There are certain things in life that are all about timing. And one of those things is angel investing. Like an angel investor said, when he started to invest into the Indian startup ecosystem in the mid-2010s, the quality of the companies were underwhelming. Today, the scene is vastly different—it’s swimming with good ideas and quality founders. As a result, the number of angel investment deals spiked from 89 in the year ending July 2020 to 183 over the subsequent 12 months, according to a report published by the Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association of India. The profile of angel investors has also evolved -
it’s not just something that’s limited to high-net-worth individuals. Senior executives from major tech companies and even exiting startup founders themselves are keen to get into the funding game, writing checks ranging anywhere between Rs 5,000 to Rs 1 crore for early-stage deals. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that angel investing is a life on its own. But capital alone doesn’t guarantee you a deal. You’ll need speed, consistency, access, and most importantly, the kind of “value-add” that you bring to the table. Founders are picky about who they want on their cap table, and may choose to go with a smaller check and an angel investor who can help build the business, said the former COO of AngelList India, an angel syndicate that was launched in India in 2017