The high net worth individuals (HNI) of the state gathered at The Nest for the Angel Miniversity Program on 14 October 2019 from 4 pm. The program was focussed on the dissemination of knowledge among the high net worth individuals of Assam about the myriad aspects of startup investments, including the stages and best practices of angel investing, term sheet, valuation and due diligence, managing exits, etc. Ms Nandini Mansinghka, CEO and Managing Director of Mumbai Angels Network, India’s premiere angel investment platform, chaired the meet, offering vital insights into the nitty gritties of early-stage startup investments.

The event was graced by Mrs. Manjula Saikia Bhuyan, IAS, Additional Secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Assam, and Managing Director, AIIDC.

Addressing the cream gathering, Mrs. Bhuyan thanked Nandini Mansinghka and Mumbai Angels for the encouraging gesture by participating in the meet. She also urged the HNIs to come forward to support the startups and take the next step towards forming the Assam Angel Network and assured them of complete support from the Government of Assam towards the same.

The Mumbai Angels CEO, Nandini Mansinghka introduced the top entrepreneurs and businessmen of the state to the fundamentals of being an angel investor. “An angel is someone who takes risks with the founder. They are keen on investing time and money. They are angels because they walk in when everyone else says ‘No’.”

Talking about the benefits of angel investment, she further added: “An angel investor gets larger percentage of the company so that when it grows, they get a higher rate of return.”

The core agenda of the meet was to encourage and influence the local HNIs to take interest in mentoring and funding early-stage startups and together form the first Assam Angel Network, as outlined in the Assam Startup Policy 2017.