This is part 1 of 14 short video interview segments with Dr. Rob Wiltbank of Willamette University (Salem & Portland, OR).
Rob has been studying, analyzing, publishing papers, and speaking about Angel investments, focusing on investment outcomes, for the past ten years.
In addition to teaching entrepreneurship, Rob is a Venture Partner with Seattle venture capital firm Montlake Capital. He has recently raised a $300k Angel investment fund which his business school students are in the process of beginning to invest, in $50k chunks. He plans to scale this innovative, first-of-type student-managed Angel fund to $5M.
Rob provides insights into many aspects of the little-known world of Angel investment, which is of the same magnitude of importance to the economy and GDP (about $26B annually) as venture capital is, in the USA today.
Rob specializes in studying Angel investing outcomes, and has peers in the Academic world studying other aspects of Angel investment long-term. He told us there are about ten fellow academic researchers who are experts on different aspects, and discusses some of their work. In addition to his expertise in Angel investing, Rob’s a practicing venture capitalist as well, so he brings a unique perspective.
I was intrigued that he has formed a student-run Angel investing fund as part of his teaching at Willamette University, that he and his students manage. He talks about that, along with other current topics in Angel investing, in this interview series.
Dr Rob Wiltbank and Steve Bell discuss Angel investing
Thanks, Rob for sharing your expertise in this interview series.