UMAY Angels Club - a new business angels club

Two active Central Asian Angels Club chapters, QazAngels, and business angels Murat Abdrakhmanov, Adil Nurgozhin, Bakht Niyazov, Talgat Ismail, Alim Khamitov, Mirat Akhmetsadikov, Anuar Seifullin, Olzhas Zhiyenkulov, and Elzhan Kshekbaev are merging to form the UMAY Angels Club.

The club offers the opportunity to invest small checks (starting from $5,000) in proven startups together with club partners who act as syndicators for these deals. Both novice and experienced investors gain access to fast-growing international projects that have undergone a rigorous selection process from thousands of applications, including Pre-IPO deals.

Venture investor and co-founder of UMAY Angels Club, Bakht Niyazov, told The Tech how the club's operations will be structured, how risks can be mitigated, and what opportunities exist for startups.

UMAY Angels Club will primarily operate as a syndicator marketplace. When a startup approaches business angels and the project interests them, the investors form a syndicate and invest in the project together, increasing the check size. From a numerical perspective, it is straightforward. If a startup needs $200,000, it is easier to collect, say, $20,000 from 10 angels than $100,000 from just two. Such a deal is called syndicated.

The startup receives not only funding but also support from the angels. This is very important at the early stage for an immature business to have angel support. Beyond the financial aspect, this is primarily mentorship, where investors share their expertise, connections, and help the startup with all available resources, assisting with entry into new markets.

What risks can one encounter when investing in projects?

- Startups always carry high risks. The club cannot change this. However, investing through the club is still significantly less risky. Before closing a deal, all documents, business models, and startup strategies are carefully studied, risks are calculated, and recommendations on the entry amount are provided. The more professionals involved in the syndicate, the lower the risks, since the check size is smaller and the expertise of the participating business angels is higher.

Is there a guarantee or protection against losses?

- In venture capital, there are no guarantees against decline, but there are also no limits on the growth of the company's value. This is what makes it so appealing.

To start investing with the club, you need to fill out the form on the website www.umay.vc