A personal journey to explore why emotional design is the heartbeat of successful tech products and how it can transform a good idea into something beloved and indispensable.

AI has emerged as a game-changer for startups, transforming the business landscape in ways that were previously unimaginable. The ability of AI systems to process and analyze complex data enables startups to gain valuable insights to empower them to make informed decisions that drive their success.

Every experienced angel knows how important the quality of the founding team is when selecting investments. We’ve all heard the maxims: “Team, Market, Product, in that order!” “An A+ team with a B+ plan will out-perform a B+ team with an A+ plan every time.” And so forth. Experienced angels also instinctively know that CEO swaps are very risky and potentially costly. As a result, angels are always looking for a CEO who can “scale.” That magical person who not only has the skills to go from $0 to $1M and $1M to $10M, but also from $10M to $100M and even beyond.

As angels, we often ask ourselves whether returns in one industry are likely to be better than other industries. In recent years, TCA has invested about 35-40% each year in Life Sciences. Since TCA’s founding in 1997, we have invested in more than 500 companies and 123 (32%) of these have been in Life Sciences. Of the total investment, 25% has been in Life Sciences. Therefore, the dataset is large enough to perhaps develop some observations and conclusions comparing Life Sciences to all other verticals combined.

By: Linda Smith, ACA Chair Emeritus

ACA members are invited to join the Global Business Angels Network (GBAN) Annual Meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 14-17, 2021 which will take place as part of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress – anticipated to be one of the first post-COVID-19 live global gatherings of entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and other startup champions from around the world.  The focus of the GBAN Annual Meeting this year will be on cross border investing but there will be a wide range of sessions for investors throughout the three-day event. 

Chiara Renella-Brooks, ACA Partnership Director

Incredible Companies Built by Women Highlighted During the Innovation Funders Showcase Deeper Dive 

By: Sarah Dickey, ACA Membership Director

The prestigious Luis Villalobos Award, recognizing the most ingenious and innovative ideas recently financed by members of the Angel Capital Association, was recently awarded to two ACA member-funded companies disrupting their fields.

By: Sarah Dickey, ACA Membership Director

Boston-Area Angels Hambleton Lord and Christopher Mirabile Receive Hans Severiens Award for Individual Impact in Advancing the Field of Angel Investing. 

By: Bridget Weston, CEO of SCORE

If you are an entrepreneur building a small business, you know that it takes more than spreadsheets, financial projections, and a big marketing push to reach business success; it also takes passion, dedication, and attention to detail. 

By: Nicholas McKinley, CEO of Verafī

Verafī, ACA’s new Affinity Partner, has a unique background that generates the knowledge and experience to assist angels in completing the valuable due diligence needed to ensure confidence in personal and investment decisions.