A knowledge-based economy needs equity finance. This creates huge opportunities for business angels, who are also able to inject a healthy dose of 'old economy' business skills. Like a number of other speakers, Hochuli hopes that BANs will increasingly streamline the flow of high-quality deals to venture capital funds. To ensure seamless integration of financing through the life cycle of a company, good relations between the business angel and venture capital communities are essential. Konings' view is more radical.
Business angels offer smart money.
Traditional European venture funds are not sufficiently specialised in particular technologies, and will be progressively displaced by mega-angels, syndicates, and structured networks of business angels operating as venture capitalists. Differences between the fiscal regimes of the Member States still made cross-border business angel investment difficult, he said. We want to make it possible for certain types of business project to choose business angels as the most appropriate source of finance, rather than as funders of last resort. To respond to this article, click here . Responses will be posted at the bottom of this page.