Description
San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC) is a community-driven, event-based angel investment program anchored by San Diego State University (SDSU) and previously University of San Diego (USD) that brings together accredited angel investors to evaluate, mentor, and fund early-stage startups through a structured conference, education series, and pooled investment approach.
Pre-Seed / Seed: SDAC focuses on early-stage companies seeking their first meaningful external capital (typically seed-stage with market traction and growth potential).
• Typical Investment Amount: The SDAC fund collectively invests around ~$200,000 or more into one or more finalist startups each conference cycle — derived from pooled capital from accredited investors in the program.
• Investor Contribution: Individual accredited investors can participate by purchasing units (e.g., historically starting around ~$7,000 with additional units purchasable) — this establishes their pro-rata stake in the pooled fund.
• Equity Ownership Taken:
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No fixed % published by SDAC: There’s no standard equity percentage that SDAC as “the conference” takes, because funding is executed via a pooled investor vehicle whose members negotiate terms with founders.
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Industry Norm for Angel Seed Rounds: In angel-led seed rounds like those facilitated by SDAC, total angel dilution often ranges ~10%–25% combined across all investors, and individual investor/fund stakes vary based on valuation and contribution. (This reflects common angel/seed terms rather than SDAC’s formal cap-table mandate.)
- A winning company’s $200K+ SDAC investment typically translates into minority equity (commonly single-digit to low-double-digit percentages) based on that amount relative to the startup’s pre-money valuation (deal-specific and founder-negotiated).
Submission Method: Startups apply via SDAC’s online application; qualified companies enter a multi-stage process with workshops, screening, and pitch rounds culminating in a final live pitch event.
Investor participation requires accreditation and unit purchase for access to deal flow, education, and voting on finalists.
Eligibility
Sector Focus: Broad; SDAC considers startups in any industry with venture-scale potential (e.g., tech, healthcare, consumer, software etc.).
Geography: Focused on U.S. companies — particularly those accessible to the San Diego ecosystem — though applicants from broader regions are often reviewed.
Stage: Early-stage / seed companies seeking initial institutional capital.
Company Profile: Startups with a business plan geared for scaling and potential for significant returns (e.g., 10× return potential criteria in past SDAC funds).
Process
• Initial Screening: SDAC selects companies from applications (often ~100+ early-stage startups).
• Workshops & Coaching: Founders receive coaching and prep from ecosystem partners.
• Pitch Series: Shortlisted companies present in rounds; investor group evaluates them.
• Final Selection: Accredited investors in the fund vote at the Finale Pitch Event to allocate the pooled investment.
What an Applicant can Obtain
Strategic Capital: Competitive seed investment (~$200K+) from a pooled angel fund.
Mentorship & Network: Access to angel investors, coaching, and ecosystem partners from SDSU, USD history, and broader San Diego partners.
Investor Exposure: Direct exposure to accredited angels who actively evaluate and fund promising startups.
Follow-On Potential: Many SDAC portfolio companies attract additional capital after the conference-led investment from syndicates and external angels.
