Angel Investors Florida

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How do I become an angel investor with little money?

If you are planning to go into angel investing it is crucial that you have enough funds to start with. If you are looking to invest in early stage companies, you can start with at least 10% of your total portfolio. This however is not a rule, because an investor looking to provide seed investment to a startup company must evaluate exactly how much the business needs in order to actually make money. Angel investors can choose to start small by giving at least around $10,000 worth of seed investments to an entrepreneur looking for venture funding. It is important to note however that as an angel investor, if your angel investment is small, you will only own a small portion of the company which could actually mean smaller profits. If however you are interested in making investments in Florida, it would be better if you become part of the accredited investors which means having a yearly minimum income of $200,000. Your net worth must also be at least $1 million. Accredited investors are seldom required to accomplish many paperwork and other filings with the securities and exchange commission. So businesses who apply for funding often prefer accredited investors.

Q2. What does an angel investor expect?

A Florida angel investor who plans on making an investment in Florida doesn't usually just give you something without getting something in return from it. They expect a return on their angel investments. In order to make sure it becomes a profitable venture, Florida angels consider the following factors:

a. A reliable and visionary management team that would steer the company into the right direction and ensure long-term profitability.

b. How big your idea actually is -- Angel investors are concerned about the impact your startup will have. The bigger the potential market, the more will they be interested in pursuing your startup as one of their investment opportunities.

c. Potential risks to the business -- Angel investors especially those who plan to invest in Florida are risk takers but as mentioned over and over again, a smart investor takes calculated risks. So angel investors want to make sure that they can anticipate, if not prevent anything that might threaten the success of a business startup especially in riskier ones like technology companies.

d. How the investment capital will be used. Some angel investors like to get involved in business development so they would want to know how the money raised by your company will be used. Some of them even become a managing partner depending on the venture capital fund provided.

e. Financial projections - angel investors are very much interested in your projected numbers. Are they reasonable and believable?

Q3. Who are the best angel investors?

If you are looking for the best angel investors in Florida. Funded.com is the best investment network to look for Florida accredited investors. Our investment criteria is very high and Florida Angel Investors are found and invited to join our network. We bring entrepreneurs and investors together.

Q4. Do you have to be an accredited investor to be an angel investor?

If you want to become part of a Florida angel investor, accreditation may not be required. However if you are planning to join an investing network, accreditation is required. Investing in early stage companies poses a very high risk. A technology company for example, may have a high chance of failing. And when a startup company does fail, if you have very little assets, you could end up losing everything. Rules set for accredited investors protect angel investors and ensure that they are able to recover from or even bear the loss by having a sure annual income stream of at least $200,000 or have assets amounting to at least $1 million.

Q5. Can anyone become an angel investor?

Anyone can actually become an angel investor. Any business professional can in fact become an angel investor. Like any business activity however, becoming an angel investor requires a level of fortitude in order to be successful. It takes skills, experience and the right motivation to become successful and make profits in this type of high risk investment. Angel investors however do not just provide the seed investments needed by an entrepreneur looking to raise funding. Most angel investors, especially Florida angels provide mentorship and serve as a guide to entrepreneurs. They are different from venture capital firms because a venture capital firm only acts as a representative to an investing network. They typically do not get involved with mentoring startup companies in order for them to be successful.

Becoming an angel investor also requires real capital. There are various levels of entry however, most successful angel investors must have enough liquid assets usually between $10,000 to $500,000 to be able to fund Florida entrepreneurs. Most world angels however choose to put their money into different companies for diversification purposes.

Q6. What percentage do angel investors take?

Angel investors expect to own at least a 20-50% stake in business startups they help finance. When fund raising through angel investments, most of the time ownership percentage can be defined through negotiations. Often however, in financing private companies, angel investors or portfolio companies usually assess a company’s value and determine their percentage of ownership from there. For companies like technology companies where assets to be acquired entails huge equity crowdfunding, higher returns are expected.

Q7. Do investors get paid monthly?

Payout agreements with angel investors are actually negotiable. An angel investor worth his salt would know that most early stage companies require a certain grace period before they are able to make actual profits. If you are an entrepreneur looking to raise funds then getting an angel investment can prove to be easy compared to getting funded through lending. Terms on returns can be modified and updated at any time. You must however need to be clear with what your terms are. some angel investors prefer to get paid on a monthly basis. A fair term would be to consider a previous year’s income and to give angel investors their share based on their stake at the company and give it to them monthly.

Q8. Do angel investors lose money?

The answer is yes. Angel investors give money to a startup company for them to be able to use that money to get the business running. If a startup fails, then angel investors lose money. Angel investors also lose money on early stage companies that do take off but never generate any liquid assets; especially if soon they are acquired or if they choose to go public.