Tons of books and online resources provide intricate details about investing in early-stage startups. But there is a big gap between conducting an academic exercise and writing your first check. In the entrepreneurial ecosystem there are ongoing jokes about ‘wantrapreneurs’--people who imagine themselves as founders but never start a company. The same could be said of wannabe ‘angel investors.’ Early-stage investing always involves a level of the unknown and calculated risk—and for this reason can be intimidating. Angel investing has historically been the realm of very high net worth individuals who can write six-figure checks. But over the past decade, the structure of angel investing and the regulations around it have changed, making it much more accessible to younger and more modestly well-to-do individuals who are not members of the billionaire boys club. Having the wealth to invest in startups doesn’t solve the problem of feeling confident in knowing how to do it. There is only so much you can learn from reading. Learn by Doing At Apis Health Angel Conference (Apis) you collaborate with a group of fellow investors from diverse backgrounds—each of you contributing unique perspective and experience to the process as you are guided from initial screening of companies to a final investment decision. Apis Health Angel Conference teaches aspiring angel investors how to invest in early-stage startups by actively evaluating prospective companies and making an investment. Each semi-annual Apis cohort comprises up to 40 investors who pool approximately $100,000 to $200,000 to make an investment in an early-stage startup. Starting with 50 or more companies, investors work together to screen, review pitches, and conduct due diligence. And together select a winning company for investment. While our startup sector is health, our investor focus is broad. Health professionals might understand health products and systems, but learning about what makes a strong business and an investable company takes a partnership approach. Experts in consumer goods, customer analysis, security, financing strategies, exit opportunities, cap table management to name a few, broaden out the discussion. This inquiry method encourages founders to shift from speaking like a product expert or researcher to speaking like a company representative, and it encourages investors to broaden their thinking about what disruptions could happen. Accredited individuals who may be interested in hearing about our investor program can contact Elizabeth Cross Nichol - APIS Health Angel Conference or John Sechrest. Eligibility - Accredited Investors Only
Investors who participate in the Apis Health Angel Conference must meet the Security and Exchange Commission definition of Accredited Investor. Individuals attain Accredited Investor status simply by having a net worth of $1M or more (over and above home ownership), and/or an annual income of $200,000 or higher. The Apis Health Angel program is modeled on the Seattle Angel Conference Program .