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Up to 99 accredited investors will create an angel fund valued up to $1.5M anticipating investing in up to six companies on March 20, 2021

SAN DIEGO – November 17, 2020 –  San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC), a three-year-old University of San Diego School of Business program that activates accredited angel investors and engages promising early-stage companies, is hosting a one-day Angel Academy. The virtual event on November 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time provides a primer for accredited and aspiring angel investors to start investing in early-stage companies.

SDAC provides a full educational program, for novice and semi-experienced angels alike, that includes interactive sessions that help them learn how to:

  • Master basics of angel investing
  • Analyze a pitch
  • Perform due diligence
  • Close a deal
  • Manage post investment activities
  • Develop deal flow
  • Build awareness of bias & impact investing
  • Cultivate a network of angel investors
  • Participate in syndicates with other angel investors

The SDAC Angel Academy is $49; free for angel investors enrolled in the SDAC program Fund III or members of Tech Coast Angels San Diego. Register here

About 100 early-stage companies compete to be selected by SDAC angel investors each year. With the winning company receiving at least $200,000 and investments to the runners up in varied amounts, SDAC has become one of the largest angel investor programs in the country. 

The low investment threshold of about $6,000 per unit is ideal for first-time angel investors, who also gain training on how to evaluate investment-worthy startups and conduct due diligence.

Investors can also participate passively, and bypass the training, by simply investing in the fund. Regardless of experience level, investors gain a valuable network and benefit from knowledge shared among the group as they participate in decision-making for the fund.

“As a first-time investor in SDAC II last year, it was helpful to have such a low investment threshold in order to avoid putting a lot of money at risk before I understood how to conduct due diligence, judge the merits of a deal, know what happens after the deal, and more,” said Impact Investor Janet Carson. “I learned so much about the innovation ecosystem, how an investment is activated, and I continue to collaborate with the SDAC angel investors for deals and best practices. SDAC creates an environment of shared knowledge and resources.”

The size and certainty of the fund generates healthy deal flow which is supported and amplified by 20+ partner organizations in the startup ecosystem. In addition to the size of the fund, access to accredited investors, and the ongoing support of the partners, this year, for the first time, SDAC is partnering with top California universities – including University of San Diego (USD), San Diego State University (SDSU), and University of California, San Diego (UCSD) – resulting in introductions to first-time entrepreneurs eager to turn discoveries into businesses. These connections, combined with the program’s reputation for excellence, enables SDAC to attract promising early-stage companies and manage a substantial investment fund. SDAC’s top non-academic sponsors for 2020 are Mintz, Clearpoint Agency, and Vantage Point Advisors. Our full list of sponsors can be found here.

 

About San Diego Angel Conference 

San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC) is a University of San Diego School of Business program. It is the largest angel investment program in the country, activating angel investors and engaging promising early-stage companies that drive the innovation ecosystem. Through a series of events and workshops that culminate in a one-day conference and pitch competition, SDAC provides valuable insights and hands-on education through separate entrepreneur and angel investor tracks. The program’s investment fund is managed by accredited investors who collectively decide which of the companies will receive funding each year. Visit www.thesdangels.com to see how SDAC helps entrepreneurs and angel investors “get to yes!Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. 

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Media Contact: 

Hilary McCarthy 
hilary@clearpointagency.com 
774 364 1440