PLATFORM THAT RANKS THE MOST ATTRACTIVE STARTUPS ON THE MARKET REDUCES RISK FOR ANGEL INVESTORS
Two years ago, businessman João Alfredo Pimentel was looking for a startup to invest in. He himself creator back in 2004 of a company delivering information technology as a service — when it did not even have the name of cloud computing -, João believes in business models that add value to society and cause the disruption of some markets. And it was in a startup with those qualities that he thought of allocating his resources as an individual.
After spending almost 30 years in front of the service desk company he created, and selling it to a large Brazilian group to become a partner for a few more years, Francisco Ricardo Blagevitch decided to become an angel investor. He negotiated his part of the company he founded and began to focus on understanding the universe of the new economy. Do not look for a company from a specific area to employ its resources and experience — it wants a startup with potential to solve the problem of a lot of people.
“It turns out that there are 12 thousand startups in Brazil. If it is already difficult to get information about them, imagine selecting the best ones? It was very hard work, “says João Pimentel about his quest
It was when he met the 100 Open Startups, an open innovation platform that elaborates the annual ranking of the 100 most attractive springs in the market. “I found there a methodology to choose the best startups. This served as a compass to guide my investments. “
Francisco discovered the 100 Open Startups in his journey of studies and conversations with entrepreneurs, executives and researchers of the ecosystem. “Where is the information about this universe of startups?” Asks the entrepreneur.
“The 100 Open Startups has a efficient methodology. This market has a risk, and the platform has developed a network with the objective of minimizing this risk for all parties involved, with the investor acting as co-author of the solution. “
THE GREAT POTENTIAL OF THE BRAZILIAN MARKET
Francisco Blagevitch is on the verge of investing in two nascent companies in the ecosystem of 100 Open Startups — who knows three? — still this month. “Startups that tend to grow more often are more collaborative, sharing their information,” he says.
“In the old economy, things worked like a fief, ‘this information is mine.’ In the new, one entrepreneur talks to the other, which indicates a professional, that indicates a solution “, says
“It’s the frenemies , the friends enemies. Nobody looks only at your belly button. It’s a collaborative environment. “
In the same way, the entrepreneurs who participate in the 100 Open Startups also gain by joining with market people, such as Francisco and João, who, in addition to money, invest their time, good practices and experience. “Venture capital is not adventure capital,” says Francisco. “It has methodology, logic, so that we can contribute to the growth of the company.”
The angel-entrepreneur says that he bets on the potential of the Brazilian market. “It’s in that ecosystem that money is. And Brazil has a lot to grow, “he says. “Of all the money that exists in the United States for investment, close to 2% goes to venture capital. In the UK it is about 1.9%. And in Brazil, 0.1%. That shows the opportunity for growth and change of mindset gigantic. “
HOW THE 100 OPEN ANGELS PROGRAM WORKS
João Pimentel joined the 100 Open Startups in mid-2018 and made his first investment. It was at startup Fix, a service marketplace for the construction industry.
It works as a Uber of home maintenance: the user can hire carpenter, plumber, mason, painter and electrician, among other professionals registered in the application. The businessman invested in Fix by buying 5% of the startup, a minority stake of another angel-investor.
Now, João is participating in the 100 Open Angels, which the platform started to offer this year. The program is a co-investment that will benefit 25 startups, which should receive R $ 1.5 million each.
Members Bruno Rondani, Rafael Levy and Carla Colonna realized that there was a perfect marriage at the 100 Open Startups. On the one hand, 4,700 people and companies wanting to make investments. On the other side, 8,000 startups are registered in five activity levels, of which 600 are at the maximum level, which means that they already have a formal relationship with large corporations — of which 200 are interested in capturing an angel-round.
To structure the first batch of the investment program will be selected up to 25 startups from the Ranking Open 100 Startups 2019. Angel investors intending to join the program can register until July 15 on the site of 100 Open Angels .
At speed-dating, which takes place during the Whow! Event, selected startups will hold face-to-face meetings with angel investors.
Whow !, scheduled for July 23 to 25 in São Paulo, is the largest innovation meeting in the country. There, in addition to speed-dating, there is the announcement of the startups selected for co-investment and the special 2019 Ranking Night, which will highlight the most attractive startups and the most engaged corporations of the year.
PURPOSE: TO ACCELERATE INVESTMENT CAPTURE
The 100 Open Angels aims to accelerate the capture of investment for the startup ranked. The process, which usually takes from six months to a year, can take just three months.
“Basically I like the technology-based startups with great potential for scale up, accelerated revenue growth and focused on a very large market with a high impact of disruption,” says angel-businessman João Pimentel. “I joined the 100 Open Angels program and am very excited about the 25 startups listing. I’m interested in investing in some of them. “
According to him, the 100 Open Startups helps investors like him to have more security.
“Investing in startup is always a risk, even more at this early stage, but the platform allows, in addition to information about the company, that it be endorsed by the market,” he says.
“I’m looking for good startups with innovative business model proposals to aggregate my smart money, with my collaboration in governance, access to best management practices, marketing, sales, operations, and of course, capital.”
