FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: What is the Columbia Angel Group?

A: The Columbia Angel Group is a global network of accredited-investors affiliated with Columbia University that collaborate to source, fund and champion angel investment in early stage ventures.

Q: Is the Columbia Angel Group an official initiative of Columbia University?

A: The Columbia Angel Group is not officially affiliated or endorsed by Columbia University. The Columbia Angel Group does not receive financial or administrative support from the University, itself. In this way, we operate similarly to a number of other alumni-based Angel Groups.

The group is an alumni-powered, alumni-built platform to educate and provide early stage investment opportunities for fellow alumni to invest in innovation, together.

Q: Do other Universities have Alumni-based Angel Groups?

A: Yes. Peer schools and Ivy League Universities have alumni angel groups. Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, MIT, Wharton, Duke, are among the alumni communities with the most well-established and successful alumni-based angel groups.

Q: Are there Columbia Angel Group chapters internationally?

A: Absolutely. Columbia Angel Group is structured to be an international platform that empowers alumni from all parts of the world to invest in innovation, together.

The organization appoints regional managing directors to expand and strengthen the Columbia Angel Group’s mission to build bonds between alumni. Innovation has no borders; thus Columbia Angel Group has no borders.

Q: Are non-Columbia Alumni able to join the Columbia Angel Group?

A: The Columbia Angel Group is for Columbia alumni from all schools and is open to other University-affiliated individuals including staff, faculty and family members.

All Columbia Angel members must qualify as an “Accredited Investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under Rule 144 of the Securities Act

Q: I’m Columbia affiliated, but I am not an accredited investor. How can I be involved?

A: Financial investment is only one piece needed to develop and nurture a successful venture; there are other roles that are critical to mitigating risk in investing in an early-stage company and ultimately supporting the sustainability and prosperity of a venture:

Mentorship
Subject Matter Experts & Industry Influencer Advisory
Due Diligence & Opportunity Sourcing

Q: How does Columbia Angel Group financially sustain itself?

A: To support operations, the Columbia Angel Group will charge annual membership dues and welcomes any additional contributions by alumni who believe in the importance of supporting entrepreneurship and collective participation in the startup ecosystem. Additionally, we facilitate educational workshops and host events.

Q: How is Due Diligence conducted?

A: This platform is built towards encouraging engagement between investors, subject matter experts, and industry influencers within the Columbia community to vet investment opportunities. This is the power of an angel group. We encourage all investors within the Columbia Angel Group to conduct their own thorough due diligence on every opportunity, we do provide group resources for conducting critical research that goes into every investment’s due diligence.

Q: Is the Columbia Angel Group a fund or does it operate one?

A: No, the Columbia Angel Group is not a fund. We make individual investments through syndicated Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for Accredited Investors.

Q: Are the operators of the Columbia Angel Group compensated?

A: No. The Columbia Angel Group has been built by alumni volunteers, motivated to bring together a community that enables innovation and brings progress and prosperity to your town, city, region, and society-at-large. The organization's current operations and budget are supported by donation and annual membership dues.

Q: Is Columbia Angel Group a for-profit or non-profit organization?

A: Currently, Columbia Angel Group is a for-profit LLC and is exploring B-Corp or non-profit status.