To play, you must understand the basic mechanics of the game.

Let`s walk through a venture ecosystem landscape, to understand the startup risks, typical win and failure stories, the role and profile of angels, as well as a required competence and a learning curve for novice angel investors.

First priority: reducing unnecessary risks. Startup assessment is science and art, which you will master over time. Don`t worry over not being able to understand something, or not knowing how to assess certain angles to the business – it does take time and experience, and you are just getting started.

First rule of acquisition: the investment discipline. Take the risks you understand and cut down the risks that you do not. Defining your reasoning and profile with its natural limitations, will help build your strategy - and make it easier for startups and other investors to find you.

Understanding due diligence is indeed important but you do not have to master it immediately – you can join forces with experts. Yet, learning the key principles is important, and will eventually cut down your risks - and save your sanity. Cool part: your existing business experience is applicable.

Assembling our jigsaw puzzle: how to create a personalized, repeatable, and coherent decision-making framework? We will match your risk profile, skills and experience, financial limits, liquidity expectations, networks to strategies that work individually for you and see where it lands you.