Angel One focuses on early stage companies based in Ontario with valuations of $6 million or less in which there is a clear and reasonable expectation of an appropriate return on investment. 

“What’s very important to angel investors is the team. We evaluate companies based on people, product and market.”

To find out why to apply to Equation click here

To find out if you’re investment ready, click here

If you are a growth company and are thinking about seeking outside investment, please feel free to begin the process by filling out our ONLINE APPLICATION form. All applications will be reviewed by Angel One staff within one business week of their submission.  If your application meets our requirements, an Angel One representative will contact you to discuss investment readiness and access to capital. Please note that you must complete the application in its entirety for it to be considered. This is a no cost service.

HOW IT WORKS

Once a company has been approved by Angel One staff it will be brought forward to the screening committee. This group consists of staff from three local Ontario Angel groups and convenes once a month. Each group will bring forward the best opportunists they have seen that month and the top 6 will be chosen to move forward.

The top 6 companies will be invited to present in front of the screening committee at a meeting held the first week of every month. The group will narrow down the selection to 2-to-4 companies. The selected companies will be invited to present in front of the 3 angel groups at their monthly investment meetings, which are held the 3^rd week of every month.

The selected companies must be able to make all three meetings, or they will not be permitted to present that month. They must also come to the investment meetings with their deal room prepared. This is so the interested members can move into due diligence as fast as possible and help close the round faster.

Angel One will track results with the subscribing company and investing members.  These results will be submitted to the National Angel Capital Organization and the Angel Investors Ontario free of specific investor details.

Management Team

Angel investors look for teams of high-quality entrepreneurs with a track record of leadership and performance – either in the company’s specific industry or in prior entrepreneurial ventures.  We also look at your team’s passion for and commitment to the new business idea, and your ability to inspire confidence among future stakeholders, including employees, potential customers, and investors.  As the investors will be working with you as partners, your team’s credibility is essential. In addition, your team must be open to and comfortable with receiving input provided by angel investors.

Market Opportunity

Angel investors typically invest in solutions that address major problems for significantly large target markets (i.e. a $100+ million market).  Your company must demonstrate a strategy to claim significant share of this market (i.e. 20%+).  There are plenty of great business ideas – but not all businesses will generate returns that justify angel investor financing.  Therefore, providing a solution to a problem with a large potential market is essential.

Use of Proceeds

Funds must be used to accelerate your company’s achievement of key milestones that increase the company’s value.  Angel investors will fund activities that include research and product development, building a sales and marketing infrastructure and hiring key executives.

Growth Potential

Angel investors look for companies that can grow quickly and manage the scale necessary to succeed.  Your company must demonstrate a plan to generate significant profits beyond the initial product idea.  Do you have a strategy to achieve multiple sources of revenue? Investors also require well-conceived financial projections, based on sound assumptions, demonstrating consistent profits and cash flow growth.

Competitive advantage

Your company must have some proprietary features that distinguish you from potential competitors or provide barriers to entry that prevent other companies from capturing your customers with a similar offering.  Attributes that convey competitive advantage include intellectual property protection, exclusive licenses, exclusive marketing and distribution relationships, strong brands, scarce human resources (i.e. knowledge and skills), and access to scarce raw materials.

Fit

Our group members – all accredited individual investors – have significant executive experience in a variety of fields.  One of the benefits of working with angel investors is the active coaching and contact network that such investors can provide.  As such, there must be a fit between members of our group members and your idea.

Technology

Angel investors typically prefer to invest in first-of-a-kind new ideas, rather than incremental enhancements to common products and services.  Is this a nice-to-have, or a need-to-have product or service?  However, we approach highly complex, esoteric technologies with caution.  The concept behind the technology must be proven and verifiable. Few investors support science projects therefore your project needs to demonstrate a clear path to commercialization.  Any breakthrough innovation must be accompanied by a strong business plan.

Members of Angel One Network share in the due diligence process, but each Angel makes an individual decision regarding whether or not to invest in a particular deal.

Angel One Network uses Dealum to collect and process applications. Clicking the link below will redirect you to Dealum to create a profile and submit your application.