Scout

Our best scouts are Pointe Angels investors, who refer promising startup ventures to the Screening Team for consideration. Scouting is Angel-Added Value for startups.

Pointe Angels also accepts referrals from VCs, from affiliated Accelerator programs, from University Tech Transfer offices, and from our portfolio companies.

Pointe Angels does not accept unsolicited startup leads. Ventures interested in presenting to Pointe Angels should network-in through an investor, Accelerator, University, or portfolio company.

Startup ventures that offer a differentiated solution, de-risked growth, and a path to exit within five years are referred to Pointe Angels' Screening Team for consideration.

Screen

Ventures that are currently fundraising - or expect to be raising soon - submit their investor materials for consideration:

• Investor Deck and Executive Summary

• Customer Traction, Financials, and Forecasts

• Term Sheet and Participating Investors

Pointe Angels’ Screening Team meets monthly to review scouted opportunities based on three broad criteria:

• Company strengths and validation

• Anticipated risks on the path to exit

• Appeal to Pointe Angels members

The Screening Team then selects two presenters for the next Angel Meeting, and returns comments to all companies considered.

Present

Pointe Angels meets on the third Wednesday of the month - in person, in Grosse Pointe - to hear 4-6 presentations and engage with presenters:

• Preview Presenters are rising startups that will be raising soon. Each Preview Presenter is allotted five minutes at the beginning of the meeting to introduce their company and whet Angels’ appetites for a future fundraise.

• Venture Presenters are currently raising early-stage capital. Each Venture Presenter enjoys 15 minutes uninterrupted, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A with investors. Venture presenters receive a free Pitch Tune-Up coaching session from New Enterprise Forum prior to presenting.

• Update Presenters are companies that have presented at a previous Pointe Angels meeting. Each Update Presenter is offered five minutes each at the end of the meeting, to share their milestones and progress.

All presenters are invited to stay after the meeting for drinks and snacks, and to engage one-on-one with the Angels. 

Diligence

After the monthly meeting, Pointe Angels and presenters hold followup meetings to identify and match prospective investors with presenting companies.

If there is sufficient interest, Pointe Angels will convene a Diligence Team to collect information from the company, customers, and other investors to assess risk and inform a subsequent deal.

Pointe Angels regularly shares diligence materials, in confidence, with other participating investors.

It is up to the company to maintain its own Data Room and to communicate with interested Angel investors.

Deal

Pointe Angels typically do their own deals with ventures, joining the captable as individual qualified investors or family offices. 

Several Angels may optionally draw up a Special Purpose Venture (SPV) or join an established SPV or sidecar vehicle.

Presenters and investors keep Pointe Angels informed of their deals with Pointe Angels presenters, in confidence.

The Angel funding timeline, from lead to check, takes 3 to 9 months.

Growth and Exit

Pointe Angels may have personal, technical, industry, or market interest in a particular deal, but all invest with the expectation of healthy returns.

The competitive presenter can demonstrate a derisked growth path to a 10X return in 5 years (58.8% IRR). Higher returns or shorter timespans are even more competitive.

Returns are based on the company’s exit prospects. An exit may be based on IP, positioning, or other assets - but is typically driven by customer revenue generation - hence Angels’ need to see a derisked path to revenue growth.