Super Angel Investor Mandate: Seed Deals, Small Checks, Wide Reach
Super Angel Investor Mandate Interview
Founders raising a seed round and newer angel investors who want to see how an active super angel sets check size, stage and deal criteria.
What this talk covers
Daniel is a super angel who has invested in about 176 companies, usually with checks of 1K to 50K. He spreads risk across many deals and uses the access and deal flow he has built. About 90% of his deals are in the USA, with a few in Brazil, Canada, France, the UK and India. He says word gets out because he has helped many founders.
Daniel invests almost only at the seed round. He likes consumer internet, biopharma and longevity, and he has had less success in FinTech. He wants faster liquidity, ideally under three years, with a path to 3 to 10x by the B round. He prefers to invest alongside top VCs. He says the best way to reach him is LinkedIn.
What to take from this talk
- Diversify with small checks. Daniel usually puts in 1K to 50K per company. He says he takes the super diversification approach and does not put in more than about 50K.
- Network quality drives deal flow. His main advice is to raise the quality of your network. The goal is to see the same deal flow that gets offered to Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. Helping founders and being listed on a Forbes list helped him get there.
- Co-invest with top VCs. Daniel usually invests alongside top VCs. He says he leans on their diligence work, which is part of why he keeps each check small.
- Seed stage with clear traction. He invests almost exclusively at the seed round. He looks for revenue of about 20K or more, or 100,000 daily active users if there is no revenue.
- Faster liquidity preferred. Daniel wants deals that return cash in less than three years. He mentioned gross revenue royalty deals and startup deals where he can get 3 to 10x out by the B round.
Worth quoting
"You've got to up the quality of your network, so that the deal flow that you have coming in is the same deal flow that gets offered to Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos."
"I usually exclusively invest at the seed round. There are some exceptions, but mostly at seed round."
"I do it usually with top VCs, because then I'm relying on them to do the due diligence."
Facts and figures
- Daniel has invested in about 176 companies, usually with checks of 1K to 50K.
- About 90% of his investments are in the USA, with a few in Brazil, Canada, France, the UK and India.
- He says he sees about 300 decks a week and that, in his experience, about 1 out of every 10 investments at a 5 or 10 million dollar cap has turned into a unicorn.
Sources
From Richard C. Wilson's Centimillionaire Strategies YouTube channel: Super Angel Investor Mandate Interview. Quotes come from the video captions, lightly edited for readability. Figures are the speakers' own estimates and experience.
General education only. Not legal, tax or investment advice.
Talk to a securities attorney to explore options around seed investment documents, co-investment terms and royalty deal structures. Do not use AI to write your own legal agreements.
Related questions
- How do angel syndicates work for startups?An angel syndicate is a group of individual investors who back a startup together.
- How do I close a funding round?I close a funding round by focusing on investors who fit the opportunity and moving each interested prospect through clear, consistent follow-up.
- What documents do investors request during due diligence?Prepare a clear, organized package covering your operations, investments, compensation, team, and track record.
Questions about this video
How much does Daniel invest per deal?
He usually invests 1K to 50K per company. He says he does not put in more than about 50K.
What stage does Daniel invest in?
He invests almost exclusively at the seed round, with some exceptions. He looks for revenue of about 20K or more, or 100,000 daily active users if there is no revenue.
How can founders reach Daniel?
He says LinkedIn is the best way, because it lets him see who the message comes from and what he is dealing with.
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