Tech Coast Angels OC (TCA Orange County) is the Orange County chapter of Tech Coast Angels, one of the largest and most active angel investor networks in the United States and now part of the TCA Venture Group ecosystem with over 400 accredited members across Southern California (including OC, LA, Inland Empire, etc.). The group provides capital, mentorship, and network access to early-stage startups.

Pre-Seed / Seed: Primary focus — early institutional financings where angel capital accelerates product development and market traction.
Early Institutional / Series A: Can participate in later rounds (especially follow-on via chapter funds) depending on company performance.

Typical Investment Size: Tech Coast Angels OC members typically participate in rounds of ~$100,000 – $2,000,000+, either through individual capital or pooled chapter funds.
Equity Taken:
• TCA OC does not publish a fixed equity percentage it always takes — like most organized angel networks, equity ownership is negotiated per deal with founders based on valuation and total round size, consistent with standard angel/seed practice.
• Founder expectations (industry norms): In seed and early institutional rounds where TCA OC leads or co-leads with significant participation, an early institutional angel investor often ends up with a meaningful minority stake (~5 %–15 %) for its portion of the round, with total dilution across all investors typically ~10 %–25 % of company equity. (This range reflects broad angel market norms in the absence of a published TCA OC target.)
Equity Structure: Investments may use priced preferred equity, SAFEs, or convertible notes per the terms negotiated for that round (standard early-stage practice).
Governance: Deals often include investor rights and governance terms appropriate to early institutional participation, negotiated case-by-case.

Submission Method: Founders can apply via Tech Coast Angels OC’s online process or be introduced through ecosystem networks; selected companies are invited to pitch to the membership or fund committees. 
Pitch & Review: Interested startups go through screening and due diligence before term negotiation.

Sector Focus: Broad — technology, software, life sciences, medical devices, consumer products, fintech, and other scalable markets.
 Geography: U.S.-based companies, with an emphasis on Southern California (Orange County and surrounding regions) but also open to compelling opportunities elsewhere.
Stage: Pre-seed, seed, and early institutional. 
Company Profile: Founders with strong teams, early traction, and scalable business prospects.

• Initial Intake & Screening: Founder materials are reviewed for fit, traction, and valuation expectations.
• Pitch Presentations: Shortlisted companies present to the membership or fund representatives.
• Due Diligence: Interested members conduct deeper diligence on team, product, market, and metrics.
• Term Negotiation & Close: Founders and participating investors negotiate valuation, equity ownership, governance rights, and structure.

Strategic Capital: Early-stage funding from accredited investors through both individual participation and dedicated chapter funds. 
Mentorship & Network: Access to experienced operators, founders, and sector experts across Southern California and beyond. 
Follow-On Support: Ability to attract additional investor interest and participate in later rounds via syndication.