The Lever Angel Network (LAN) connects accredited investors with high-growth startups in the Western Massachusetts region. The LAN began as a partnership between two local investment funds – Lever and Alchemy – syndicating deals they had already sourced and screened. The LAN expands this partnership to selected individual investors.
How it Works
Our team produces pitch events for members. For now, these are web-based events using Zoom. We only feature vetted entrepreneurs who present investment-grade pitches. Each pitch is followed by a question-and-answer session. All participants are invited to follow up directly with our featured entrepreneurs.
Once we’re able to resume convening in larger groups, we plan to host at least two in-person events per year, one in Berkshire County and the other in the Pioneer Valley.
Membership is by invitation only from a sponsoring fund. If you are interested, please contact either Alchemy or Lever for more information.
Our Deals
The Berkshires and the Pioneer Valley are places for doers, for entrepreneurs who buck trends and think outside the traditional structure. We work with people who have world-class experience and who choose to live here. They’re less likely to be influenced by fads in Silicon Valley, and they see opportunities that entrepreneurs in major metro areas might not. Adding to that, this is greenfield market nets less than 2% the per capita venture investment than do Boston or New York, so prospects make better use of the capital and investors receive better terms.
Many of our deals are technology-based, like a water purification system that operates at a fraction of its competitors’ cost, or an electrochemical device to remove pathogens from high-value crops. We’ve also supported entrepreneurs out-executing their peers in more traditional industries, like an innovative food distributor connecting hundreds of local farms to larger-scale buyers throughout New England who otherwise couldn’t source these products.
Our Members
Our members are busy executives who are looking to achieve a high rate of return while also driving local economic development. These investors are spread over a wide area and have demanding schedules, so need an efficient way to share deals. Lever Angel Network membership is limited to accredited investors capable of making $25K+ investments.
