OEN NewsApply to OEN’s Angel Oregon Spring 2015 Program for a Chance to Win a $200-300k Investment
Got a great idea? We want to help it take flight.
The application for OEN’s Spring 2015 Angel Oregon Program has launched! If you’re an early-stage entrepreneur seeking funding to help you reach a critical milestone, this opportunity may be for you. Apply for a chance to:
- Receive a sizable investment (historically $200-300k),
- Hone your pitch and business plan
- Get intensive coaching and mentoring from our network of Angel Investors
The application deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 11:59 p.m. PST. For more information on our eligibility requirements, timeline, and application process, scroll down or click on the appropriate link below:
Eligibility | Timeline | Review Process | Apply Now | Pay Your Application Fee
“The due diligence process was very well-done and extremely professional. I was really impressed by the quality of the investors and their ability to understand the company, including the market opportunity and business model.”
– Paola Moretto, CEO & Co-Founder of Nouvola
Winner of OEN’s Angel Oregon Spring 2014 Investment Award
About Angel Oregon
OEN’s Angel Oregon attracts the state’s brightest doers, innovators, and big thinkers.
Held in the fall and spring of each year, OEN’s Angel Oregon offers early-stage companies an opportunity to compete for an investment award while receiving valuable coaching from angel investors and serial entrepreneurs.
Meanwhile, new angel investors have a chance to learn about angel investing, conduct due diligence, and network with experienced investors.
OEN launched Angel Oregon in the late ’90s and the Spring Investment Program in 2005, which culminates in the annual Angel Oregon Showcase. During the Showcase, finalist companies present their pitches to a crowd of over 300 investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs. One winner is awarded a check, historically ranging from $250,000-300,000.
OEN’s Fall Program, launched in 2013, typically culminates in an investment award of $50,000-100,000. See our past winners here.
Since 2005, 551 companies have applied to compete at Angel Oregon, and 89 were selected to present. Over $2.9 million has been directly invested through OEN’s Angel Oregon LLC investment award and there have been three favorable exits. Additional investment has been made outside of the LLCs, and more than 740 jobs have been created.
“Angel Oregon was such a great experience for us. It’s so important to step back and look at the big picture, and really helpful to have experienced people look at your company and ask the important questions.”
– Keeley Tillotson, Co-Founder, Wild Friends Foods
Fall 2013 Angel Oregon Winner
Apply to our Spring 2015 Program
Eligibility Requirements
First, ask yourself, are you investor ready? Take a look at this helpful slide deck to answer this crucial question.
Next, ask yourself if you meet the specific eligibility criteria for this program. To help you evaluate whether your company should consider applying to our Spring 2015 Investment Program, please review these considerations that our Angel Oregon investors will be using in their evaluation:
Location:
- Is your company based in Oregon or SW Washington?
The Angel Oregon Spring 2015 Program is only open to companies located in Oregon or SW Washington (Vancouver/Camas, up to Longview).
Milestones & Milestone Money
- Have you clearly identified milestones and the impact they will have on your business?
- Is this amount of funding sufficient to attain those milestones?
The Angel Oregon Spring 2015 Program will likely invest between $200K and $300K in the winning Early Stage Start-Up Company. These funds should help the winning Company attain a significant milestone or milestones.
Company Structure:
- Are you incorporated, are you an LLC, or do you plan to become incorporated in the coming months?
For the final round, Angel Oregon will only consider companies that are incorporated or LLCs. You do not need to be incorporated to apply, but should plan on incorporating during the review and due diligence process.
Product Concept:
- Have you proven your business/product/technology concept?
- Do you have any market validation?
- What makes your product different?
Angel Oregon investors will be looking for Early Stage Start-Up Companies that have a well-developed concept that has undergone some market testing.
Management Team:
- Do you have at least two key players on your management team?
- Are you working with any advisers or mentors?
Angel Oregon investors like to see more than just a single entrepreneur involved in an Early Stage Start-Up Company and advisers/mentors involved who add relevant experience/expertise.
Sales/Marketing:
- Do you have a good conceptual view of your go-to-market strategy?
- What are the relevant sales and marketing fundamentals for your business?
While we realize you’re early stage, investors will be looking for how well you understand the key drivers to capture sales.
Financials:
- Have you identified your high level funding needs (that tie to your milestones)?
- Where are you in developing financial projections?
- How well do you understand your numbers?
- What are those “make or break” factors that could impact your numbers in the first couple of years?
We understand how tough it is to forecast numbers when you’re still in the early stages of starting your company. Angel Oregon investors hope to see a solid understanding of the basic numbers and funding needs along with what will impact them, both positive and negative factors.
Timeline
Jan. 8, 2015:
Entrepreneur information session
Jan. 15, 2015:
Investor education & information session
Jan. 28, 2015:
Company application deadline
Feb. 12, 2015:
20-24 applicants notified that they have been selected to compete
Feb. 27, 2015:
Upstart Day (for applicants who made the first cut; other applicants invited on a space-available basis)
Mar. 10, 2015:
First round of companies present
March 17, 2015:
Second round of companies present, 10-12 applicants selected to proceed
March 31, 2015:
Semi-finalists announced
April 7, 2015:
Finalists announced
April 14, 2015:
Q&A with finalist companies
April 21, 2015:
Reception for investors, finalists, and showcase companies
April 22, 2015:
Angel Oregon Showcase (learn more)
Application & Review Process
Due to changes in the SEC rules surrounding early-stage investing, Angel Oregon will again be run in two separate segments this year. The first segment, the 2015 Spring Investor Program, will run from February 24 to April 14. Meetings held during this segment will be private and only open to accredited investors and competing companies. The due diligence process will also be private; competing companies may report on their activities but Angel Oregon will not, in order to preserve the 506(b) exemption for companies raising privately.
The second segment, OEN’s Angel Oregon Showcase at The Sentinel Hotel, will take place on April 22. Presenting companies will have the opportunity to demo and talk about their development plans, but financial information will not be shared from the stage. At the Showcase, we will be announcing the winner of our Spring 2015 Investment Award.
Application Review
Once the application period is closed (Jan. 28), OEN’s Angel Oregon Spring Program due diligence team will review all applications and determine which companies most closely fit the Program’s criteria to move on to the first stage of investor review. If you do not make this cut, a member of the due diligence team will reach out to you to discuss your application and offer suggestions for improvement plus other feedback.
The first stage of investor review consists of all Angel Oregon Spring Program investors ranking the remaining applications based on criteria provided that aligns with the “milestone money” focus of this investment award program. An additional cut will be made following this review. If you do not make this cut, a member of the due diligence team will reach out to you to discuss your application and offer suggestions for improvement plus other feedback.
Upstart Day
Companies who make the first cut are invited to attend Upstart Day on Feb. 27, a fast-paced day-long immersion with finance, sales, marketing, technology, product, legal, and strategy experts to help entrepreneurs perfect their investor pitch. Companies who do not make the first cut may be able to attend on a space-available basis.
Presentations
Early stage start-ups that make it through this review will then present to the Angel Oregon Spring Program investors as part of the first investor meeting. You will be given details of the requirements for this presentation at least one week in advance of the meeting. Following the first round of presentations, there may be additional cuts.
Due Diligence
Angel Oregon Spring Program investors will then form due diligence teams around each of the remaining companies. You will be contacted by your due diligence lead and advised of the next steps in the process that will likely include one-on-one meetings and requests for additional information. Due diligence teams will report back to the full contingent of Angel Oregon Spring Program investors at the next investor meeting. Additional cuts may be made.
Q&A and Final Vote
Companies continuing in the process will receive additional questions, as well as requests for information and possible meetings. The Angel Oregon Spring Program term sheet will be reviewed with all finalists in advance of the final investor meeting. Finalist companies will be asked to attend the final investor meeting to participate in a Q&A with investors.
On April 14, following final due diligence discussions and the Q&A session, investors will vote on a winner. The finalists and public at large will be informed of the winner at our Angel Oregon Showcase. Remaining finalist companies will have the opportunity to meet with a member of the due diligence team to obtain suggestions for improvement plus other feedback.
Angel Oregon Showcase
The winner will be announced at OEN’s Angel Oregon Showcase, which will take place on April 22 at the Sentinel Hotel. Presenting companies will have the opportunity to demo and talk about their development plans to an audience of 300+ investors and business leaders. Finalists from the Spring 2015 Program are automatically invited to present at the Showcase, and all applicants to the Spring 2015 Program will be considered for participation in the Showcase. Semi-finalists and finalists will receive complimentary admission.
