Thomson Reuters–WBAF MOU

The World Business Angels Investment Forum recently signed an MOU for closer collaboration with Thomson Reuters. The partnership between Thomson Reuters and WBAF is for the purpose of producing and publishing co-branded reports on global angel investment. Reports will be distributed in both soft and hard copy and will feature angel investment data and commentary compiled by WBAF, along with relevant supporting data provided by Thomson Reuters, including but not limited to VC/PE proprietary Thomson Reuters data.

Continue reading

Turkish Airlines–WBAF in partnership for
the WBAF Annual Conference

On 18–20 February 2018, the WBAF will meet in Istanbul for its annual conference to shape the global agenda of the early-stage equity markets of the world. Turkish Airlines and WBAF have signed a partnership agreement for WBAF 2018 in which WBAF recognises Turkish Airlines as the only official airline of the World Business Angels Investment Forum 2018. As per the agreement, special discounts of up to 20% will be available to participants travelling to Istanbul for the conference, including angel investors, start-ups, scale-ups, founders of high-growth businesses, family office executives, bank executives and stock exchange executives. To take advantage of the Turkish Airlines discounts, you will need to provide a VIP code when you book your flights to and from Istanbul for the WBAF 2018 Annual Conference.

Please request your VIP code by email: info@wbaforum.org

WBAF Chairman speaks at the Alternative Investment Management (AIM) Summit in Dubai:

How the Collaborative Economy is Changing the Way We Consume

WBAF Chairman Baybars Altuntas was a discussant on a panel entitled ‘How the Collaborative Economy is Changing the Way We Consume’ on 4 April 2017 at the World Trade Center, Dubai. The AIM summit was organised under the patronage of the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

Annual Investment Meeting is the world’s leading platform for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), aimed at facilitating strategic networking and promoting investments. It is the largest gathering of the international investment community, policy makers, business leaders, regional and international investors, entrepreneurs, leading academics and experts showcasing up-to-date information and strategies on attracting FDI.

Enjoy the session here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkJaTxpf9Mk&feature=youtu.be

On 18 - 19–20 February 2018, WBAF Annual Conference will meet in Istanbul to shape the global agenda of the early-stage equity markets of the world.

Building on the success of the 2017 World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF), this year’s forum will focus on the theme ‘Unlocking the Potential for Innovation: Angel Investors Partnering with Family Offices and Wealth Management Institutions’. The discussions will explore how family offices and wealth management institutions can foster open innovation and deliver more business value through partnerships with angel investors, start-ups, scale-ups, high-growth businesses and SMEs.

Continue reading

Financial inclusion featured at the G20 Summit

Financial inclusion featured prominently at the G20 Summit in Hamburg on July 7 and 8. And for the first time ever, angel investment was discussed at a G20 meeting. Almost all of the topics discussed at the GPFI Forum in Berlin are included either in the Forum’s communiqué or its annexed documents, and most of the GPFI reports presented during the Forum have been endorsed and can be found on the GPFI website.

The G20 GPFI reports can be downloaded from http://www.gpfi.org/news and http://www.gpfi.org/publications.

Continue reading

WBAF TAKE INVEST SUMMIT 2018:
Applications for Start-ups, Scale-ups & High-growth Businesses are now live!

For the first time ever, the World Business Angels Investment Forum opens its doors to Start-ups, Scale-ups and High-growth Businesses: WBAF Take Invest Summit 2018 On 18- 19 - 20 February 2018, angel investors will come together in Istanbul at the annual meeting of the World Business Angels Investment Forum with the goal of creating new ways for start-ups, scale-ups and high-growth businesses to access finance. At this gathering of angel investors — the biggest angel investment forum in the world — WBAF to give 50 start-ups, scale-ups and high-growth businesses an opportunity to connect with hundreds of highly qualified angel investors from five continents. Application link for entrepreneurs is online now!

Those interested are invited to apply not later than 30 September 2017.

Apply Now

https://gust.com/programs/wbaf-take-invest-summit-2018

Download Application Brochure

https://issuu.com/wbaforum/docs/02_startups_19june

Download Start-up Guide

https://issuu.com/wbaforum/docs/start-up_guide

Continue reading

Angel Investor magazine asks:
What is the role of banks in the global early-stage investment markets?

The World Business Angels Investment Forum publishes the world’s only magazine on angel investment, Angel Investor (AI) . The aim is to provide a space for global discussion on issues that concern angel investors and stakeholders of early-stage equity markets. In this issue, AI asks: What is the role of banks in the global early-stage investment markets?

In fact, one only has to look at the growth in FinTech globally in recent years to recognise the major disruption that even the leanest of start-ups is capable of generating. Such trends, in addition to the more frequent rise of overnight ‘unicorns’, such as Uber, is forcing banks to take the early stage investing more seriously.

Continue reading

World Excellence Awards 2018:
Applications and nominations are now live!

With its Excellence Awards, the World Business Angels Investment Forum looks beyond borders. It seeks to promote and nurture start-ups, scale-ups, high-growth businesses, SMEs, angel investors, and a dynamic business community throughout the world. From business angels to policymakers to academics, the Awards salute those who stand out in imagining, discussing, and shaping the future of an entrepreneurial World. Applications and nominations for the World Excellence Awards are now live!

Those interested are invited to apply not later than 30 November 2017!

Applications & Nominations Link

https://gust.com/programs/world-excellence-awards-2018

Continue reading

Angel Investors: Spread your wings in Asia!

The WBAF High Commissioner in Hong Kong has reviewed a book for you: Angel Financing in Asia Pacific: A Guidebook for Investors and Entrepreneurs.

Angel Financing in Asia Pacific is the first book to take a telescope, and then a microscope, to angel investing in Asia. Author John Y. Lo, an experienced Hong Kong lawyer and angel investor, looks at Asia Pacific and its place in the global angel investing scene and then looks at major markets in the region. His Asia stretches from Japan in the north east, south to New Zealand and west to India. Mr Lo’s prose dominates the text, but he pens only the Hong Kong and China country specific chapters, with in-market experts contributing for their regions. His ‘collaborators’ - editors and co-writers on some elements of the book - are Patrick Mooney (Accelerating Commercialisation and Impact Tech Ventures, Australia) and Professor Po Chi Wu of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Continue reading

Global SME Finance Forum 2017 to be held in Berlin

The World Business Angels Investment Forum invites you to join 400 leaders of banks, fintech companies and development finance institutions at the Global SME Finance Forum 2017. Taking place 1–3 November in Berlin, this year’s conference will explore issues surrounding the digitisation of SME finance. The program will include interactive sessions, study tours to high-performing institutions, fintech demos, a B2B marketplace and networking sessions.

This annual flagship event will present unique perspectives of the industry thought leaders, rich experiences of the successful practitioners, and impactful financial innovations in "Digitization of SME Finance". Attendees will enjoy study visits to high-performing institutions, a B2B marketplace, fintech expo, panel discussions, working groups, and ample networking sessions that enable participants to get the most out of their experience. Learn more about the study visits, marketplace, fintech expo, speakers and more at Global SME Finance Forum 2017.

http://www.globalsmefinanceforum.org/2017/

Exclusive interview:
Easing access to finance for scale-ups,
Kenan Colpan, CEO of ITU ARI Teknopark

The ITU ARI Teknokent has generated a cumulative $3 billion in exports since its establishment. It has offices and representation in Istanbul, Chicago, San Francisco, London, Berlin and Dubai, providing business networking and related support services to its companies and start-ups across the world. Kenan Colpan of ITU ARI Teknokent points out that easing access to finance is not only important for start-ups, but also for scale-ups and angel investors. We have to develop innovative financial solutions to ease access to finance at the second, third and even further rounds of investment for angel investors and scale-ups. It was with this vision that ITU ARI Teknokent opened a new centre, this time for scale-ups.

ITU is now home to the only technopark in Turkey, South East Europe and the Middle East which has a start-up centre and a scale-up centre, each housed in its own building. Colpan encourages scale-ups of the world entrepreneurship ecosystem to take advantage of the scale-up exchange programmes of ITU ARI Teknokent.

Continue reading