In order to ensure that only the best suited deals come before our investors, and that our applicants learn from the experience we have designed the following process to screen applications for funding.
1. Are you suited for RAN? Every applicant must first start with a self assessment of what stage in the business cycle they are in and whether or not their proposal is worth someone else investing in. The easiest way to think of this is to imagine the type of return an investor would get on their money within the first 3-5 years. If you are unsure how to assess this we encourage to join our partner program ‘StartMeUp Ryerson’
2. Applying Online: Once you feel you are ready to apply simply click on the ‘Submit Business Plan’ link found on every page of this site. This will bring you to AngelSoft (the platform we use to review your proposal and distribute it to our members when appropriate).Here you will be asked to answer a number of questions ranging from your business’ valuation, to management strengths. This will generate what we refer to as the ‘One Pager’ which is a synopsis of your business and is used for almost all discussion.
YOU MUST FILL OUT EVERY SECTION FOR YOUR APPLICATION TO BE CONSIDERED. This is an important marketing document and may be the only document the screening committee ever sees - take your time to give this document the attention it deserves!
3. The Screening Process:
a. After applying, your proposal will be reviewed and you will be contacted by our group manager to either answer any questions or with instructions on how you can improve your application.
b. Once you have this discussion, and if the group manager approves of your application, you will be invited to present before our Screening Committee. This committee is comprised of Ryerson faculty and RAN Angel Investors. At this point your plan and business acumen will be tested thoroughly.
i. You will be given 20 minutes to present your plan.
ii. If at this point any shortcomings are found, one of our Screening Committee members may volunteer to mentor you personally. Alternatively, additional StartMeUp resources will be assigned to you to fill in the gaps identified in your plan.
c. If approved at both levels then you will be invited to present before all of our Angel members at the next investment meeting held at Ryerson University.
i. For this you will need to prepare a 15 minute power point presentation, and be able to provide any supplementary data such as pro forma statements, a business plan, patents or contracts with suppliers/customers.
From this point it is up to our members to decide if they want to pursue an investment. If chosen you will continue to ‘Due Diligence’ with the interested members and will go through a detailed assessment of your business, financial statements and operations.
They will thoroughly research your team’s background and track record. If you play an active role in facilitating this process, it will help to expedite a final investment decision.
Term sheet negotiation: After successful completion of the due diligence process, interested Angel group members will present a term sheet that defines the structure of the investment deal - including type of equity and Board of Directors representation, using industry standard terms and provisions as provided by NACO.
Funding & Beyond: When all parties are satisfied with the terms and language contained in the term sheet, the deal can be executed. But remember, closing the deal is only the beginning of the Angel funding process. Now you have access to a network of value-added contacts and experienced professionals who can provide essential guidance for the growth and success of your venture. Adhering to the responsibilities at this stage will enable you to get the most from your angel relationship.
1. Are you suited for RAN? Every applicant must first start with a self assessment of what stage in the business cycle they are in and whether or not their proposal is worth someone else investing in. The easiest way to think of this is to imagine the type of return an investor would get on their money within the first 3-5 years. If you are unsure how to assess this we encourage to join our partner program ‘StartMeUp Ryerson’
2. Applying Online: Once you feel you are ready to apply simply click on the ‘Submit Business Plan’ link found on every page of this site. This will bring you to AngelSoft (the platform we use to review your proposal and distribute it to our members when appropriate).Here you will be asked to answer a number of questions ranging from your business’ valuation, to management strengths. This will generate what we refer to as the ‘One Pager’ which is a synopsis of your business and is used for almost all discussion.
YOU MUST FILL OUT EVERY SECTION FOR YOUR APPLICATION TO BE CONSIDERED. This is an important marketing document and may be the only document the screening committee ever sees - take your time to give this document the attention it deserves!
3. The Screening Process:
a. After applying, your proposal will be reviewed and you will be contacted by our group manager to either answer any questions or with instructions on how you can improve your application.
b. Once you have this discussion, and if the group manager approves of your application, you will be invited to present before our Screening Committee. This committee is comprised of Ryerson faculty and RAN Angel Investors. At this point your plan and business acumen will be tested thoroughly.
i. You will be given 20 minutes to present your plan.
ii. If at this point any shortcomings are found, one of our Screening Committee members may volunteer to mentor you personally. Alternatively, additional StartMeUp resources will be assigned to you to fill in the gaps identified in your plan.
c. If approved at both levels then you will be invited to present before all of our Angel members at the next investment meeting held at Ryerson University.
i. For this you will need to prepare a 15 minute power point presentation, and be able to provide any supplementary data such as pro forma statements, a business plan, patents or contracts with suppliers/customers.
From this point it is up to our members to decide if they want to pursue an investment. If chosen you will continue to ‘Due Diligence’ with the interested members and will go through a detailed assessment of your business, financial statements and operations.
They will thoroughly research your team’s background and track record. If you play an active role in facilitating this process, it will help to expedite a final investment decision.
Term sheet negotiation: After successful completion of the due diligence process, interested Angel group members will present a term sheet that defines the structure of the investment deal - including type of equity and Board of Directors representation, using industry standard terms and provisions as provided by NACO.
Funding & Beyond: When all parties are satisfied with the terms and language contained in the term sheet, the deal can be executed. But remember, closing the deal is only the beginning of the Angel funding process. Now you have access to a network of value-added contacts and experienced professionals who can provide essential guidance for the growth and success of your venture. Adhering to the responsibilities at this stage will enable you to get the most from your angel relationship.
