For immediate release
San Diego Angel Conference at USD Opens 2024 SDAC VI Fund to Angel Investors as Applications for Founders Seeking Funding Close on December 19
Accredited investors are invited to nation’s largest angel conference, which has invested $4.8M in 17 startups since 2019.
SAN DIEGO – December 8, 2023 – San Diego Angel Conference at the University of San Diego (SDAC) activates angel investors and connects them with early-stage companies seeking seed funding. By providing a low initial investment and robust deal flow, SDAC enables accredited investors from across the U.S. to explore angel investing and join the member-managed fund as a way to grow their investment portfolio. By the end of the process, investors collectively choose a winner and runner up(s) to receive an investment starting at $200,000.* To learn more, visit www.thesdangels.com.
With a minimum investment of $7,000 and additional units in increments of $5,500, SDAC is ideal for new angel investors who want to gain hands-on experience and learn via workshops, meetings, and presentations. Passive investors can invest without attending meetings or participating in due diligence, or the voting process.
This year’s SDAC Fund Manager and USD MBA/MSF Candidate Priscilla Luckhurst says, “The meetings and workshops provide a review of angel investing, with the majority of learning realized through collective decision-making to select companies to invest in. You’re part of a knowledgeable group of investors who work collaboratively to evaluate each startup and its ability to provide valuable, marketable solutions and good returns.”
SDAC angel investors build social capital as they work together to discover investable companies with the potential to disrupt industries and solve real-world challenges. They learn how to assess startups’ products, management, market opportunities and business models; how to perform due diligence, evaluate an investment pitch, and make informed investment decisions. SDAC angel investors can expand their network through structured seminars, and socials, and by becoming a member of the USD President’s Club.
“SDAC is about community building as much as portfolio expansion. It’s inclusive, transparent, and welcoming. Angels collaborate with peers, meet interesting founders, and are on the frontlines of exciting new ventures that build businesses, support families and build wealth in communities. It’s inspiring,” says Luckhurst.
While SDAC angel investors evaluate applications, review pitches, and work with fellow investors to determine which companies to invest in, the applying startup founders are given opportunities to meet angel investors and gather and network with other founders. They also receive free and confidential coaching on the fundamentals necessary to become investment worthy from SDAC’s sister organization, the Brink SBDC.
SDAC partners with 35+ organizations including University of San Diego (USD), San Diego State University (SDSU), and University of California, San Diego (UCSD), to drive deal flow and mentor startups. Sponsors include C3 Bank, Mintz, First Republic Bank, Coeptus Law, Clearpoint Agency, and Knobbe Martens.
SDAC Founder Mysty Rusk says, “We activate angel investors and fund companies with potential to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. We ‘get to yes!’ by creating an environment where high-net worth individuals explore angel investing, build skills, actively review deals and choose companies to invest in. Over 150 investors have participated in SDAC, reviewing over 500 applications including the 17 companies that are officially part of SDAC’s portfolio. We’ve tracked $190 million in follow-on investments related to SDAC efforts between the companies that have applied and the angels who’ve become active investors.”
*Actual amount invested depends on total dollars raised. Historically, investors have exceeded the investment amount and number of companies funded.
About San Diego Angel Conference
San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC), a University of San Diego program, 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 for entrepreneurs and angel investors. 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 founders and angel investors “get to yes!” Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Hilary McCarthy
hilary@clearpointagency.com
774.364.1440