Business

Angel Investors — Who Are They?

Published

3 years ago

January 13, 2022

Freelancer

Angel investors are individuals who invest their capital in growing a business, while venture capitalists use money from their company or other investors to do so. Otherwise, the functions of both types of investors are the same, as is the same goal of allowing the business to grow as efficiently as possible to generate a steady stream of cash flow.

Various Types of Angel Investors

Depending on the purposes and tasks of investing and the ways and methods of placement, angel investors in Texas can be of the following types.

Micro-Investors

These angel investors own tiny amounts (within 10 thousand dollars) and usually invest in various projects, often crowding in. Often, they do not even get real leverage over the company, acting more like co-investors than partners.

Micro-Managers

They typically fund a small business of the traditional or, conversely, innovative type, such as developing a new mobile app. Then, micro-managers organize the company, do the accounting and paperwork, find contractors, etc., allowing the creators to focus entirely on implementing the project.

Entrepreneurs

These sorts of angel investors fund their projects, often in multiples. They invest quite large sums, from $100,000 to $500,000. As a rule, these are established entrepreneurs who understand how a particular business works. The purpose of their investment is to expand or automate their own business. Usually, their projects are somehow related to the core business.

Amateur Enthusiasts

They invest in “trendy” fields but don’t know the industry deeply, crowding in and interfering in business processes. They have all sorts of funds on hand. They may be people who received an inheritance or a large bonus for their work or professional investors who decided to diversify their portfolios. For them, it’s not the process of achieving the goal that matters but the result.

Corporate Figures

Typically, they are top executives from various reputable firms, business people selling businesses, or media personalities who received a large sum of money (for example, $1 million) and wanted to invest wisely. They support all of the money in 1–2 projects and seek maximum company control by participating in all business processes.

Professionals

It is the rarest type of angel investor but the most sought-after on the market. It is because they specifically look for the most promising startups. They operate with large sums of money but rarely invest more than $250,000 in a single startup. Instead, they usually lead to a dozen projects. Sometimes they unite into associations, leagues, or groups and make collective investments.

Startups usually look for professional angel investors to help them take their business to the next stage. But many people are happy with amateur enthusiasts and even micro-investors; this way, entrepreneurs get money and keep complete control of the company.

What are the Differences from a Venture Capital Fund?

Get to know several fundamental differences before you apply to them:

Invest money, whereas venture capitalists invest in businesses or third-party capital. At the same time, venture capitalists may even insure their risks with an insurance company. Therefore, angel investors have a personal interest in the venture’s success, while venture funds can, roughly speaking, give money and hope for the growth of the startup.
Venture investments usually take place in several rounds. After the investors successfully “absorb” the amount and receive a report, they allocate the next tranche. Angel investments most often mean a single investment, although the angel investor himself may finance the startup in tranches.
Angel investors have a more significant influence over startups. Venture capitalists usually limit themselves to a small share of participation, acting more often as passive observers.
Angel investors can invest without expecting to get a monetary return. For example, they invest in a cultural project, hoping to raise their prestige in return. Or maybe they have plans to integrate the startup into their company when it grows. Venture capitalists always have their financial interests at heart.
Investors may invest in unconventional projects with unconventional ideas, while venture capitalists prefer more conventional business forms.
Invest in projects in the early stages when there are high risks that the startup will not “take off.” Venture investors prefer to invest in the late stages when there is already a product and the first sales, and the project needs active expansion.

The Top angel investors in Texas are:

Cowtown Angels;
Foodshed Investors;
The Lone Star Angels;
Capital Factory;
Techstars;
RevTech Ventures;
SKU.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Working with Angel Investors

Engaging angel investors is beneficial in several ways:

Getting capital in the early stages of a project.
They are not usually part of the capital, which gives the project’s authors more power.
Help not only with money but also with connections, advice, supplies, etc.
The authority enables the project to proceed.
Angels are involved in non-standard projects.

But there are also disadvantages:

Funding will be a factor of ten less than that of a venture capital fund (the average check will range from $50,000 to $100,000, whereas a venture capital fund will range from $250,000);
Many angel investors actively interfere in the process, and you have to learn to get along with them.
Finding an angel investor is more complex than finding a venture capital investor.
But the disadvantages, in general, are due to the specifics of the phenomenon itself, so you have to put up with them.

How Do You Find the Right Angel Investor?

Attracting an angel investor to a project is not an easy task. But if you follow the steps of a bit of instruction, you’ll have an order of magnitude better chance. How to find:

Have a good thought. It can be something unusual and revolutionary and a pretty traditional business. The main thing is that the startup itself should be interested in doing the business.
Develop a clear business plan. You must show the potential investor the profitability of the enterprise.
Identify your target audience. It is how you show the angel investor that you have researched the issue and are ready to sell. In addition, it is desirable that the potential investor also belongs to the target audience because it will be easier for him to understand the profitability of your proposal.
Outline the range of potential investors. First, you must understand what type you are interested in, how much capital it should have, how much it should be involved in the management of the business, etc.
Create a proposal, a so-called white paper, a road map, a presentation (which can be in video format), and a business plan. The investor will immediately get the complete picture of your business by looking at these documents.

Investors become successful and experienced businessmen, top managers of various companies, professional investors, media people (actors, athletes, former politicians), etc., people with quite a lot of personal capital. They understand that funds can be invested long-term without any guarantees because not every startup is successful. Nevertheless, this is your chance to implement ideas and give life to a successful new project.

Business

PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

Published

4 months ago

October 8, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

Business

Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

Published

4 months ago

October 8, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

Business

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

Published

4 months ago

October 8, 2024

kiaragrace

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP