All business owners and startup founders have one thing in common — launching their dream business did not come easy. Many ambitious founders looking to corner a market with a phenomenal startup idea often fall short, packing things up shortly after getting the company off the ground or even before launch. And with a bevy of new competition constantly entering into the same realm, plus the heavy financial burden that comes with business costs and basic living expenses, it's easy to imagine why.
Top Angel Investors in San Francisco
- #Angels
- 500 Startups
- Astia Angels
- Bay Angels
- Designer Fund
- Partners Resolute
Regardless of industry, startup founders and business owners look to angel investors to keep their businesses funded. Angel investors are individuals or groups looking to make an early investment in a company while providing resources to stimulate growth. If you're a founder of an impactful startup or looking to become one, check out these 13 angel investors in San Francisco.
Founded: 2015
Number of investments: 80+
Exits: 3
How they help businesses grow: #Angels is an investment group with roots in some of the most powerful companies in the Bay Area. The investor collective’s portfolio contains more than 80 companies across industries and #Angels hosts events throughout the year to build a better community amongst founders and investors.
Portfolio includes: Brandless, Gusto, Bird, Airtable, Coinbase, Vector Space, Color, Nurx, Carta and Literati.
Founded: 2010
Number of investments: 2,300+
Exits: 210
How they help businesses grow: 500 Startups boasts the largest portfolio on this list, funding well over 2,000 global companies in industries as expansive as communications and education. The key to 500 Startups' success is its accelerator program that allows founders and their teams to learn digital marketing, customer acquisition, fundraising and lean startup tactics.
Portfolio includes: Credit Karma, Twilio, Canva, Grab, Bukalapak, The RealReal, Talkdesk, Knotel, Udemy and Ipsy.
Founded: 1999
Number of investments: 10
Exits: 3
How they help businesses grow: Arba Seed is an investment group run and funded by Dave Pell and his three sisters. Pell founded the newsletter and app, NextDraft and contributes to Forbes, Vice, Gizmodo and more. His investment group, Arba Seed invests and helps grow companies in industries like fintech, content, SaaS, healthtech and more.
Portfolio includes: Grubhub, Open Table, Hotel Tonight, Tickr.com, Epic Magazine, PulseData, AppZen and Liftopia.
Founded: 2013
Number of investments: 50
Exits: 5
How they help businesses grow: Astia Angels is a division of the firm's financial investment and management services, funding startups that often prominently feature women amongst their leadership. The process begins with intensive screening via Astia’s Expert Sift program, maintaining a streamlined process that provides founders with maximal resources.
Portfolio includes: Boku, nVision, Zenflow, Aluna, Cloudamize, Ciel Medical and Goodworld.
Founded: 1994
Number of investments: 104
Exits: 23
How they help businesses grow: Band of Angels is comprised of current and former tech executives investing in cutting edge startups and initiatives. The group considers over 50 startups to back each month, choosing three to devote resources to while providing excellent mentoring and a community dedicated to building the Bay Area’s strongest companies.
Portfolio includes: Shazam, OtoSense, Life360, Practice Fusion, Kango, Savvy, Hooch, Shyft, Faraday, Rover and ShotSpotter.
Founded: 1998
Number of investments: 8
Exits: 2
How they help businesses grow: Bay Angels uses over 20 years of investment experience to provide the funding that the Bay Area’s most enticing companies need to grow to the next stage. The collective features angels from a variety of additional groups and hosts events for founders and investors throughout the area, accelerating the growth process and offering more to its funded startups.
Portfolio includes: Open Table, PhotoBucket, Zoom Systems, Z-Force, On Site Dental, CashBet, Tapulous and Bouxtie.
Founded: 2010
Number of investments: 15
Exits: 2
How they help businesses grow: An angel investment group providing funding to the top technology companies in the world, Broadway Angels often pairs with other investment groups to provide the largest amount of help possible while a startup is just starting to grow. Every member of the group has experience as a general partner in a venture capital firm or as a senior executive at a leading tech company and Broadway Angels’ investments often fall within these industries.
Portfolio includes: Accompany, The RealReal, Moxxly, BlueCrew, Zuora, GemShare, 1 Mainstream, Ruby Ribbon and Nextdoor.
Founded: 2011
Number of investments: 36
Exits: 5
How they help businesses grow: Designer Fund keeps a select number of investments in its portfolio at any time, funding companies that transform industries where users report having poor experiences such as financial services, enterprise software and digital health. The group is constantly trying to empower the world with better design, investing between $350k-$1M in each company it works with.
Portfolio includes: Stripe, Gusto, Navigator, DICE, Primer, Flatfile, Hummingbird, Hustle, Remix, Elevate and AltSchool.
Founded: 2000
Number of investments: 113
Exits: 8
How they help businesses grow: Comprised of accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists and corporate/institutional investors worldwide, Keiretsu Forum was founded in the Bay Area and quickly expanded to 53 chapters on four continents. Its portfolio features companies throughout diverse industries, frequently collaborating with other firms to allow more opportunities to founders.
Portfolio includes: Velocity, Tectonic, We Video, Chest Innovations, OraHealth, Guardian 8, SYNQY and Touchjet.
Founded: Unlisted
Number of investments: 1
How they help businesses grow: Partners Resolute lists integrity, motivation, intelligence and experience as the most important things it provides a business while helping it grow. The group invests in innovative companies that transform the landscape of industries while providing resources and events that build a stronger community.
Portfolio includes: SpaceX, Tesla, Juvo, Cappex, Basic Space, Invisible Technologies, The Light Phone and X4 Pharma.
Founded: 2009
Number of investments: 82
Exits: 19
How they help businesses grow: A division of Founders Fund, Pathfinder invests in the companies solving tech and engineering's toughest challenges. The group has backed many of the major companies reinventing consumer interaction at every touchpoint, including large investments in the space industry in hopes of transforming day-to-day transportation.
Portfolio includes: SpaceX, Airbnb, Stripe, Facebook, Spotify, Lyft, Affirm, Postmates, Oculus, Credit Karma and Wish.
Founded: 2013
Number of investments: 37
Exits: 3
How they help businesses grow: Root Ventures provides seed funding to the boldest engineers and companies focused on eliminating barriers on the way to success. Providing unmatched attention and assistance helps Root grow a strong alliance with the small number of companies it funds each year, investing early to add expertise to growing businesses from the very start.
Portfolio includes: Nautilus Labs, Dusty Robotics, Particle, Plethora, Shaper, Serve Automation, Loom Vision and ApolloShield.
Founded: 1987
Number of investments: 9
Exits: 1
How they help businesses grow: Social Venture Circle has invested nearly $250M into early-stage enterprises ready to bring big results to their industries. The collective connects, empowers and finances entrepreneurs, investors, policy makers and capacity-builders within its diverse network, offering an exceptional level of support and education to its partners.
Portfolio includes: Bioceptive, CNote, Code Monkey, DailyWorth, Energy Sage, GreenChar, Kickboard and Pigeonly.
