List of Angel Investors and Solo Capitalists Funds

Raising Capital from Angel Investors? Here’s What You Need to Know.

What is an angel investor?

An angel investor is an individual who invests their own money into early-stage startups—usually at the pre-seed or seed stage. They’re often entrepreneurs or operators themselves, using their capital (and occasionally their expertise) to help founders get started.

Unlike venture capitalists, angels don’t manage outside funds. They make decisions faster, move more personally, and often invest based on instinct, passion, or network—more than formal pitch decks or due diligence processes.

If you’ve watched Shark Tank, you’ve already seen angel investors in action.

How do angel investors decide what startups to back?

There’s no single formula, but most angels are betting on three core things:

1. The founder — Do you have the grit, clarity, and execution chops?
2. The narrative — Can you clearly explain why now, why this problem, and why you?
3. The upside — Even if it’s early, is the opportunity big enough to be worth the risk?

Some angels want traction. Others just want a warm intro and a gut feeling. If they believe in your ability to figure it out, they’ll back you (sometimes even pre-product).

How do you find angel investors?

We get it—finding investors for your startup can be a long, grueling process.

The problem? Most founders waste time chasing the wrong people.

Investors who look good on paper but aren’t writing checks, aren’t active in your stage, or aren’t a fit for your space.

That’s where OpenVC comes in!

We give you a real-time, filtered list of angel investors actively investing in startups like yours. Browse hundreds of profiles you can sort by:

• Stage

• Geography

• Check size

Whether you’re raising $300K or filling out your pre-seed round, OpenVC helps you skip the guesswork and go straight to the angels who match your raise.

Want to go deeper? Start with our guide to building a targeted fundraising strategy.

How should I conduct angel investor outreach?

Outreach isn’t blasting emails into the abyss. A modern and effective strategy starts with knowing who to pitch, and how.

Once you’ve built your list of angel investors on OpenVC, you can:

• Get warm intros through common connections

• Use verified contact details to reach out directly

• Personalize your pitch to what that investor actually cares about

When you send that first message:

• Keep it short (1–2 paragraphs)

• Lead with clarity, not hype

• Include your deck, round size, and traction

• Bonus: mention any OpenVC tag or filter they appeared in (shows you're doing your homework)

💡 And remember: angels fund people, not just ideas. Be clear, be honest, and be human.

How much do angel investors usually invest?

Check sizes vary based on geography, wealth, and risk tolerance. But here’s a general range:

• Typical angel check: $10K–$100K

• Super angels / syndicates: $100K–$500K+

• Friends & family: \<$25K (and often not formalized)

At the pre-seed stage, you might close a round entirely from angels. At seed and beyond, they usually complement institutional investors—or lead small rounds when conviction is high.

Who are the top angel investors?

Well-known names include:

• Edward Lando (Reddit, Misfits Market, Archer)
• Naval Ravikant (Basis, Replit, Eight Sleep)
• Cyan Banister (Uber, SpaceX, Postmates)
• Elad Gil (Anduril Industries, Scale AI, Pacific Fusion)
• Ryan Hoover (Clubhouse, Mercury, Beacons)
• Mark Cuban (Rugged Maniac, Ten Thirty One Productions, BeatBox Beverages)
• Hesham Zreik (Wecyclers, Zuri Health, Trella)
• Gokul Rajaram (Gusto, Faire, Pinterest)

The list includes people who’ve consistently backed some of the largest success stories in fundraising. But those names are exceptions.

The most valuable angel for your startup might be:

• A former founder in your space

• A domain expert with relevant network access

• Someone local who’ll roll up their sleeves for you

Don’t optimize for clout. Optimize for fit, trust, and follow-on potential.

How many angel investors are in the United States?

The U.S. has an estimated 300,000+ active angel investors—more than any other country. Cities like San Francisco, New York, Austin, and Miami have dense networks of angels writing early-stage checks across nearly every vertical.

Some invest solo. Others write checks through syndicates, angel groups, or rolling funds. Many fly under the radar, which is why targeted discovery tools like OpenVC matter.

If you're just starting your raise, make sure you're not guessing who's active—get filtered access to real angels who are writing checks now.

Create your free OpenVC account now to start pitching angel investors today.