Where to find angel investors

Angel investing is one of the best sources for startups to attract funding for their business ideas.
They are usually the first formal investors in a business and provide the seed money to get the business up and running.
Unfortunately, most people have no idea where to find and how to connect with angel investors.

A lot of people don’t even know that angel investors exist. In this article, we will look at who they are and 5 best, surest places to find angel investors who are willing to fund your start-up idea.
First, what is an angel investor? In simple language, an angel investor is someone who has enough money and is willing to invest in your business idea in exchange for some ownership equity (they own part of the business).
It sounds very simple but before you rush off to the next rich person you see and toss your business plan at them, you need to understand what angel investors care about so that you know how to make your pitch.

Here are the five major things angel investors look out for in any business:
The quality, passion, commitment, and integrity of the founders.
A very clear plan of how the money will be used, what equity you are willing to part with or how the money will be paid back.
The market opportunity being addressed and the potential for the company to grow.
An appropriate valuation with reasonable terms.
The viability of raising additional rounds of financing if progress is made.
To approach angel investors for funding, you need to make sure you have a few things in place:
Here are 5 best places to find angel in investors who would be willing to invest in your idea.

Family and friends
While family and friends are the best angel investors on the planet, they have some major downsides as well. The good thing is, they already know you enough to determine if you are worth investing in without any references or bottlenecks. The major downside is that it is very difficult to mix business and personal relationships.

Churches
You could meet someone in your religious or social organisation and make your pitch. For instance, as a Rotarian, I could approach any fellow Rotarian who has enough money and make my pitch to them. It does not mean they must give me money but, as part of their family, they will give me a good hearing and offer me any assistance they are able to. If they are involved in the same market sector I am interested in, it makes things a lot easier.
You must remember, while this is one of the best places to find angel investors, joining a religious/social network just to take advantage of their good spirit for your selfish purpose is wrong.
Don’t start going to church because you hear that top tycoons attend that church. These organisations are avenues for genuine selfless service not for selfish exploitation.

Social media
The internet has made the world one big global village. Social media networks such as Twitter and LinkedIn are good avenues to meet people, get to know them and tell them about your business idea. You must act like a professional if you want to be treated as one.
Everyone on social media is a real person, not a friendly robot. You must treat them as real people, with all courtesy and professionalism.

Seminars and workshops
Seminars and workshops are held from time to time with industry experts in attendance. These gatherings discuss tips on how to leverage latest trends and technology or how to exploit new business opportunities.
While some seminars and workshops are targeted at players in specific industries, others are relevant to a large, mixed audience.
If you think a seminar will most likely attract angel investors, chances are high that it really will. So, try to attending such seminars (even if you don’t meet an investor, you still would have learned some important things).