Angel Oregon Investing
Access to capital is an ongoing challenge for Oregon entrepreneurs. Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) is committed to engaging and facilitating a community of angel investors to support entrepreneurs. Through the Angel Oregon program, OEN assembles three sector aligned funds annually, which provide capital to promising Oregon startups while involving and educating local angel investors.
Joining an Angel Oregon Fund offers investors a chance to:
- Learn about Angel Investing: Early stage companies are in-progress and assessing their attributes is a developable skill. Learn the ropes of due diligence, which evaluates the company’s plan, market, and viability by participating in an Angel Oregon fund decision making process lead by OEN and powered by other investors.
- Network with investors and entrepreneurs: Investors need viable opportunities to consider. That’s why it’s important to immerse yourself in our startup ecosystem by connecting to a robust, diverse network of both entrepreneurs and investors.
- Learn about new industries: Sometimes the best investment opportunities will be beyond your range of expertise. By evaluating companies outside of your industry, you can gain insight into a wide variety of business models and strategies from pitching founders and peer investors alike.
- Be a mentor: Giving money is only one way to support a company. Many investors also become active mentors for the companies they invest in, finding other ways to connect them to resources and contribute to their success. Additionally within the diligence process, Angel Oregon investor feedback and advice to startups is often cited as invaluable to the founders.
- Grow a vibrant economy in Oregon: Your participation as an angel investor means you are directly expanding Oregon’s capital network, one of the most important indicators of the health of our startup ecosystem.
Are you eligible?
Our diverse community of angels consist of entrepreneurs, executives from larger firms, professionals, and retirees. They come from a range of industries, including technology, finance, science, consumer packaged goods, and apparel. As long as you have a desire to help early-stage companies and meet one of the criteria for SEC accreditation, we would love to welcome you to our Angel Oregon investor community!
As an angel, you will accelerate startup progress by providing:
- Money to finance growth, product development, hiring, operations.
- Advice from those who have “been there, done that.”
- Mentoring to provide that much-needed sounding board.
- Industry and customer connections.
How does Angel Oregon work?
OEN’s Angel Oregon Program begins with education for both investors and entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurs apply, and investors review submissions online. Investors then select which entrepreneurs will go through due diligence. OEN facilitates online diligence meetings (recorded for offline review) for each selected company, where available committed investors ask questions to investigate the company’s potential and viability.
The field of companies is narrowed down through a series of investor votes, culminating with the selection of a final winner to be announced at a public Investment Mixer event where all finalists present their pitch to a live audience. After the program concludes, some investors remain involved with participating companies as advisors or board members.
Accredited investors purchase a minimum of one $5,000 unit invested in a Special Purpose Vehicle set up to the applicable fund (Angel Oregon Technology 2026, for example) and a $795 fee, which includes fund fees for Loon Creek Capital management, capital reserves, and OEN membership.
Awards are typically made in the form of a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) or convertible note investment.