Angel Groups: Developing a Regional Economic Development Strategy for Robust Seed Capital Ecosystems for Entrepreneurs

The purpose of this paper is to identify the link between the success of angel organizational structures and the economic footprint within which angel groups operate; ultimately suggesting a novel approach of assisting traditional angel group structures in their operations and entrepreneurs in the process of securing early stage financing. Given the varied angel group structures that exist, some angel portals may be more appropriate for certain regions than others. In-depth field research was developed and analyzed by creating the first undergraduate student-run angel investment fund, to co-invest with investors in the informal venture capital market, in the United States. The research presented in this paper will provide economic planners, educational leaders, and interested students with a potential guideline of how best to organize angel investors within their respective regions, ultimately building local investment capacity that will benefit state economies by creating better financing opportunities for entrepreneurs