Technology Angel Investor Mandate: Satellites, Data and Climate
Technology Angel Investor Mandate Interview
Founders and investors who want to see how a technology angel investor picks themes and checks market context during due diligence.
Five points worth keeping
- Invest alongside long-term secular trends. Tim looks for large scale, long-term trends to ride. His market research work feeds directly into how he thinks about investments.
- Satellite internet opens new models. Tim points to SpaceX launching 60 satellites every two to three weeks. He sees connectivity in rural places and on boats creating new business models such as cloud gaming, alternative data for finance and remote work.
- First-party data is a shift. At the time of the interview, Google had announced plans to phase out third party cookies within two years. Tim says this hits remarketing hard and raises the question of how to offer privacy and personalization together. He sees risk for some and opportunity for others.
- Climate disruption creates openings. Tim cites estimates of a 3% rise in average surface temperature by 2100. He notes large investments from Microsoft, BlackRock and KKR. He says solutions include pulling carbon from the atmosphere and adapting to the new world.
- Ask about market context first. Tim's best diligence question is what the market context is around a target. Looking at one company alone can hide six similar ones. He also says the regulatory context is an important part of understanding a space, and many investors talk to qualified professionals about it.
The short version
Tim is an angel investor and adviser to early stage startups. He also runs a market intelligence service for decision makers, which he describes as a spin on Jeff Bezos's six-page memos. The service scans the market for key trends and runs research sprints that produce in-depth briefs. That work shapes his investing, which looks for long-term, large scale secular trends.
His current areas of interest include satellite internet, first-party data and privacy, and climate investment. He also watches podcast monetization, open banking and India. For due diligence, his top question is about market context. He says it is easy to fall for one company without seeing similar ones, and that the regulatory context is part of understanding a space.
On the record
- SpaceX is launching 60 satellites every two to three weeks, which Tim links to new satellite internet business models.
- At the time of the interview, Google had announced plans to phase out third party cookies within two years, which Tim says affects remarketing and drives interest in first-party data.
- Tim cites estimates of a 3% increase in average surface temperature by 2100 and names Microsoft, BlackRock and KKR as large climate investors.
Sources
From Richard C. Wilson's Centimillionaire Strategies YouTube channel: Technology 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 regulatory context review, data privacy rules and angel investment documents. Do not use AI to write your own legal agreements.
Said on the call
"It's very easy to hone in on one company, fall in love and not realize there are six companies just like it and maybe the one that you're looking at isn't very well positioned."
"If you don't understand the regulatory context of a space, it's very likely you don't understand the space at all."
"Not just gathering the numbers, but figuring out what the real story is under the covers and the press releases."
Related questions
- 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.
- How do I raise capital for my business?I raise capital by building a repeatable system for attracting the right investors, establishing credibility, and developing relationships before asking for money.
Questions about this video
What kind of investor is Tim?
Tim is an angel investor and adviser to early stage startups. He also runs a market intelligence service that produces in-depth research briefs for decision makers.
What is the best due diligence question according to Tim?
He says it is to ask what the market context is around the target or set of targets. This helps avoid falling for one company when several similar ones exist.
Which opportunity areas does Tim find interesting?
He named satellite internet, first-party data and privacy, and climate investment as his top three. He also watches podcast monetization, open banking and India.
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