Our Process

Branch Venture Group provides capital to companies based in New England, but will also consider investment opportunities regions across the United States. Branch Venture Group angels are focused on investments in the food and beverage CPG, foodtech, and agtech spaces. Primary sector focuses include food and beverage products, digital content and media, e-commerce and marketplace platforms, direct to consumer, agriculture technology, industry robotics, restaurant technology, and related life sciences. 

Consideration for Branch Venture Group investment begins with filling out our Gust application. Before you do so, please review our site's information for entrepreneurs, particularly Branch Venture Group’s investment criteria. Regardless of whether we make an investment, our goal is to make the process as pleasant, professional, respectful, efficient, and helpful as we possibly can.

Assessment of Fit

Branch Venture Group members refer many of the companies who present to our group. If you know one of our members, that is often the best way to connect with us. If not, start by reviewing our investment criteria to determine if your company is a good fit with our areas of investment focus. If the fit is aligned, please submit an application through our Gust application. 

Submit APPLICATION

Branch Venture Group has a Gust profile where teams can submit their information online. Gust provides a single common application for hundreds of angel groups across the world. The online platform guides you through the process of honing your application and submitting all materials. If you have any questions about the application process, there are help resources on the site, and you can always send an email to inquire about assistance.

Screening Process

Branch Venture Group makes every attempt to respond to submissions promptly. Where there is no interest, we can generally let you know quickly, and in doing so, we will provide whatever suggestions or advice we can to assist you with your subsequent funding efforts. If you are approved to present to our membership, you will be scheduled to do so at the next available monthly meeting slot. We will help you best prepare for this presentation. Branch Venture Group activity is concentrated in the Spring and in the Fall and during the Summer, our group is generally on hiatus.

Membership presentation

Companies invited to present to the angel group should prepare to deliver a 15 minute presentation, followed by a question & answer period of 10 minutes. Initial presentations are intended to present an overview of your company, its product, the market it serves, and your hypothesis about why it will be successful. The due diligence process will provide ample time to dig into all additional details.

After the company presentations and Q&A are complete, Branch Venture Group members discuss the companies privately and each member will indicate their level of interest on a summary sheet. We will contact you in the days following the meeting to summarize the level of interest and discuss is there are next steps.

Diligence REVIEW

Where there is interest in moving forward with investment consideration, a due diligence team will carry out the research in collaboration with the company's management team. A professional approach to this process is part of the ultimate investment decision. During due diligence, steps will be taken to verify the key points in your business plan, presentation materials, and financial projections as well as to research your team’s background and track record. You should expect diligence to take 5 to 9 weeks; sometimes longer if there are special circumstances.

MEMBER INVESTMENT

Pending a positive diligence outcome, we will request a term sheet and it will be reviewed by our management team and circulated to interested angel group members. If interest in the terms being offered remains, we will engage counsel who will draft investment documents, at the Company's expense, in preparation for a closing. The closing should be within 4-8 weeks of initial presentation to Branch Venture Group members; however, if the size of the round requires syndication with other angels or angel groups, it may take longer.

Initial Funding and Commencement of Investor Relationship

Branch Venture Group members will each invest according to their individual capacity, however, companies receiving funding from the group have access to all members for help, contacts, and advice in growing the business, regardless of whether Branch Venture Group has taken a board seat. Our goal is to help your business succeed, and we will do what we can to help you to that end.