A startup firm that needs money frequently looks to investors such as angel and venture capitalists. It can be difficult to distinguish between venture capitalists and angel investors since, at the end of the day, they both provide funding to early-stage companies to enable them to continue operating. Angel investors, on the other hand, invest their own funds, whereas venture capitalists use funds that are collectively managed by a venture capital fund or company.
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Venture Capitalists: What Are They?
Within venture capital businesses, venture capitalists (VCs) make investment decisions for the fund. VCs usually use this money to support early-stage businesses that are looking for investors. The venture capital corporation receives larger returns on its initial investment when that early-stage business expands and generates a profit.
VamosVentures lead investor Ashley Aydin notes, “The day-to-day varies from fund to fund and investor to investor.” “Most of the work usually involves conducting extensive market and white space research, writing and reading thought pieces, discussing ideas with investors and founders, and assisting portfolio companies in growing.”
A few venture capitalists, businesses, and funds have a focus on a certain industry or field. For instance, a venture capitalist (VC) who specializes in artificial intelligence (AI) can give priority to investing in start-ups that use AI in creative ways and concentrate on developing new technologies.
Aydin adds, “You can also invest across the stage spectrum.” “Investors can identify as either Pre-Seeds, focusing on startups in their very early stages, or Growths, examining companies in later stages.”
What Are Investors in Angels?
Angel investors invest using their own funds, whereas venture capitalists (VCs) utilize the pooled funds of their funds. High net worth individuals are the usual angel investors, and they sometimes have a particular interest in the business they fund. An angel investor may make an investment if they have a strong belief in the company’s future or because they know the entrepreneur personally.
Angel investors sometimes obtain shares in the firm in exchange for their money, making them part owners. An angel investor will therefore get a return on their original investment when the business expands and becomes more successful, just like venture capitalists do.
Angel investors are there to help early-stage companies launch. Hence, angel investors take significant risks and lend their money to businesses that frequently lack a track record that would indicate their future potential, whereas venture capitalists (VCs) seek for organizations that show some indications of future development and potential.
Salaries of Venture Capitalists vs Angel Investors
The average yearly compensation of venture capitalists is $120,300, according to Glassdoor salary statistics. Conversely, angel investors earn around $274,500 a year. But it’s advisable to take the pay for both positions very lightly. Both angel and venture capitalists rely on the profits from their investments. They can become extremely wealthy if they choose the correct investments, but their yearly wages will suffer if they wager on businesses that eventually go bankrupt.
It’s also critical to remember that angel investors are wealthy people. In light of this, their yearly income may come from companies they run or control in addition to their investment holdings.
How to Differentiate Between Venture Capital and Angel Investing
History
Having enough money to start investing in start-ups is a prerequisite for becoming an angel investor. The route to get there isn’t predetermined. Before deciding to follow their own route and invest their money in businesses, some angel investors have experience in finance and may even have worked as venture capitalists. Some may begin their careers in business, starting and then exiting businesses to eventually reinvest in smaller start-ups.
Diverse backgrounds can also be seen among venture capitalists. For those who want to work for a venture capital business, building a strong foundation in finance, economics, and investment is an excellent place to start. A lot of venture capitalists also pursue additional education in finance and economics, or Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees. These advanced degrees can boost their competence in the financial industry and raise their marketability to larger investment businesses.
According to Aydin, “networking and getting your name out there is key” when it comes to venture investors.
Getting experience in investment-focused professions such as investment banking, working for a start-up, and building the necessary contacts are all excellent avenues to begin your journey towards becoming a venture capitalist.
Skill
According to Aydin, “a lot of what it takes to be a VC can be learned on the job.” “Therefore, rather than focusing on skills, I prefer to emphasize the key attributes of a venture capitalist: perseverance, diligence, curiosity, teamwork, a fondness for figures, and the ability to interact with a diverse range of individuals.”
To manage the day-to-day tasks of the work, a venture capitalist need certain hard skills in addition to analytical thinking and effective communication. These include:
Knowing how to do a comparative business analysis
Being proficient with Excel
estimating investment returns through the use of discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis and other financial models
Similar abilities are required of angel investors, particularly an entrepreneurial drive and sound decision-making capabilities. Furthermore, angel investors may require a solid grasp of investing principles if they oversee their own investment portfolio. To have a sense of the overall activity of the market, they might, for instance, need to be able to read stock charts.
The Bottom Line: How Does It Differ?
The money being invested is the main distinction between a venture capitalist and an angel investor: VCs invest capital that is under the control of a venture capital fund or business, whereas angel investors invest their own funds. Furthermore, rather than the extremely early-stage start-ups that angel investors prefer, venture capitalists (VCs) may invest in later-stage start-ups and businesses.