With almost 1,000 startups and new businesses storming in every day, Arlington has become a hotspot for many entrepreneurs as well as Angel investors. The city has a thriving economy and a great environment for any entrepreneur to start a new business.

However, it can be quite hard for startups to find their desired investor with identical business interests in a number this big. 

But fear not! 

In this detailed guide, we have filtered out some of Arlington's most active and top-ranking angel investors who will fund your startup and provide much-needed guidance.

So, let’s wait no longer and jump onto the list of the top 6 angel investors in Arlington.

Top 6 Angel Investors in Arlington

Following is the list of top individual angel investors, Venture Capital firms, and startup accelerators in Arlington.

However, before you move on to the list, always conduct detailed research before pitching to any investor. It is best to open their website, check the investment criteria, and double-check all the information to avoid any errors and maximize your chances of securing the funding.

Sands Capital

Website: Sands Capital

Investing Interests: Tech and Healthcare.

Investor Type: VC Firm 

Founded in 1992 by Frank M. Sands and Michael Rubin, Sands Capital is one of the biggest investment networks in Arlington. With a group of several investors and almost 175 investments, they invest in a wide range of sectors, including Healthcare, Business products, and Technology.

Moreover, the screening tests of Sands Capital are also quite tough as they only select startups that have huge growth potential and problem-solving ideas. 

During the screening tests, there is a “Questioning Phase” where the investors ask startups about their ideas and why their business is worth investing in. 

Once the startup passes these screening tests, Sands Capital provides them with the investment and proper mentorship to ensure they can reach their maximum potential. The network also hosts workshops and proper business classes to guide freshies about how they can deal with challenges faced at different startup stages.

The investment range of Sands Capital ranges from $500,000 to $6M, depending on the startup field and its expected growth potential.

DARPA

Website: DARPA Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative (EEI)

Investing Interests: Tech

Investor Type: VC Firm

DARPA is another famous name in the VC firms of Arlington. The agency was created in 1958. However, later on, DARPA became an angel investment network comprising hundreds of investors and investing billions of dollars into the startup ecosystem. Their famous Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative (EEI) has helped 30 pre-seed research teams raise over $100 million in the U.S. But that isn’t it.

Currently, DARPA is ready to fund more startups in 2023 as long as long as these startups can pass the screening test. During these screening tests, DARPA determines whether a startup can bring new ideas to the market, generate huge profits, survive saturated markets, and ease the lives of normal people. And since the network consists of many angel investors, DARPA invests in many startups as long as the startup shows chances of massive growth.

The mentorship programs of DARPA are also hosted by the best business mentors worldwide. They want to ensure that once DARPA funds a startup, it can become a successful brand. 

The investment range of DARPA depends on the startup’s field and many factors. They usually invest around $5M-$20M in tech startups. Some of their recent investments are;

Moderna: A biotechnology company.

NVIDIA: A multinational technology company known for its GPUs.

Xanadu: A quantum technology company.

Rhombuz

Website: Rhombuz

Investing Interests: Tech, Media, and Healthcare.

Investor Type: VC Firm

Rhombuz is one of the recent Venture Capital Firms of Arlington. Founded in 2016 by Jony N, the network focuses on a wide range of sectors. They usually fund startups related to tech, media, healthcare, and consumer products. 

During the screening tests, Rhombuz ensures they invest in deserving startups. At first, the online screening of Rhombuz filters out some startups that can appear for the live screening test. Once these startups are present at the venue, the investors ask several questions and also allow the entrepreneurs to explain how their businesses can solve modern problems.

Aside from investment, Rhombuz also hosts many mentorship programs conducted by experienced mentors to guide fresh startups. However, there isn't any recent record of Rhombuz arranging networking events to help startups meet with other investors.

The investment range of Rhombuz ranges from $200,000 to $3M. Among many of their investments, some portfolio companies include;

Koywe: A web3 platform to connect wallets and portfolios.

Fz Sports: A global sports OTT for live and on-demand premium events.

WealthSimple: A leading WealthTech player in Canada.

Treinta: A fintech company.

Aneesh Chopra

Investing Interests: Tech and Media

Investor Type: Individual Investor 

Aneesh Chopra is one of the most experienced individual angel investors in Arlington. If you have watched TV shows in the early 2000s, the name shouldn't sound new to you because Aneesh Chopra has always been a tech enthusiast. 

He became the Chief Technology Officer of the United States in 2009. Just two years later, Chopra funded the first startup of his life and has been helping startups grow ever since.

As for his investment interests, Aneesh Chopra likes to invest in the tech and media industry. He usually conducts strict screening tests, ensuring his funding budget doesn’t go to waste. During screening tests, Aneesh Chopra evaluates the startup's past achievements, future goals, estimated ROI, and chances of survival.

The investment range of Aneesh Chopra ranges from $100,000 to $1.5M, depending on several things. Among many of his investments, some include;

Abridge: Abridge is a healthcare institute that helps people maintain good health through different check-ups.

Stride Health: Stride Health is a company that provides health insurance and tax assistance for independent workers.

Micheal Sutton

Investing Interests: Tech

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Micheal Sutton is also an individual angel investor who is determined to boost the startup ecosystem of Arlington. The angel investor has been funding startups related to cyber security for a long time. However, his involvement with the cyber field seems quite surprising because of his long-time relationship with banks.

Moreover, since Sutton is the founder of StoneMill Ventures and Principal at Blu Ventures, he has massive experience in this industry. Sutton carefully evaluates various factors about a startup.

Once invested, Sutton guides these startups in the best way, ensuring they can become successful brands. 

The investment range of Micheal Sutton ranges from $300,000 to $2M. Some of his portfolio companies include;

Buff City Soap: A company that makes delightful handmade soaps.

Twin Peaks: A sports bar and grill known for its comfortable lodge atmosphere and great food.

Encore Venture Partners

Investing Interests: Tech, Media and Healthcare

Investor Type: VC Firm

Started in 1991, Encore Venture Partners is another famous Venture Capital Firm in Arlington. The investment interests of Encore Venture Partners include startups related to technology, media, and the healthcare industry. 

Moreover, once Encore Venture Partners have invested in a startup, they host several mentorship programs and networking events to provide the best guidance to these startups. 

The investment range of Encore Venture Partners ranges from 200,00 up to several million dollars depending on the project. Some of their portfolio companies include;

Nomadix: A provider of network devices that offers reliable and secure wireless computing bandwidth management.

Lockstream: A tech company for content such as ringtones, music, and games on mobile phones.

Final Words

So, there you have the list of the top angel investors in Arlington. However, as mentioned before, even when you have the names, it can be a little difficult to connect with these investors. 

That is why, before wrapping up, here are some short tips on how you can connect with these angel investors.

The golden tip about connecting with investors is attending networking events. I know it can sound a little difficult and time-consuming, but these events can change your life. I’ve often witnessed many entrepreneurs attending different networking events and generating valuable leads from such places.

Aside from these events, once you are ready to pitch to angel investors, never ignore a good pitch deck. Remember, all it needs to enter the checklist of angel investors is an amazing pitch deck.

Best of Luck!

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