Investment opportunities to support local emerging businesses
Early-stage funding for businesses in the lower South Island is a problem that Mainland Angel Investors (MAI) is helping solve. It works to connect fledgling businesses with investors – and its next pitch evening is in mid-February.
MAI operates in Queenstown, Wanaka, Invercargill and Dunedin. “Our club brings together a diverse group of individuals with a passion for investing in startups and seeing our region thrive,” Network manager Peter Ramsay says. “As a member, you’ll have access to exclusive local and national early-stage investment opportunities where we can assist with the entire investment process. On top of that, we provide a platform for members to network with like-minded individuals and gain valuable insight and advice from experienced investors.”
The club prides itself on the foundations it had put in place over the last 18 month to ensure the right investment opportunities are being presented to its members. “One of the key benefits of being a member of MAI is our thorough screening and due diligence process. This helps provide confidence when members are looking to diversify their investment portfolio” Peter says.
Anyone that’s interested in supporting startups can attend the events – you don’t need to have big bucks in your bank account, the minimum check size that can be accepted is just $5,000. “A lot of people have that misconception of, ‘I have to have hundreds of thousands, if not millions, sitting in the bank to be able to invest,’ whereas it’s really not the case. The beauty of having an angel group is that with so many people in our network, multiple $5,000 cheques really add up.”
It’s not just about money either – investors often have experience in growing businesses and can offer sound advice. The investor’s role in the company will vary depending on different factors. “You could be more of a hands-off investor, where you’re more so just looking at it from an investment perspective – where you just put some cash into the company and watch it grow,” says Peter. There’s also the possibility to be a little more hands on, to help scale a company. “If there’s an investor that has quite a bit of experience within certain industries, they might look to take up a governance role on an opportunities board. There are quite a few ways people can get involved.”
One of the businesses that has received funding through Mainland Angels is Loaded Reports, a Queenstown business that offers hospitality management software. It allows businesses to manage their revenue, labour, and cost of goods in real time from one software hub. Mainland Angels are seeing interest grow in becoming an investor, too.
The next investment night will run on 15 February at Mountain Club, Beach St., Queenstown and is open to anyone whether you’re looking to invest or are just curious. You can RSVP by clicking here.
