Angel Association NZ links to the wider world

The Angel Association has linked up with international partners in Australia, the United States, and Europe in a move which it hopes will help young New Zealand companies looking to expand offshore.

Angel Association chair Andy Hamilton said cooperation agreements have been signed with the Australian Association of Angel Investors, the European Business Angel Network, and the United States Angel Capital Association.

“The objective with signing these agreements with Australia, US and Europe is threefold. It will promote relationship exchanges. It will promote best practice exchanges. And it will aid our kiwi companies entering foreign markets and getting finance in those markets.

“Angel investing has become a significant asset class in its own right since the year 2000. By building international linkages, angel groups in New Zealand can benefit from the worldwide growth in angel investment.

“Since 2005, we have seen considerable growth in syndication of angel deals between angel groups in countries. Now, we are starting to see syndication occurring across country borders.

“For a young New Zealand company looking to expand to, for example, the US, having a US angel investor alongside some New Zealand angels could help greatly in terms of that company’s knowledge and understanding of the US market. Syndication also greatly expands the potential  capital available.

“We are already seeing international interest in our growing angel community. Representatives from three Australian angel groups will be attending the Angel Summit in early November in Auckland. We hope that Kiwi angels will be attending US and European angel conferences next year.

“We are also look at building links with the Asian region. Further, moves are underway to establish the World Business Angels Association, of which we will be one of the founders,” Andy Hamilton said.