Southeast Asia has become one of the fastest-growing markets for startups over the last decade. With millions of young and tech-savvy talents and a business landscape that’s welcoming a new breed of entrepreneurs, the startup ecosystem continues to expand at striking rates.
This has also paved the way for the emergence of angel investment groups, networks, and syndicates which are seen to have been gaining momentum in recent years. Investing in early-stage private equity has been happening in Southeast Asia, where opportunities seem endless. These angel investors invest their own money into enterprises they feel strongly connected with, aiming to guide them as they scale up the business.
Finding Angel Groups
Networking: Attend startup events, conferences, and networking sessions to connect with angel investors and learn about groups in your area.
Online Directories: Utilize online directories like the Angel Capital Association to find angel groups in your region or industry.
Local Coworking Spaces: Visit local coworking spaces and accelerators to learn about angel groups that support startups in your area.
Advantages of Angel Groups
Although attending monthly or quarterly meetings might sound like a lot of work, there are some important reasons why the team approach is popular among angel investors. Most young companies are seeking more cash than any single investor is willing to put up—often upward of $1 million. By dividing that ownership stake among several investors, an individual may only need to kick in say $25,000 to $50,000 on a single deal, however, for some individuals $25,000 is still on the higher side, we'll talk about the way to get around this with online investing syndicates.
Investors who band together can also split the considerable due diligence work that any major investment requires. Beyond being a huge time-saver, a collaborative operation allows the funders to draw on each other’s experience and expertise. The decision to invest in a business is still up to the individual, but in this way, prospective investors get input from others in the group before they decide whether to get involved.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of joining an angel group, however, is being able to learn about more deals. Angel investing is by its nature a high-risk high-reward investment. Most experts suggest having a diversified portfolio of at least 10 companies in order to protect your capital. It certainly helps to have a steady flow of leads coming in—something that’s hard to achieve if you’re going solo with regard to angel investing.
Online Investing Syndicates
If you like the idea of joining up with other investors but don’t want the commitment of a traditional angel investing group, you do have an alternative. Online syndicates such as AngelList and A2D Ventures allow individuals to work together on deals, often with no annual fees and no meetings.
Online groups are also attractive to those who aren’t ready to put up large sums of cash. These syndicates let you contribute as little as $1,000 to a particular business venture, significantly lowering your exposure to risk.
Typically, a lead investor will put up a substantial amount of the total investment— often around 20%—and let other syndicate members kick in smaller amounts. To compensate the lead investor for their larger role in the deal, the other investors agree to pay the lead a “carry”—a percentage of the profit from their investment.
Some syndicates like A2D Ventures cover a fairly broad range of deals while others specialize in a specific industry, such as technology or healthcare.
Conclusion
If you’re new to angel investing, it often helps to join a group or syndicate that can partner up on deals and spread out the due diligence work. And with online syndicates, you don’t necessarily need to meet face-to-face with other members to get your crack at early-stage investment opportunities.
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