Portfolio
Throughout his career, Neal has refined his gift for finding diamonds in the rough—seeking out innovative founders in untraditional areas of the world. With this, he’s become a well-known angel investor in the Bay area and beyond.
In addition to having an eye for “the next best thing,” Neal recognizes the benefits of diverse teams, and he’s always open to meeting with unique individuals who have passion and the will to make their company succeed.
Portfolio
Throughout his career, Neal has refined his gift for finding diamonds in the rough—seeking out innovative founders in untraditional areas of the world. With this, he’s become a well-known angel investor in the Bay area and beyond.
In addition to having an eye for “the next best thing,” Neal recognizes the benefits of diverse teams, and he’s always open to meeting with unique individuals who have passion and the will to make their company succeed.
Investment Portfolio
Investment Portfolio
Getting in the Door with Neal Dempsey
Neal is a strong believer that the best investments come out of relationships and trust—there’s nothing better than a mutually-beneficial deal that propels a business to the next level.
Looking to secure investment from Neal? Here are some of the steps he takes to ensure potential partnerships will be a good fit:
Making the Connection Point
Getting Neal's Attention:
Whether you are approaching Neal through phone, text, or email, make it unique, make it meaningful, make it short, and make it hit home. Protip to make a great first impression: have a mutual connection that Neal knows and respects to make the introduction.
Go Where the Action Is:
Go to conferences, conventions, and tradeshows—even if it’s just virtually! Neal regularly attends events to see what is new, meet with people, and get leads. Meeting Neal at an event will likely get you in faster than a phone call or email.
Reach Out to Neal's Other Investments:
Don’t live in Silicon Valley? Don’t let that slow you down. We know better now than ever that entrepreneurs don’t need to be in the same city, place, or timezone to find investors. Find another company Neal has invested in and get an introduction from them.
The First Meeting
Listen
The best way to start a relationship with a venture capitalist is to listen to their advice and answer their questions directly. VCs speak to a countless number of companies and truly want to see your company succeed (whether they invest or not).
Tight Presentations
Keep your presentation short and hard-hitting: no more than eight or ten slides. Share what you’re doing, why it’s important, why you’re going to be successful, and what it means to YOU as a person.
Be Prepared for the Hard Questions
Heads up: Neal likes to ask the tough ones right away to see how you deal with adversity. He isn’t just investing in your business but investing in you. The first question will be, “Who cares?” So, consider this answer carefully.
Keep It Short
First meetings with Neal are only around an hour or less. That’s generally enough time to figure out if the working relationship is a good fit, and follow-up meetings will be scheduled as needed.
What Happens Next?
Stay Top of Mind
After the first meeting, Neal may tell you that he’ll be in touch, but sometimes life gets busy. Figure out a way to follow up and make it easy for Neal to get back in touch with you. The more creative you are about getting together again, the better.
Get Ready for a Relationship
When Neal plans to invest in you, he’ll want to really get to know you. From getting out of the office to walking and talking to asking you to bring along your husband, wife, or partner—the best way to get to know someone’s character is out from behind a desk and beyond the numbers.
Diverse Companies, Please
Neal is looking for diverse groups of businesses and people to invest in. One of the most important qualities he looks for is passion. Are you passionate enough to make this business work? Are you considering diversity while growing your company?
Finding the right investor for your company can be a big job, but rest assured that investors are looking for people like you, too. Taking your time and nurturing a business relationship not only offers the benefits of funds and advice but can also open doors to relationships with further funds.