Sami Sulieman, an entrepreneur with years of experience and founder of the investment network Affärsänglarna in Malmö strives to bring ordinary people from all walks of life to invest in startups and unlisted companies as business angels. By joining Affärsänglarna, interested parties can join Sulieman in investing in promising and exciting companies at the initial stages to have the chance to ensure long-term returns.
Investing as a Business Angel
The easiest way to explain the role of a business angel is to liken it to a bee searching for the most beautiful flowers in the garden. Through careful examination, bees determine which flowers have the sweetest nectar much like Business Angels who use different strategies to find the most promising startups to invest in.
A core part of these strategies concerns evaluating the entrepreneurs and the team behind the company, much like how bees assess flowers. Business angels often take into account experience, competence and drive to see if these budding entrepreneurs and teams have what it takes to make the company thrive.
To continue with the bee analogy, business angels also have to analyze the business model and the market as bees would examine the petals and stamens. By assessing factors like competition, profitability, and scalability, business angels can determine if the company has the potential to become a true source of nectar.
As certain bees specialize in certain flowers, many business angels often choose to focus on specific industries where they have expertise. With their experience, they can more easily identify possibilities and add value beyond capital.
Just as bees collaborate in hives, many business angels join networks to share tips and experiences. By cross-pollinating each other’s ideas, they can find more flourishing companies and spread the risks.
Being a business angel, regardless of the strategy, is rewarding in numerous ways and using a combination of business acumen, knowledge and expertise, they can make a significant contribution to the next generation of companies.
