The inaugural OKGN Angel Summit launched on January 28th, 2019. A collection of 27 investors, each willing to invest $5,000, created a venture capital fund worth upwards of $130,000.00 and spent 6 weeks assessing 40 of OKGNtech’s best and brightest startups. The investor group then narrowed it down to the final 5 and on April 11th the finalists presented their final pitch to the 27 participating investors.
After almost an hour of deliberation, the winner was announced and Kelowna-based startup Trellis Social Enterprise took home the $130,000.00 prize. There was also an opportunity to vote for the people’s choice award. Daniel Rondeau, founder of 925 Freelancing took home that prize.
With the second OKGN Angel Summit just around the corner, we took the opportunity to sit down with two summit alumni to learn more about the kind of impact this program has made.
Tell us about your experience with the 2019 OKGN Angel Summit and what you learned?
“It was really cool because AO and the Angel Summit helped walk you through the process of getting invested in. We didn’t make it to the finals but we ended up raising about 500,000 dollars from the angel investors in angel summit. Pitching, you get to meet and network with the investors—you kinda get the full cycle of being a startup and getting investment.”
What excites you most about the Angel Summit 2020?
“I am excited to help mentor the companies in it. I know a few people that are applying and I can’t wait to go through their pitch decks and help them with the due diligence phase. I am also excited to see who is going to win the angel summit and see what the impact drives this year in the local investment community.”
What would you tell to companies who are on the fence about applying?
“If you’re on the fence about applying I would say there are 3 things you get from the angel summit. You get really good local exposure, a ton of mentorship from AO, and you can raise money even if you don’t win. You meet local angels, find out what they are looking for, and build those relationships. So, if you’re not ready for investment now, you’ll be ready to get investment later.”
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Tell us about your experience with the 2019 OKGN Angel Summit and what you learned?
“My experience with the 2019 angel summit was amazing. We learned a ton. I got to meet 27 interesting individuals who were all willing to help my business with tough questions and give me money. Just the learning around it was great and we ended up winning which was amazing. Whether we won or lost, I would highly recommend it based on the learning.”What would you tell to companies who are on the fence about applying?
“If some companies or entrepreneurs are on the fence to apply, I would ask them: why not? You get a bunch of individuals that are going to look through your application and ask a lot of hard questions—in a good way. You’re going to analyze your business—what’re the good aspects? What do you need to improve on? For $200 bucks, it’s a no brainer.”
What excites you most about the Angel Summit 2020?
“The thing that excites me most about the angel summit 2020 is the fact that there was so much raw excitement and involvement from the community at all levels. I only see it getting bigger this year. All of the kinks have been worked out. There is no effort for you as an entrepreneur—fill in the form, show up, and start connecting with all these people who want to invest.”
Please connect with me to learn more about how you can participate in the Angel Summit as a company or an investor, and if you’re looking for sponsorship opportunities? Connect with our Community Manager, Alex Goodhew.
Apply for the Summit >>> https://okgntech.com/okgn-angel-summit/
