The fintech space in Texas has always been a hub for innovation and growth. The number of finance and insurance companies in Texas increased by 7,394 from 2010 to 2019, with the market showing an 8.6% cumulative average growth rate (CAGR).
But the state doesn’t plan on stopping its growth statistics anytime soon. With the United States contributing over 56% of the world’s fintech market, angel investors from Texas are pumped to push this state beyond California and many other competitors.
Let us help you with some of the top-ranked angel investors in Texas who invest in Fintech startups.
Get To Know The Top 7 Angel Investors in Texas Who Fund Fintech Startups
| Investor | Focused Sectors | Notable Investments | Investment Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Anderson | Financial Services, FinTech, SaaS, Health Care, Logistics, Employment, Security, etc | Faction Collective, Enevo, Blispay, Vortx | $100,000 - $500,000 |
| John Watson | Farming, Construction, Health Care, IT, Recruiting, E-Commerce, etc. | Glowpoint, River Aggregates, GRT Rubber | $250,000 - $1 million |
| Kemal Farid | Enterprise Software, Cybersecurity, IoT, Cloud Computing, etc. | GeoScale, Uber, Youplus | $100,000 - $1 million |
| Femi Adegbola | Analytics, Big Data, Cryptocurrency, Logistics, Ride Sharing, FinTech | Kudi, Andela, Flutterwave, Texxi Global | Approx. $450,000 |
| Chris Trachier | Fintech, Real Estate, IT, Cloud Management, Sports, SaaS, Digital Marketing | Veretek, Gordon Technologies, Quinn Artificial Lift Services | $10,000 - $100,000 |
| Christopher Joseph | Advertising, Marketing, SaaS, Security, E-Learning | NinjaCat, RIVS, MediaPro | $20,000 - $200,000 |
| Austin Sandvik | Advertising, Marketing, SaaS, Cloud Computing, Education, Security | NinjaCat, RIVS, MediaPro | Approx. $50,000 |
Robert Anderson
- Focused Sectors: Financial Services, FinTech, Apps, B2B, Internet, Payments, SaaS, Software, Employment, Logistics, Outsourcing, Staffing Agency, Health Care, Medical, Personal Health, CRM, Enterprise Software, Information Technology, Finance, Financial Exchanges, Trading Platform, Insurance, Document Management, Security
- Present In: Texas
- Notable Investments: Faction Collective, Enevo, Gil Penchina Backers Fund I, Blispay, Vortx.
With over a decade in angel investing, Robert Anderson has carved out a distinctive niche, driven by a sharp eye for innovation and growth. Since 2012, Anderson has been a dedicated backer of early-stage startups, with a strong preference for Seed to Series A rounds.
Before becoming an angel investor, Anderson worked at Redpoint and Battery Ventures. At Redpoint Ventures, he served as a Principal, and at Battery Ventures, he held the role of Venture Partner, focusing on fintech and enterprise software investments.
Since becoming an angel investor, Anderson has funded over 45 startups with his investment range between $100,000 to $500,000 per deal.
John Watson
- Focused Sectors: Farming, Flowers, Wholesale, Advice, Consulting, Employee Benefits, Management Consulting, Building Maintenance, Building Material, Construction, Web Development, Advertising, Information Technology, Marketing, Software, Health Care, Hospital, Medical, Customer Service, Laundry and Dry-cleaning, Service Industry, Manufacturing, Recruiting, Women Founded, E-Commerce
- Present In: Texas
- Notable Investments: Glowpoint, Grand Flower Growers, River Aggregates, Van Gilder Insurance, East West Copolymer, GRT Rubber Technologies, Bridge Capital Solutions Corporation.
John Watson is a seasoned angel investor with a focus on early-stage startups. Before his angel investment career, Watson held key roles at two notable private equity firms. He worked as a Managing Director at KKR & Co.
When investing in businesses, John focuses on highly profitable startups that can make 3-5x ROI. He has been actively investing in startups since 2010, with a focus on startups that address large-scale problems with innovative, scalable solutions.
Since becoming an angel investor, Watson has funded around 28 startups. His investment range is between $250,000 and $1 million.
Kemal Farid
- Focused Sectors: Enterprise Software, Finance, SaaS, Software, Advertising, Advertising Platforms, Internet, Communities, Health Care, Public Safety, Internet of Things, Information Technology, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Media, Cyber Security, Network Security, Security, Women Founded, Cloud Computing, Developer APIs, iOS, Apps, Information Services, Telecommunications
- Present In: San Antonio
- Notable Investments: GeoScale, Uber, Youplus, Kraftwurx, Merrick Systems Inc (acquired by P2 Energy Solutions), P2 Energy Solutions, Zhongmen Group
For Kemal Farid, investing is about backing disruptive technology and visionary ideas. Since 2011, Farid has been drawn to early-stage tech startups that hold the potential to revolutionize traditional industries.
Farid is also a founding partner at BlueVine Ventures. Previously, he worked at Azimuth Ventures, where he served as Managing Director, focusing on energy and industrial technology investments.
Since becoming an angel investor, Farid has invested in over 25 startups. His typical investment range is between $100,000 and $1 million, depending upon the type of startup and expected ROI.
Femi Adegbola
- Focused Sectors: Analytics, Big Data, Cloud Computing, Collaborative Consumption, Cryptocurrency, FinTech, Internet of Things, Logistics, Ride Sharing, Transportation
- Present In: Fredericksburg and Houston
- Notable Investments: Kudi, Andela, Flutterwave, and Texxi Global
Funding startups since 2015, Femi Adegbola is a famous name in the angel community of Texas. He has actively invested in nearly 20 startups at the Seed and Series A stages.
Likewise, Adegbola looks for startups that can make it big in the fintech market. During investor meetings, he focuses on financials and invests in founders who can generate at least 2-5x ROI.
Femi Adegbola has made most of his investments through startup accelerators and fundraiser events. The investment range of Femi Adegbola is around 450,000, depending upon the stage of the startup and its estimated ROI.
Chris Trachier
- Focused Sectors: Fintech, Home Renovation, Real Estate, Real Estate Investment, Residential, Software, Recruiting, Social Recruiting, Staffing Agency, CRM, Enterprise Software, Information Technology, Internet of Things, Broadcasting, Digital Media, Sports, Cloud Management, Human Resources, SaaS, Advertising Platforms, B2B, Digital Marketing, Marketing Automation, Consumer Lending, E-Commerce, Social Media
- Present In: Austin, San Antonio, Houston
- Notable Investments: Veretek, Gordon Technologies, Johnson Specialty Tools, Global Heat Transfer, Quinn Artificial Lift Services, Axon Pressure Products, Shepherd Safety Systems
Chris Trachier’s investment approach mixes industry experience with a hands-on commitment to early-stage growth. Since 2014, Trachier has been deeply invested in the fintech and cybersecurity sectors, a focus he cultivated through years at TPG Capital and General Atlantic.
As an early-stage investor, Trachier invests in a startup when the founder has just started to scale and build up a solid plan for future growth. He prefers to back companies with innovative solutions to complex problems, strong technical founders, and sustainable competitive advantages.
His investment range is between $10,000 and $100,000.
Christopher Joseph
- Focused Sectors: Advertising, Marketing, SaaS, SEM, SEO, Software, Apps, Career Planning, Cloud Computing, Enterprise Software, Human Resources, Recruiting, E-Learning, Education, Security, Training
- Present In: Austin and Houston
- Notable Investments: NinjaCat, RIVS, MediaPro
Having funded 20 startups in the last decade, Christopher Joseph is a seasoned angel investor who is also known as an entrepreneur. Before transitioning into angel investing, Joseph worked as a Senior Analyst at Sequoia Capital, where he focused on healthcare and AI investments.
Joseph looks for startups with innovative technology solutions, strong founding teams, and the ability to disrupt traditional industries. He values companies that show early signs of market traction and scalability.
Currently, Joseph has funded 18 startups (4 portfolio companies). He has an investment range between $20,000 and $200,000.
Austin Sandvik
- Focused Sectors: Advertising, Marketing, SaaS, SEM, SEO, Software, Apps, Career Planning, Cloud Computing, Enterprise Software, Human Resources, Recruiting, E-Learning, Education, Security, Training
- Present In: Texas
- Notable Investments: NinjaCat, RIVS, MediaPro
With a strong interest in blockchain, fintech, and SaaS, Austin Sandvik is a prominent angel investor. Sandvik’s career at Accel Partners and Insight Partners grounded him in fintech and software, industries he believes are pivotal to future growth.
Over the past eight years, he has backed over 15 startups, especially those with clear revenue models and well-defined business strategies.
As an investor, Sandvik usually makes his investments through startup fundraisers and social media programs. Although he participates in networking events but only invested in 5 startups to date.
The investment range of Austin Sandvik is around $50,000 as he invests at the earliest stages of a business.
Wrap-Up:
So, now that you have the names of some of the most active fintech investors in Texas, it probably feels like that funding check is just some steps away.
Well, it’s not that easy.
Even when all these investors are always searching for an opportunity to invest in, you still need to do a lot of homework to prove your startup is the “Next Big Thing”.
Here are three tips to make the process easier for you.
- Focus on financials. Stats speak louder than outdated quotes.
- Stories matter a lot but don’t spend hours explaining your motivation to angel investors.
- Always have an exit strategy to make your startup look investiable. Angel investors value profitability and fund businesses that are dealing in large markets.