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Desert Angels

North America, Arizona, United States, Tucson

Description

Desert Angels is a prominent angel investment network based in Tucson, Arizona, dedicated to fostering the growth of early-stage ventures. Established in 2000, the group comprises experienced investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders who collectively identify and fund promising startups. Their mission revolves around providing crucial seed and early-stage capital, often serving as the first institutional money for nascent companies, while also leveraging the collective expertise of their members to mentor and guide portfolio companies.

The network primarily focuses on companies seeking initial funding rounds, typically at the seed or Series A stage. Desert Angels is known for its collaborative approach, where members pool their capital and insights to make investment decisions. Their typical first cheque size ranges from $250,000 to $750,000, indicating a preference for significant initial commitments that can genuinely propel a startup's early development. They look for strong management teams, innovative technologies, and scalable business models across various sectors.

Over more than two decades, Desert Angels has built a substantial portfolio, demonstrating a consistent commitment to the startup ecosystem. As of recent data, the group has made 122 investments across numerous companies, contributing significantly to the economic development of the Southwest region and beyond. Their track record also includes 14 successful exits, showcasing their ability to identify ventures with high growth potential and deliver returns for their members. This consistent activity underscores their role as a vital capital source for emerging businesses.

Investor Profile

Desert Angels has backed more than 32 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 3 rounds, about 9% of its total and boasts 8 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Series B rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States.
  • Strong thematic focus on Health Care, SaaS, Software.
  • Typical check size: $250K – $750K.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (38%)
  • Series A (22%)
  • Series B (13%)
  • Series Unknown (6%)
  • Convertible Note (6%)
  • Angel (6%)
  • Pre Seed (6%)
  • Series C (3%)

Country Focus

  • United States (100%)

Industry Focus

  • Health Care
  • Saas
  • Software
  • Real Time
  • Edtech
  • Education
  • Biotechnology
  • Apps
  • Recruiting
  • Service Industry
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Desert Angels frequently co-invest with?

Sequoia Capital
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 3
Kanematsu Corporation
Asia, Chiba, Japan, Minato
Co-Investments: 3
Album VC
North America, Utah, United States, Lehi
Co-Investments: 4
UAVenture Capital
North America, Arizona, United States, Tucson
Co-Investments: 5
Arizona Founders Fund
North America, Arizona, United States, Phoenix
Co-Investments: 2
Rockies Venture Club
North America, Colorado, United States, Denver
Co-Investments: 2
Arizona Tech Investors
North America, Arizona, United States, Mesa
Co-Investments: 17
Tech Coast Angels
North America, California, United States, Newport Beach
Co-Investments: 2
MRTNZ Ventures
North America, Arizona, United States, Scottsdale
Co-Investments: 3
Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund
North America, District of Columbia, United States, Washington
Co-Investments: 3

Which angels does Desert Angels often collaborate with?

Damian Jones
North America, Louisiana, United States, Baton Rouge
Shared Deals: 1
De'Anthony Melton
North America, California, United States, North Hollywood
Shared Deals: 1
SC
North America, California, United States, San Jose
Shared Deals: 2
MC
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 2
BG
North America, California, United States, Los Angeles
Shared Deals: 1
MP
North America, Arizona, United States
Shared Deals: 3
CF
North America, Oregon, United States, Portland
Shared Deals: 1
MM
North America, Arizona, United States, Phoenix
Shared Deals: 2
BL
North America, Arizona, United States, Scottsdale
Shared Deals: 1
CM
North America, Florida, United States, Orlando
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by Desert Angels?

Delta Development

Tucson, Arizona, United States

Delta Development manufactures battery operated, medical refrigerator to store vaccines and blood products in any climate or environment.

IndustrialManufacturingMedical Device
Series ASep 25, 2023
MessageDesk

Reno, Nevada, United States

MessageDesk is a shared team inbox for business text messaging.

MessagingSaaSSMSSoftware
SeedMar 24, 2023
Amount Raised: $1,661,037
Qwick

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Qwick is the professional platform at the heart of hospitality, connecting businesses with industry freelancers in real time.

AppsReal TimeRecruitingService IndustryStaffing Agency
Series BNov 1, 2022
Amount Raised: $40,000,000
Lemon Perfect

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Lemon Perfect is a beverage company that provides cold-pressed lemon water with essential electrolytes and a blast of antioxidant vitamin C.

Consumer GoodsFood and BeverageRetail
SeedAug 18, 2020
Amount Raised: $6,600,000
Botco.ai

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

Botco.ai is a HIPAA-compliant, marketing chat solution for meaningful and intelligent conversations between providers and consumers.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Machine LearningSaaS
SeedJun 5, 2020
StimAire

Tucson, Arizona, United States

StimAire is a neural stimulation company.

Health CareMedical Device
Series ANov 18, 2019
Amount Raised: $2,670,000
Aural Analytics

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

We build applications that use speech to detect subtle changes in brain health.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Health CareHealth DiagnosticsHome Health CareMachine LearningmHealthMobile Devices
SeedSep 5, 2019
Amount Raised: $4,300,000
Virtuous Software

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Virtuous Software provides nonprofit CRM and donor management tools to enhance fundraising efforts.

AnalyticsCharityCRMSaaSSoftware
Series AApr 26, 2019
Amount Raised: $4,200,000
Qwick

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Qwick is the professional platform at the heart of hospitality, connecting businesses with industry freelancers in real time.

AppsReal TimeRecruitingService IndustryStaffing Agency
SeedMar 20, 2019
Amount Raised: $3,500,000
Qwick

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Qwick is the professional platform at the heart of hospitality, connecting businesses with industry freelancers in real time.

AppsReal TimeRecruitingService IndustryStaffing Agency
Pre SeedNov 18, 2018
Amount Raised: $1,300,000