F A Q

1. What is Sydney Angels?

Sydney Angels is an exciting and unique development for Sydney. It is an early-stage angel investment group led and managed by angel investors, for angel investor members. Its objective is to help its members be more effective as angel investors. By providing access to deals and angel investing best practices education, training and tools; as well as creating an exclusive members-only environment that will give you unique opportunities to socialise, collaborate and syndicate with experienced angel investors and other interesting people who want to be successful as angel investors.

2. How is Sydney Angels different to other angel investment groups, networks, pitching forums etc. that already exist?

Sydney Angels happily co-exists in Sydney’s early-stage ecosystem with other angel groups, adviser-led investment networks and pitching forums; but it is clearly differentiated from them in several ways:

  • Sydney Angels is led and managed by angel investor members for angel investor members.
  • Membership is offered only by invitation and subject to criteria.
  • Sydney Angels is a member group of the Australian Association of Angel Investors (AAAI, www.aaai.net.au).
  • The angel investment education, training, collaboration and social aspects of membership are emphasised alongside investment opportunities.
  • Through public association with key players in Sydney CBD innovation precincts, Sydney Angels utilises complementary expertise, networks and infrastructure support.  Providing benefits to both Sydney Angels’ members and the innovation ecosystem of the Sydney CBD.
  • Through its activities and the personal networks of its members, Sydney Angels has forged excellent linkages with industry, the public sector and government.
  • Sydney Angels is leading the way in the angel investment community with exciting developments like the Sydney Angels Side Car Fund.

3. Who are the people behind Sydney Angels? Why are they doing this? What’s in it for them?

Sydney Angels was formed by a group of Sydney-based volunteers associated with AAAI who believe in the importance of angel investment and the superiority of organised angel investment groups. They have donated their time and expertise to launch the group and are working hard to build solid foundations that will allow new leaders from within the community to take over and continue to grow. Their personal motivations for doing this vary. Some are angel investors and want to collaborate and invest with other like-minded angel investors. Others have innovative early-stage clients looking for investors and naturally want to encourage the formation of angel investment groups like Sydney Angels. Others are helping because it is stimulating and a good thing to do for society.

The current team of volunteers comprises: Vivian Stewart, Richard Dale, Mathias Kopp, Hamish Hawthorn, Andrew Stead, Adrian Bunter, Steven Maarbani, Tim Staley, and Peter McWilliam.

4. What are the benefits of becoming a member?

The benefits of membership include:

  • Access to Sydney Angels’ pipeline of early-stage deals.
  • Invitations to attend Sydney Angels’ members’ meetings to see presentations by the ventures chosen by the experienced Sydney Angels screening committee as the best deals currently in the pipeline.
  • An opportunity to collaborate with an exclusive network of like-minded investors; to share knowledge, due diligence, risks, governance, funding and post-investment management responsibilities; and to meet and learn from other experienced angels.
  • The opportunity to submit and champion your own deals for syndication.
  • Access to Angelsoft, an on-line member-only deal viewing and rating platform which facilitates the efficient and effective provision of deal information to members, and a means by which members can comment and collaborate on all submitted deals, not just the ones invited to present at deal screening and members meetings.
  • Invitations to attend Power of Angel Investing workshops.
  • Access to the thought leadership and services of our corporate sponsors and alliances in relation to investment due diligence, intellectual property, tax & legal deal structuring, corporate finance, entrepreneur training and mentoring, and venture incubation.
  • An opportunity to share your knowledge and experience to support local entrepreneurship, innovation in Australia, and the angel investment movement.
  • Automatic membership with the Australian Association of Angel Investors (AAAI).

5. What sort of deals does Sydney Angels attract and what deals have been backed?

Sydney Angels is interested in early expansion and start-up businesses seeking between $150,000 and $1,000,000 of funding.

Whilst 50% of Sydney Angels’ deals have been web based, all industries are considered except for property and financial services.

6. How many deals have been reviewed by the Sydney Angels Management Committee and Members?

The Sydney Angels Management Committee has reviewed 105 deals on behalf of the members and have approved 58 of those deals for the Sydney Angels Screening Meeting.

The Screening Committee approved 28 of those deals for the bi-monthly members meetings.

7. Where and how often are Sydney Angel’s meetings held?

Sydney Angels holds its invitation-only members’ meeting every 2 months at the Union Club in Sydney. In the months in between there are deal screening meetings at the Australian Technology Park, to which members are invited to serve on the screening panel (but numbers are limited) to select deals for the members’ meetings. In addition,  the Sydney Angels Committee meets every week to manage the affairs of Sydney Angels.

8. Do members of Sydney Angels have to pay to attend members meetings?

Members of Sydney Angels attending members meetings are required to pay $60 for each event they attend. This covers the cost of catering and other venue costs incurred to create a great experience at members meetings.

9. What are the Power of Angel Investing workshops?

These full-day internationally accredited professional and interactive workshops are run by Sydney Angels, with the support of AAAI, to help members achieve better outcomes from their angel investments. They draw on the knowledge of US Angel experts with over 30 years experience investing as Angels. The workshops have been delivered with great success in over 100 cities in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

There are 6 workshops in the series, including:

  • Angel Investing an overview
  • Doing the deal: Term Sheets
  • Due Diligence
  • Valuation and Portfolio Strategies
  • Valuation for Entrepreneurs
  • Post-Investment Relationships

10. Do members of Sydney Angels have to pay to attend the Power of Angel Investing workshops?

The Power of Angel Investing Workshops are not included in the membership fee, however participating members are heavily subsidised by Sydney Angels.

A full day training event would cost members between $150 and $300, depending on whether you register for the event before the early registration discount period lapses. Non-member participants would pay full price, which will always be significantly higher than the member price.

11. How can I become a member?

To express an interest in becoming a member of Sydney Angels you need to complete a membership application form. Membership application forms are available from any member of the Committee of Sydney Angels, or contact@sydneyangels.net.au .

Upon receiving your membership application, the Committee will consider whether you meet the membership criteria and would be able to contribute to the Sydney Angels community.

The membership criteria include you having:

Experience as an angel investor, or the interest and desire to become one.

  • Ability and willingness to regularly attend and participate in Sydney Angels’ members meetings held in the Sydney CBD approximately every two months.
  • Self-assessed personal financial capacity to potentially invest $50,000 or more per year in early-stage ventures that may not provide returns or liquidity to investors within 5 years, or ever. This does not mean a member is obligated to invest a particular amount each year.

If the Committee is satisfied you would meet the membership criteria you will be offered membership in Sydney Angels, subject to your acceptance of the Rules of Association, which will be provided to you.

12. How much does membership cost and when does it have to be paid?

The membership fee for Sydney Angels is $500 per year per person. Membership is renewable annually, at the invitation of the Committee. Renewal will be subject to your continuing acceptance of the Rules of Association in force at that time.

Membership fees will only be drawn after you have been invited to become a member and accepted the Rules of Association.

13. How is payment made?

All payments are processed through our credit card facility with Paypal. After receiving your application by fax (02 9319 3874) or email (contact@sydneyangels.net.au), you will be forwarded an email with a Paypal payment request. You do not need a Paypal account to complete this request and your credit card details are not disclosed to Sydney Angels.

14. What is the relationship of Sydney Angels to the Australian Association of Angel Investors (AAAI)?

Sydney Angels is an angel group member of AAAI. Although an independently led angel group, Sydney Angels subscribes to the angel investment philosophy and best practices promoted by AAAI. We recommend reading the information on the AAAI website www.aaai.net.au and subscribing to its newsletter.

15. Can members invest in the Sydney Angels Side Car Fund and also participate as active angel investor members of Sydney Angels?

Yes, these are completely independent investment choices and are not mutually exclusive.