Going Beyond Funding to Help Entrepreneurs Succeed with Queen City Angels' Scott Jacobs

In this Interview, we meet Scott Jacobs who is the Executive Director of Queen City Angels, an Angel Investment Group based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Queen City Angels is dedicated to providing not only capital but also mentorship and support to early-stage startups across various sectors, including water technology.

ONE-LINER:

"Our goal is to be more than just investors—we aim to be a trusted resource and guide for early-stage companies on their path to success."

Pitch/Reverse Pitch:

Don’t miss Scott’s Overview of Queen City Angels and their approach to investment, which you can find on the video from [2:21] to [3:05].

Discussion:

After the overview, we discuss:

• The philosophy behind Queen City Angels, which focuses on providing both financial investment and strategic support to startups, ensuring they have the resources and guidance needed to grow.
• The importance of early-stage investing in diverse sectors, including water tech, and the role of mentoring programs like Morning Mentoring in nurturing new entrepreneurs.
• The collaborative nature of angel investing, with Queen City Angels often co-investing with other groups across the country to support high-potential startups.

Insights:

At [16:40], Scott talks about the potential benefits of forming stronger relationships between angel investors and government agencies like the EPA, to support the commercialization of innovative water technologies.

Advice:

At [46:03], Scott advises startups to understand the different stages of funding and to have a clear plan for bridging the gap between early-stage investments and larger-scale financing, emphasizing the importance of securing non-dilutive funding where possible.