Top 4 Angel Investors in Washington

Washington's top angel investors include Andy Liu of Unlock Venture Partners, Charlie Songhurst of Katana Capital, Diego Piacentini, and the Alliance of Angels, the state's largest angel network. 

There are a lot of startups to watch, and a lot of brands to focus on, but, are there any investors who are willing to fund startups?

This is a common question often raised by individuals who are new to the startup culture. And luckily, hundreds of angel investors in Washington can provide a startup with much-needed funding and guidance.

However, finding these investors is where the tough deal comes in since you do not have the proper information about each individual or a specific firm.

To help you out, I have researched and prepared the following list of the top 4 angel investors in Washington along with their investment interests.

Top 4 Angel Investors in Washington

Before I jump on to the list of top angel investors, it is important to know that several tips are required to successfully secure an investment. 

Once done with the list, understand how to pitch to angel investors, use a checklist, and then try the online forms or participate in investor meetings.

Onto the list now.

Andy Liu

• LinkedIn: Andy Liu
• Investor Type: Individual Investor / Co-Founding Partner, Unlock Venture Partners
• Investment Interests: Software, Fintech, and Digital Businesses. 
• Investment Stage: Pre-seed and Seed

Andy Liu is a longtime Seattle entrepreneur and angel investor, and a co-founding partner of Unlock Venture Partners. He previously co-founded and led NetConversions (acquired by aQuantive) and BuddyTV (acquired by Vizio), and has been an active early-stage investor in Pacific Northwest technology companies for decades. 

Andy Liu prefers pre-seed and seed-stage startups, primarily in the technology sector, with a focus on companies building a durable data or platform advantage. 

Two of his verified investments include:

Concreit Inc.: Concreit is a Seattle-based company that has developed an investing platform designed to make real estate investing accessible to everyday investors.

Possible Finance: Possible Finance is a consumer finance company that offers access to capital and a guided path toward long-term financial health, focused on helping communities break the debt cycle.

Charlie Songhurst

• LinkedIn: Charlie Songhurst
• Investor Type: Individual Investor
• Investment Interests: Enterprise Software, AI, Deep Tech, and Fintech.
• Investment Stage: Seed and Early Stage

Charlie Songhurst is a Kirkland, Washington based angel investor who has personally invested in nearly 500 companies. He is a founding partner of Katana Capital, a long-short equity hedge fund, and runs the Songhurst Group, which holds assets in a variety of private companies. He previously served as General Manager and Head of Global Corporate Strategy at Microsoft.

Songhurst's portfolio spans artificial intelligence, deep tech, fintech, biotech, and quantum computing, and he is active mainly at the seed and early-stage venture level.

Three of his verified portfolio companies are:

Hubflo: Hubflo is a Paris-based company that has developed an all-in-one platform designed to make prospecting, working, and invoicing easier. 

Story Protocol: Story Protocol is a web3 technology developer that aims to change the way narrative universes are formed. 

KAIKAKU: KAIKAKU is a London-based company that builds robotics, AI, and software tools to automate restaurant operations.

Diego Piacentini

• LinkedIn: Diego Piacentini
• Investor Type: Individual Investor
• Investment Interests: Fintech, HR Tech, Healthtech, and Education
• Investment Stage: Pre-seed and Seed

Diego Piacentini is a Seattle-based angel investor best known for his 16 years as Senior Vice President of Amazon's International Consumer Business. He later served as Italy's Government Commissioner for Digital Transformation. 

Aside from investment activities, Diego Piacentini is also dedicated to startup guidance. He conducts and participates in many startup events, guiding startups about what to do when things don't go their way.

Note: his angel investing focus is currently concentrated on Italy-based startups through Exor Seeds, so founders should not assume a Washington-specific investment thesis. Three of his verified portfolio companies are:

Jet HR: Jet HR is an Italy-based company that has developed a payroll and HRIS B2B SaaS platform designed for employee management. 

IDOVEN: IDOVEN is a company that develops medical software designed to detect heart problems at early stages to prevent cardiac diseases, using AI to analyze long-lasting electrocardiograms.

FUTURELY: FUTURELY is a digital career counseling platform that assists high school students in achieving goals with clear steps in a personal way. 

Alliance of Angels

• Website: Alliance of Angels
• Investor Type: Angel Group
• Investment Interests: Technology, Hardware, Consumer, Life Sciences
• Investment Stage: Pre-seed, Seed, and Early Stage

Alliance of Angels is the largest and most active angel group in the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1997 and based in Seattle, the group is made up of 180+ accredited investor members who finance and support high-growth startups in technology, hardware, consumer products, and life sciences.

Since inception, Alliance of Angels has invested more than $100 million into over 200 companies, generating over $1 billion in returns from exits including DocuSign, Elemental Technologies, and BuddyTV.

Wrap-Up

Sometimes, it is possible that even the startups with the most unique ideas can't secure investments. In such cases, the problem isn't with the idea but with the presentation. 

Before pitching to investors, it is recommended to work on your pitching skills, do proper research, and present your ideas as a profitable investment for angel investors. Location preference can also matter, as many Washington angels prefer startups based in Seattle and other well-known cities in Washington.  

Frequently Asked Questions

How many angel investors are based in Washington state?

AngelMatch currently tracks over 1,000 investors located in Washington state, spanning individual angels, angel groups, and venture firms active at the seed and pre-seed stages.

What is the difference between an angel investor and a venture capital firm?

Angel investors put in their own personal money, typically at the pre-seed or seed stage, while venture capital and private equity firms invest pooled institutional capital, often at later stages and in larger amounts. Some individuals, like Andy Liu, do both.

Is it possible to find an angel investor for free?

It's not common to find networking events that are totally free, but with the right approach it is possible to find investors for free.

Participating in networking events within your industry or local entrepreneurial community, such as Seattle Angel Conference or Alliance of Angels events, can help you connect with potential investors without direct financial outlays.

How to make your startup investable?

To make a startup investable, focus on a scalable business model, a strong team, a well-defined market opportunity, and evidence of market validation.