Below you can find my interview to Candace Johnson. Candace is an angel investor. Candace will be @MTB Venture Camp (Global Angel Investment Forum, Milan, Nov 8-9th).
Hi Candace, how would you introduce yourself?
> I’m a Serial Entrepreneur who is most proud of having started the SES ASTRA satellite system 30 years ago and helped build it to be no. 1 in Europe and then having gone the next step to be the architect of making it become SES Global, the world’s pre-eminent satellite system.
How do you see the startup environment in Europe?
> I think in general the Start-Up Environment in Europe needs to get much more professional, much more serious, be much more market-oriented and really try and build global companies that will put Europe on the map as a center for 21st Century companies.
What’s your evaluation of the current economic situation and its impact on the venture capital and early stage investments?
> The current economic situation is good in that governments have finally realized that they must absolutely foster innovation and entrepreneurship in their countries and that they need to put some money and muscle behind it. This is being done by co-investment schemes where governments follow the Business Angel or the Venture Capitalist investments. I think all government support must also really have a success measurement because otherwise the money is just “given away”. Angel investors in general must become more professional as well, but the Italian Angel investors are already very professional.
How do you see the crowdfunding phenomena? How is going to impact the venture capital industry?
> I think the Crowdfunding system is great . We need all instruments we can to help fund innovation and entrepreneurship.
What are the most frequent mistakes startups do?
> Get started! There are way too many start-ups that get started because they received 50 K Euros from an incubator, etc. Start-ups have to really think before they accept money from anyone if they and their idea are really worth of receiving money to go forward. I have always preferred investing in companies that have been able to get to a certain stage – product, market success, etc before I invest.
What are the most frequent mistakes angel investors do?
> They are too nice.
What are the most difficult things to be evaluated while investing in early stage startups?
> Whether they will really stay the course .
What’s your main message you’d like to convey to angel and seed investors? And to startuppers?
> It is all of our duty and responsibility to try and solve the world’s (or local, national) problems with our ideas, our work, and our investment. For me, everyone has a personal responsibility to their stakeholders, their team, the users/clients, the world and to their vision to solve problems. I also make a very big difference between a “startupper” and an “entrepreneur”.
You can meet Candace in Milan @ Mind the Bridge Angel Investing Global Forum (Milan, November 8-9, 2013).
