TBD Angels

High-Level Overview

TBD Angels is an early-stage angel investing group founded in 2020, focused on providing capital, advice, and connections to startups. Their mission is to enable members—who are experienced operators and founders—to extract value through collaboration during deal flow and engagement with portfolio companies. They invest primarily in early-stage ventures across diverse sectors such as B2B SaaS, finance, EdTech, and more, without limiting themselves to a specific industry. Over three years, TBD Angels has reviewed 400-500 deals, invested about $10 million in 75 deals across 65 companies, typically investing between $75K and $250K per deal. Their impact on the startup ecosystem includes accelerating investment processes, increasing investor engagement, and fostering diversity through a tech-enabled, collaborative platform[1][2][5].

Origin Story

TBD Angels was founded in early 2020 by a group of current operators and executives from leading startups and major companies, including co-founder Jason Burke. The group was created to address inefficiencies in traditional angel investing, such as slow processes, high friction, minimal engagement, and lack of diversity. Recognizing these challenges, they built a tech platform to streamline deal flow and collaboration. This platform evolved into a standalone business called All Stage in 2022, expanding its adoption beyond TBD Angels to other investment groups and founders. The founders’ backgrounds as operators and founders who have faced startup challenges firsthand shape their hands-on, supportive approach to investing[1][5][6].

Core Differentiators

• Unique Investment Model: Collaborative angel group leveraging collective expertise and soft commitments to efficiently allocate capital.
• Network Strength: Over 300 investors from 30+ states and 6 countries, many with operator and founder experience.
• Track Record: Approximately $10 million invested in 75 deals over three years, with a broad industry focus.
• Operating Support: Active mentorship and guidance from experienced founders and executives, helping startups with fundraising, hiring, strategy, and scaling.
• Technology-Enabled Process: Use of proprietary tech and third-party platforms (e.g., Sydecar) to reduce friction, speed up investments, and enhance investor engagement[1][2][5].

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

TBD Angels rides the trend of democratizing and modernizing angel investing by combining experienced operators with technology to improve deal flow and decision-making. The timing is favorable due to increasing startup activity and the need for more efficient, diverse, and engaged angel networks. Market forces such as the rise of remote work and distributed teams also expand the geographic reach and diversity of investors and startups. By fostering collaboration and leveraging technology, TBD Angels influences the broader ecosystem by setting a new standard for angel investing groups, promoting faster, more inclusive, and more supportive early-stage funding environments[1][5].

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Looking ahead, TBD Angels is likely to continue expanding its membership and portfolio, leveraging its tech platform to scale investment operations and deepen engagement. The growth of All Stage as a standalone platform suggests a future where TBD Angels’ model could be adopted widely, further transforming angel investing. Trends such as increased startup formation, demand for diverse funding sources, and technology-driven investment processes will shape their journey. Their influence may evolve from a regional angel group to a key player in the national or global early-stage investment ecosystem, continuing to bridge the gap between operators and founders for mutual success[1][5][6].