Angel investment is part of a high-risk investment category generally considered under the term “venture investments” that would also include venture capital investment. Typical investments into a venture capital fund are done through a limited partnership arrangement, where capital is provided by the limited partner and the actual investment decisions and management are done through a group dedicated to manage it. For angel investments, individual investors are typically more involved in the actual investment decisions and subsequent management involvement of the investment. Angels can act alone or can organize into an angel organization. Of the angel organizations that exist, one form is a network of individual angel investors who share deal flow and best-practices, but who usually invest individually. The other form, called an angel fund, is a more formal fund where money is pooled and decisions are done through the collective membership. Eastern NY Angels (ENYA) is the form of an angel fund.
Investors in ENYA are expected to take an active role in the company selection, vetting, investing and mentoring of companies within the portfolio of investments made. Angel investing is a mix of both expertise and capital, so providing mentorship from our investors will play an important role to the success of our companies. A mix of specific experiences relevant to emerging companies and available through investment by ENYA can increase the chances of success for these companies. ENYA seeks individuals who have specific experiences, resources and contacts within industry for such areas as marketing, sales, operations, finance, entrepreneurship and leadership of high-performance groups. Knowledge and contacts with a variety of markets represented is a goal of the ENYA membership.
Membership into Eastern NY Angels is limited to individuals who qualify as Accredited Investors according to Rule 501 of the Securities Act and to other corporations such as partnerships who have an interest in engaging and supporting angel-stage companies. Individuals interested in joining ENYA should contact Joe Richardson or Richard Frederick via email or by calling the number under the “Contact Us” tab.