Campus Angels Network

Before you apply

• Campus Angels Network is an angel investor and takes equity. It is not a grant, and it publishes no application window.
• Its main gate is a university-led incubator or a credible innovation ecosystem partner. If you have no incubator link, check that you still fit the stated criteria.
• It looks for validated products and early customers, so it is not suited to an idea-stage team.
• Check your sector against its list: life sciences, medtech, advanced materials, robotics, e-mobility, aerospace and defense, clean energy, enterprise.

How to apply

• Use the online Apply for Funding form on the website and upload a current pitch deck.
• Cover the problem, solution, market, business model, team, traction, intellectual property, financials and funding sought.
• For help with the form, use the general inbox on the site.

What to expect

• Screening, deeper evaluation, a presentation to members, then polling, term sheet and due diligence.
• The site says the process generally takes around two to three months.
• An investing member is appointed as Board Observer for funded startups.
• A deal facilitation fee applies on funds raised through the network; read the terms first.

Campus Angels Network is an angel investment network based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, with an office at the IIT Madras Research Park. It says it focuses on promising startups emerging from university incubators and innovation ecosystems, and describes itself as an early-stage network for India. It is a group of angel investors who invest together, not a grant or an accelerator.

Who Campus Angels Network backs

The network says it looks for startups that have validated their products, have early customers and are ready to scale. The clearest gate on its entrepreneurs page is that you should be incubated or supported by a university-led incubator or a credible innovation ecosystem partner. Its sectors are Life Sciences, MedTech, Advanced Materials, Robotics, E-Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, Clean Energy and Climate Tech, and Enterprise. It also says that if your sector is not listed but you meet the criteria, it would still like to hear from you.

Portfolio companies named on its site include BioDimension, Denovo Bioinnovations, Goat Robotics, Motorama and Dream Aerospace, which gives a sense of the deep-tech, hardware and life-science bias.

How Campus Angels Network works with founders

Beyond capital, the network says it supports founders with mentoring, governance, customer and partner introductions, business acceleration and preparation for future funding rounds. For funded startups, an investing member is appointed as Board Observer. It also works with other angel networks, family offices and venture funds on larger rounds.

How to apply

This is an investor, not a programme with a cohort or deadline. Apply through the online application form linked as Apply for Funding on the website, and upload a current pitch deck. The entrepreneurs page lists what the deck should cover: the problem, your solution, market, business model, team, traction, intellectual property, financials and funding sought. If the form or upload gives you trouble, write to the general inbox on the site. The site does not state an application window, so treat the form as open-ended and check the page before you apply.

What the process looks like

Applications are screened first. Shortlisted startups go through deeper evaluation with domain and technology experts, then founder discussions and sometimes a visit. Startups that meet the criteria present to the network's members, and where there is enough interest the deal moves to polling, a term sheet and due diligence. The site says the whole process generally takes around two to three months.

Costs to know about

The site says a deal facilitation fee applies on funds raised through the network, and that the cost of agreed financial, legal and other due diligence is borne as agreed with the startup. Read the entrepreneurs page for the current terms before you apply.

Incubator partners

The network says its incubator partnerships are central to how it works, and its partners page lists university incubators and innovation centres across India. If you are in one, ask your incubator team about an introduction.