BACKGROUND STORY

WHAT MAKES OUR APPROACH UNIQUE IS THE BACKGROUND STORY OF OUR FOUNDERS

Before…

Rui’s deep passion for software engineering quickly made him realize that the corporate world was too limiting for his creativity and ambitions. Eager to follow his own vision, he founded Autor, a multimedia technologies company, in marking his first true leap toward independence.

This wasn’t just a business, it was Rui's first taste of freedom. After years of hard work, he celebrated a major success by selling Autor to a telecom company in a significant exit. But instead of slowing down, Rui eagerly embraced a new challenge, launching Eduweb and Edulearn to revolutionize e-learning. After selling Edulearn to a Brazilian company, his passion for innovation led him into angel investing, where he made his first investment in Plux and founded I-Zone, further fueling his unstoppable drive to empower entrepreneurs and shape the future.

Before…

Pedro’s journey began with a passion for helping others, leading him to become a nurse, where he found fulfillment in caring for people. However, he soon realized he craved more challenge and personal growth than the role could provide. Seeking to make a broader impact, Pedro launched several non-profit initiatives, but sustainability issues limited their long-term effectiveness. This realization led him to explore entrepreneurship as a more sustainable path for creating change. His first venture, a local clinic providing nursing services, allowed him to blend his passion for helping with innovation. From there, Pedro expanded into the online education sector, creating courses to empower others with valuable skills, and went on to build several successful companies in diverse industries, finding both personal growth and a way to create lasting, meaningful impact on a much larger scale.

Conceptualization

In 2013, the paths of Rui and Pedro converged, marking a pivotal moment in both their entrepreneurial journeys. Rui, already driven by his passion for entrepreneurship and investment, founded Smart Equity, a business angel vehicle dedicated to supporting early-stage startups. This move signified his entry into angel investing, where his desire to empower entrepreneurs merged with his belief in the potential of innovative ideas. Around the same time, Rui’s curiosity about market dynamics led him to pursue a PhD in Marketing, a decision that would deepen his understanding of the investment landscape and shape his future strategies in the field. Meanwhile, Pedro, an entrepreneur seeking investment for his online courses startup, met Rui. What began as a pitch soon transformed into a series of deep discussions about the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the intricacies of angel investing. Rui’s vision of elevating the amateurish nature of angel investing resonated with Pedro, sparking in him a newfound interest and sense of purpose in the investment world.

Execution

Determined to make a meaningful impact, both Rui and Pedro committed fully to the world of angel investing. By 2014, Rui and Pedro had established the Aveiro Business Angels Club (ABAC), creating a local network to support and connect investors with entrepreneurs. Together, they launched REDangels, Portugal’s first angel fund, cementing their roles as pioneers in the country’s investment landscape. Their partnership flourished as they expanded their ambitions on a global scale. In 2019, they co-founded COREangels, a global angel fund network, aiming to replicate their model internationally. COREangels quickly gained recognition, ranking among Europe’s top 10 most active angel groups. Today Rui and Pedro are leading several angel funds and are on the board of Investors Portugal - the Portuguese Association for Early-Stage Investors, Pedro as Vice-President for Angels and Rui as board member. Their leadership continues to shape the future of angel investing. Both have not only provided financial backing but also mentorship and strategic guidance to startups, fostering innovation and growth across various industries.

Contribution

By launching YAngel, Rui and Pedro expanded their influence, creating an initiative focused on training and mentoring angel investors, reinforcing their commitment to professionalizing the angel investing ecosystem. Rui's academic journey culminated in the publication of his PhD thesis on Angel Perceived Investment Value, offering groundbreaking insights to the angel investing community and shaping new perspectives on investment strategies. Their approach, which emphasizes aligning an investor’s path with their personal goals, has empowered countless angels to achieve substantial success. By fostering deeper connections between investors and startups, Rui and his team have made a lasting, positive impact on the startup world, driving innovation and sustainable growth across the ecosystem. Together, they have inspired a new generation of investors, advancing the professionalization and growth of the ecosystem they have passionately built, ensuring their legacy of empowering angels continues.