Angel Investors Bring Capital to the Local Start-Up Ecosystem

Angel investing breathes life into the early-stage businesses and provides opportunities for local growth, development and profits. Led by forward-thinking entrepreneurs in our community, Windsor Essex Capital Angel Network (WECAN) has established itself as a catalyst for local innovation and progress.

WECAN delivers excellent “deal flow” for solo investors and offers best practice environments for due diligence, investing, and ongoing business monitoring. WECAN’s investors interact and engage with local innovative start-ups routinely in ‘First Look’ pitch sessions and a range of other pursuits. They support young businesses in a variety of ways, including through mentorship, financial investment, industry connections, or as potential board of director members.

“I decided to join WECAN to have more access to curated deal flow and join a group with like-minded investors,” explains WECAN angel investor Cam Crowder. “You get access to deals that have been vetted by the Equation Angels team prior to getting to the investment meeting. As a business owner, you can see some advanced tech companies in your industry as well.”

On January 11, 2023, Crowder will be speaking about investment and the importance of a thriving innovation ecosystem to guests of WECAN at an information event at the Ciociaro Club in Windsor.

“[Angel Investors] bring capital to the local start-up ecosystem,” states Crowder. “A seasoned Angel Investor should also bring industry expertise and business experience to the start-ups they are engaging and investing in. At the pre-seed and seed stage investment, an Angel should be “smart money”, meaning that their network in an industry can help support the start-up.”

Crowder says that, to date, he has made a total of nine investments in companies, including locally-owned i-50, as well, he has engaged in a number of local start-ups from a strategy and fundraising standpoint.

i-50 is a company that uses a computer vision platform for manufacturing to measure and improve production processes through an artificial intelligence-powered (AI) vision system.

“I was investigating automation for the restaurant industry and was introduced to i-50 co-founder and Forbes 30 Under 30 Khizer Hayat,” explains Crowder. “We developed a pilot for using the computer vision inside a fast-food restaurant. We felt that we could bring another revenue channel to i-50.”