Rethinking Angel Investing: A Better Way to Back Founders
The first time you’re invited to invest in a promising startup, it’s electric. You imagine your ₹5,00,000 turning into crores. This might be the one.
By the fifteenth time, the buzz fades. You’re negotiating with your partner, second-guessing your liquidity, and realizing: none of your previous bets have returned anything yet. You’re starting to feel more strain than excitement.
Let’s face it — most of us aren’t bottomless venture funds. We’ve got responsibilities, obligations, and probably more than enough exposure to startups through our work alone. Tying up a huge chunk of your net worth in illiquid equity? That’s a risky game for even the most seasoned.
Meanwhile, the startup pitch deck train doesn’t stop. Another friend is raising. Another warm intro hits your inbox. You want to support… but not at the cost of your financial sanity.
Here’s the problem:
We’ve conflated financial investment with emotional investment.
- Founders crave thoughtful allies.
- Contributors crave meaningful ownership.
- But…
- Contributors don’t want to sink more cash into high-risk equity.
- Founders don’t always need the money—they need minds, networks, experience.
So, why not decouple the two?
Instead of asking your most strategic supporters to write cheques, invite them in without one.
Here’s how it could sound:
“Hey — we’re finalizing our seed round, led by X and Y.
As part of this, we’re setting aside equity for people we truly admire — people we believe can help us win.
I’d love for you to be one of them.
No cash needed. Think of it like a sweatless angel check. You’ll get equity equal to what a ₹50L investment would have earned. No strings, no pressure — just quarterly updates and a few optional ways to help if you’re interested.
Let me know if you’d like an invite to join.”
No paperwork stress. No financial burden. Just smart alignment.
The upside? You expand the table.
You don’t need deep pockets to earn equity. Now, power users, superfans, early champions, niche experts — people outside the tech bubble — can build a startup portfolio. This democratizes access and multiplies your army of advocates.
Don’t make people pay to support you. Pay them with equity for their insight, network, and belief.
We built Asoka.App to help founders do exactly this — build advisory programs, offer equity cleanly, and activate a meaningful support network.
Ready to flip the model?
Visit Asoka.App and sign up for free.
Check out the book on GOOGLE PLAY here
Check out the book on AMAZON here
0 Comments