Angel Investors: Who are we and what do we do?
“Since 2010, angel investment across Canada totals $1,809,386,368 … angel investors make 20 – 40 times as many investments as venture capital firms.”
– National Angel Capital Organization (NACO Canada), 2025 Annual Report, p. 26
Angel Investors have the financial resources to invest in business startups in exchange for equity in the company. In the early development stages of a business, angels can be a more flexible option than venture capital, giving founders time to achieve sustainable growth. However, it’s not just about the money.
The diverse backgrounds of angel investors ensure a wellspring of business ideas, perspectives, and expertise for founders to draw upon. Some angels are corporate executives in senior positions. Others are industry experts in fields such as medtech, fintech, software, AI, renewable/green energy, manufacturing, food processing, or consumer goods and services. Some angels represent family trusts. Like me, many angels are entrepreneurs who have built and exited successful businesses. What brings us all together is a shared commitment to helping Canadian startups succeed.
Angels are typically hands-on with the startups we invest in. We mentor, advise, provide actionable insights, and practical business advice. We can help you with a pitch deck, strategic growth plan, or an objective perspective on a business idea. We are also willing to share our professional networks to connect you with potential partners and customers.
Did you know? Working with an angel investor significantly increases your startup’s chance of success. “Between 2019 – 2022, 60 – 80% of companies that experienced mergers, acquisitions, and IPOs in Canada were originally angel-backed.1”
I remember the hurdles during my early days in business — looking for customers, looking for money, trying to stay positive. It was stressful and lonely. But it doesn’t have to be. You don’t need to do it alone. There is an angel investor (maybe even one in your local community) with the knowledge, experience, networks, and capital to help you take your business or business idea to the next level.
Angels are everywhere — you just need to know where to look for us. Browse the links below to find a local business incubator (idea stage) or business accelerator (growth stage) for access to workshops, tools, resources, and connections. Incubators are an excellent route to secure introductions to angel investors through pitch competitions, demo days, and conferences. Once you find an Angel group in your area, reach out directly. One of the primary activities of angel groups is a monthly meeting where promising startups are invited to present their pitch to angel investors with the possibility of investment and/or guidance on how to be more effective in presenting to investors. Reaching out directly may speed up the process for you.
1 Backgrounder, NACO 2023 Report on Angel Investing in Canada.
……
Learn more about angel investors and how to launch, grow, and scale your business:
National Angel Capital Organization (NACO Canada): www.nacocanada.com
Angel Investors Ontario: www.angelinvestorsontario.ca
Innovation Factory: www.innovationfactory.ca
MaRS Discovery District (Ryerson/Toronto Metropolitan University) www.marsdd.com
Creative Destruction Lab: www.creativedestructionlab.com