Tamiami Angel Funds

The Tamiami Angel Fund I, LLC (”TAFI” or “the Fund”) is Southwest Florida’s first Angel Fund. TAFI is a formal fund of growth capital organized to invest in Florida-based early-stage through expansion-stage companies. We evaluate based on the management team, market opportunity, growth potential, as well as other factors. To stand out from the rest of the crowd, make sure that you meet our investment criteria and that you are fully prepared with a polished business plan and presentation. Investment Criteria: -Management team. We look for teams of high-quality entrepreneurs with a track record of leadership and performance - either in the company's specific industry or in prior entrepreneurial ventures. We also look at your team's passion for and commitment to the new business idea, and your ability to inspire confidence among future stakeholders, including employees, potential customers, and investors. As we will be working together as partners, your team's credibility is essential. In addition, your team must be open to and comfortable with receiving input provided by angel investors. -Market opportunity. We invest in solutions that address major problems for significantly large target markets (i.e. a $100+ million market). Your company must demonstrate a strategy to claim a significant share of this market (i.e. 20%+). There are plenty of great business ideas - but not all businesses will generate returns that justify angel investor and venture capital financing. Therefore, providing a solution to a problem with a large potential market is essential. -Growth potential. We look for companies that can grow quickly and manage the scale necessary to succeed. Your company must demonstrate a plan to generate significant profits beyond the initial product idea. Do you have a strategy to achieve multiple sources of revenue? We also require well-conceived financial projections, based on sound assumptions, demonstrating consistent profits and cash flow growth. -Competitive advantage. Your company must have some proprietary features that distinguish you from potential competitors or provide barriers to entry that prevent other companies from capturing your customers with a similar offering. Attributes that convey competitive advantage include intellectual property protection, exclusive licenses, exclusive marketing and distribution relationships, strong brands, scarce human resources (i.e. knowledge and skills), and access to scarce raw materials. -Technology. We prefer to invest in first-of-a-kind new ideas, rather than incremental enhancements to common products and services. Is this a nice-to-have, or a need-to-have product or service? However, we approach highly complex, esoteric technologies with caution. The concept behind the technology must be proven and verifiable. Further, we avoid science projects that don’t demonstrate a clear path to commercialization. Any breakthrough innovation must be accompanied by a strong business plan.