This week Deborah Livneh and Krista LaRiviere founders of WECAN Investors shared their presentation on Angel Investing Ecosystem Helps Build Prosperity and Strengthen Communities.
In their presentation they discussed AOI, angel investing and the ecosystem, southwestern Ontario and an overview on angel investing. AOI (Angel Investors Ontario), is volunteer run and the goal is to build awareness surrounding angel investing and to recruit new angel investors. There are 16 angel groups in total, each with a different focus.
Angels invest to give back, support local entrepreneurs and innovation and make money.
We learned that “Angels” invest their personal time, money and experience to help entrepreneurs in the early stages of their businesses before they’re eligible for other funding from banks because their business is still “too risky” for financial institutions. Angels also support entrepreneurs before they qualify for venture capital.
Equation angels – a partnership of 4 southwestern Ontario angel groups.
GTAN: Kitchener-Waterloo
SWO Angel: London
Angel One: Burlington
WECAN: Windsor-Essex
In the future, the WECAN group is hoping for more in-person or hybrid meetings. Investors are invited to Join an Angel Group today where they will meet like-minded people who believe in supporting their communities.