Angel investors back founders early - often before there is a product, revenue, or institutional interest. They are betting on you, your insight, and your ability to figure it out.
At this stage, you are not proving product-market fit. You are proving you understand the problem deeply and can move fast enough to find answers.
Angels invest in conviction and clarity. Show both.
Angel decks are lean. Focus on story, not slides. Here is the core structure:
Why you? What made you start this? Founder-market fit.
A real problem you have seen firsthand. Make it specific.
What you are building and why it is different.
Conversations, waitlist, prototype feedback. Anything real.
Who is this for and how big can it get? Keep it honest.
Why you are the right people to build this.
How much you are raising, what you will do with it, and the terms (usually a SAFE).
| Dimension | Angels | VCs |
|---|---|---|
| Decision speed | Days to weeks | Weeks to months |
| Check size | $10K - $100K typical | $500K+ typical |
| Due diligence | Relationship-based | Process-driven |
| Primary focus | Founder and vision | Metrics and market |
| Terms |
Angels are betting on you personally. Make it easy to say yes.
First impressions matter. Make yours count.
| SAFEs, simple notes |
| Priced rounds common |