Fool's Gold?

Scott Shane draws on hard data from the Federal Reserve and other sources to paint the first reliable group portrait of the lionized angel investors. Surprisingly, he finds that they are fewer, contribute less, and involve themselves in fewer start-ups than the conventional wisdom suggests. Numbering only 156,000, angels typically still have their day jobs, make investments of $10,000 or less, and take little or no role in management. Few of the companies they put money into arrive at...
More Description

Scott Shane draws on hard data from the Federal Reserve and other sources to paint the first reliable group portrait of the lionized angel investors. Surprisingly, he finds that they are fewer, contribute less, and involve themselves in fewer start-ups than the conventional wisdom suggests. Numbering only 156,000, angels typically still have their day jobs, make investments of $10,000 or less, and take little or no role in management. Few of the companies they put money into arrive at IPOs, let alone massive returns.