobile applications, communications
7	Edward Fiyaksel	$100-200 thousand	Telecommunications, IT

And now a few tips for novice business angels.

Tip 1. Immediately abandon a project that you do not like

Newbie investors are dizzy from the abundance of “promising” offers on the market. To avoid mistakes, you must immediately determine the investment strategy.

The best option is to choose those areas in which you understand at least at a basic level. If you don’t like the project, it’s better to postpone it right away – this will save both time and money.

Tip 2. Be interested in the affairs of the company in which you invest

The “invest and forget” strategy will not bring real success to business angels. The winners are those who are actively interested in the affairs of the company, personally communicate with startup developers and managers, delve into all the details of the business plan.

Tip 3. Take on some of the managerial responsibilities

Management skills are extremely useful in investing. Usually, startup founders are poorly versed in business management: your job is to help them competently develop and promote the project.

Tip 4: Avoid Lack of Information

Make sure that the managers constantly provide you with detailed information about the progress of the project.

If you feel that your clients are reluctant to contact or provide too optimistic information, insist on a professional audit of the business.

Tip 5. Don't be afraid of additional investments from other investors

It is useful for beginners to communicate with other business angels and participate in joint investments. It is better to have a small share in a successful business than to oversee a failed project alone.

Tip 6: Look for Experts on Suggested Technologies

Expert opinion is never superfluous. If you yourself do not understand the field in which you are engaged, hire a professional and entrust him with an objective study of the technical or financial aspects.

Tip 7. Refuse to invest in areas in which you doubt

Not all projects develop into a full-fledged business. If you have doubts about the prospects of this or that direction, it is better not to start cooperation with such startups at all.