These businesses range from startup to scale-up to exit, and the ultimate goal is to generate economic development, jobs and more social justice worldwide. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it particularly difficult to reach out for any kind of finance – smart or otherwise. The World Business Angels Investment Forum has therefore strengthened its emphasis on developing innovative financial and non-financial instruments for entrepreneurs and SMEs as a part of its global agenda. 

One new innovation is the new digital ID cards, a virtual platform for entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, consultants, faculty members and university students around the world. The ultimate goal is to create a high-quality portfolio with some of the world’s most promising startups, and scale-ups and, at the same time, create opportunities for co-investment and follow-on investments. An additional goal is to connect startups with angel investors, making it possible for startups to benefit from the know-how, mentoring, and networks of qualified investors. 

Baybars Altuntas, WBAF Executive Chairman, says, “Entrepreneurs in post-pandemic times need much more than a clever idea to succeed – they need a complex set of skills and funding to develop, execute, and succeed in order to take their idea to market. The best form of early-stage finance is when one combines finance, know-how, mentoring, and networking. These are the components of smart finance, which give entrepreneurs and SMEs much better prospects of success in post-pandemic economies. WBAF’s digital ID card programme supports entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, consultants, faculty members and university students by providing valuable resources, including toolkits, quality education, international business mentoring, global networking, and opportunities to pitch online to investors.’’ 

He adds, “The World Business Angels Investment Forum believes that by drawing on various disciplines, we can design innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest issues, access to finance, gender equality, ethical governance, commercialization of scientific research, business and digital transformation, and financial inclusion. This collaborative approach of the WBAF Digital ID Card programme will have a multiplier effect on world economies.”

The WBAF digital ID card programme is designed to capitalize on the worldwide growth in entrepreneurial activity and venture financing for startups and scale-ups and on WBAF’s extensive network of global investors, which include angel investors, private equity funds, co-investment platforms, wealth management institutions, family offices, VCs, and acceleration centres. 

There are 4 main card categories:

• Entrepreneurs: Startup Founder, Global Entrepreneur, Woman Entrepreneur
• Investors: Investor, Qualified Angel Investor, Impact Investor
• Mentors: Business Mentor, Personal Coach, International Consultant
• Academics: Faculty Member, University Startup

The digital ID card programme is supported by the WBAF Business School, The WBAF Investment Promotion Agency (WIPA), the WBAF Angel Investment Fund and the WBAF Publication House. 

How to register

Anyone can register free for a WBAF digital ID card.

The GFRS capitalizes on the extensive network of WBAF which provides a unique opportunity to 100 selected startups and scaleups to pitch their businesses on the Global Fundraising Stage at the World Congress of Angel Investors WBAF 2022 on 25th to 26th of October 2022 in Antalya, Turkey. 

The economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic made it more difficult than ever for startups to reach out for finance – smart or otherwise. WBAF’s response to this issue has been to strengthen its focus on developing innovative financial instruments for entrepreneurs and SMEs as a part of its global agenda.

An affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), one way WBAF does this is through its Global Fundraising Stage, an international co-investment platform, supported by the WBAF Angel Investment Fund. 

The ultimate goal is to create a high-quality portfolio with some of the world’s most promising startups, scaleups and, at the same time, create opportunities for co-investment and follow-on investments. An additional goal is to connect the best startups with the best angel investors, making it possible for the startups to benefit from the know-how, networks, and mentoring of qualified investors. 

The Global Fundraising Stage is designed to capitalize on the worldwide growth in entrepreneurial activity and venture financing for startups and scaleups and to capitalize on WBAF’s extensive network of global investors. These include angel investors, private equity funds, co-investment platforms, wealth management institutions, family offices, VCs, and acceleration centers.

It is important to note that the WBAF Angel Investment Fund is only one of many investors and investing institutions that will be present at GFRS 2022.

Eligibility

The mission is to showcase the world’s top startups and scaleups, which, typically, are funded companies in the process of raising €50K to €3M, with the aim of globalising. 

The 2022 Global Fundraising Stage is supported by the WBAF Angel Investment Fund, which aims to invest in the top startups of GFRS 2022.

Applications are open to two types of entrepreneurs:

• Startups: Promising businesses that are seeking financing but have not yet raised any outside capital from angel investors, venture capital firms or other formal sources of seed funding. They need between €50K and €500K to scale up.

• Scale-ups: Typically, these are companies that have received funding from angel investors or VCs and who are now raising €500K – €3M with the aim of internationalising.

How to apply 

Are you an SME or startup with the zeal to thrive higher? Apply before the deadline on 15 October, 2022.