Guayacán hosts training workshops for angel investors
Troy Knauss
Grupo Guayacán held capacity building workshops for angel investors over the weekend, offered by Troy Knauss, vice president of the Board of Trustees of the Angel Resource Institute.
The workshops are part of “The Power of Angel Investing,” a program presented by ARI and the Kauffman Foundation.
The sessions began Friday, with an introductory course covering the fundamentals of the practice of angel investing. During the seminar, participants reviewed concepts such as: Is angel investing right for you?; Angel portfolio strategy; How to structure angel deals; Valuation of early stage companies; and the post-investment relationship.
On Saturday, Knauss offered an intensive course on due diligence, valuation, and term sheets. The event, sponsored by Grupo Guayacán and Echar Pa’Lante, took place at the Popular Center in Hato Rey and drew a significant group of investors, aspiring angels, entrepreneurs, and service providers, Guayacán officials said.
The presentation is part of Guayacán’s efforts to build a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in Puerto Rico, complemented by a robust private equity market.
“At Guayacán, we are proud to offer the high quality content offered by the Angel Resource Institute and the vast experience of instructor Troy Knauss,” said Laura Cantero, executive director of Grupo Guayacán.
“Promoting investment in early stage companies is critical to the development of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and driving the growth of global businesses from Puerto Rico,” she said. “It’s also vital that we engage experienced leaders who can provide capital beyond the financial, including intellectual capital, expertise, mentoring, and relationships with potential clients.”
Knauss brings more than 20 years of entrepreneurial experience in startup, growth, and family businesses. Troy also collaborates with a number of angel funds and networks and is an active investor in multiple companies.
“I am excited to say that during this second visit to Puerto Rico I have witnessed a significant increase in interest and energy around building a strong local angel investing community to support the growth and development of early stage entrepreneurs,” Knauss said.
“While this ecosystem is still at a nascent stage, it’s certainly encouraging to see the pieces of a vibrant ecosystem starting to come together,” he said.
More than 60 investors, professionals and entrepreneurs attended the weekend’s sessions. Members of Ausubo Ventures, Puerto Rico’s first formal angel investing group were also present at the workshops.
