ICR Business Angel Database Services

The cornerstone of ICR's research and services is its database of over 7,500 accredited, sophisticated investors who possess knowledge and experience in financial and business matters in early-stage ventures. Since 1989, ICR's principal has conducted original research to identify and to qualify private equity investors capable of evaluating the merits and risks associated with early- and expansion-stage ventures.

While business angel investors or high-net-worth private investors compose the backbone of the database, an array of capital sources with a history and interest in this alternative investment class has been assembled. Included among them are professional venture capitalists, institutional money managers, commercial finance firms, small business investment bankers who invest into their client companies, private investment partnerships, foreign investors interested in direct investment into early-stage U.S. companies, corporate investors and socially responsible investment foundations.

ICR used a wide range of research techniques to collect data on these investors' preferences and investment criteria. ICR has used individual interviews, group interviews, questionnaire-based surveys, informal telephone surveys, and informal in-person conversations directly with the investors. Also, ICR conducted secondary research with entrepreneurial companies that received funding form these investors. Data collected includes preferred industry, location, stage of development, size of investment, number of investments per year, level of active participation in investee companies, targeted rates of return, past investments, and other criteria. ICR's research has confirmed that these investors have provided different types of funding: venture capital for start-ups, equity and/or debt for working capital and expansion, mezzanine capital for growth companies, bridge capital for special situations, and straight or senior loans for small, growing businesses.

ICR's proprietary research summarized in Gerald Benjamin's new book, The Angel Investor's Handbook, substantiates that these investors offer entrepreneurs a value-added source of funding. Over 65 percent of investors interviewed reported that they had been called upon to provide more than capital at least once in the last year to a company in which they invested. The additional support took the form of board participation, interim CEO, CFO or other functional executive position, recruitment of management talent, assistance with planning or fund raising, introductions to industry suppliers/distributors, as well as specialized counsel (e.g., legal, accounting or investment banking).

The business angels specifically have invested in divergent industries, but in industries they had knowledge in or direct experience in. Among those preferred industries are bioscience, computer hardware and software, consumer and commercial products manufacturing, health care, Internet, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and wireless, and technology related services.

ICR is a pioneer in business angel database development and continues to trail blaze new techniques for database growth and refinement. ICR is continually enlarging its database through research programs, acquisition and re-qualifying of investors lists and databases, direct contact with new investors by speaking at major national investor conferences each year, conducting its own Angel Investor seminars to surface new investors entering the market, nurturing referrals from licensed professionals in the private equity arena (attorneys, accountants, investment bankers, appraisers), and through proactive pursuit of referrals from ICR's own 7,500 investor base, and past and present entrepreneurial clients who have received angel funding.

ICR offers access to its proprietary database to a select number of companies each year. In order to be considered, submit a hard copy of your business plan to ICR. Mailing address information is on the home page of this web site. Do not fax or email business plans or executive summaries. If you require a non-disclosure, fax your nondisclosure only to ICR.