OAF
OAF is a company.
Active
Updated: ·
Financial History
Total Raised
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Valuation
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Leadership Team
Key people at OAF.
OAF is a company.
Key people at OAF.
Key people at OAF.
The Oregon Angel Fund (OAF) is a community-supported, professionally managed angel investment fund focused on early-stage startups and growth companies in Oregon and Southwest Washington.[1] Its mission is to provide accredited investors—primarily successful business leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives—with privileged access to promising local deals through a disciplined process, while supporting the regional economy; it launches a new $5 million fund annually, targeting 4-7 investments of $100K-$850K each over a 12-month period, often alongside VCs and individual members.[1] OAF's investment philosophy emphasizes rigorous due diligence by member-led teams, diversification, and long-term portfolio growth over 10 years, backed by state investments from the Oregon Community Foundation ($750K) and Oregon Growth Account ($1.5M) that reinvest gains into public education.[1] Key sectors include medical devices, telecommunications, software, video processing, and energy tech, with a strong track record of job creation (443 jobs from early investments) and revenue generation ($59.6M collectively as of older data).[2] OAF significantly impacts the startup ecosystem by acting as a lead investor that de-risks deals, attracting follow-on funding (e.g., enabling Giftango's $5M Series B and Jama Software's revenue quadrupling).[2]
Founded in 2007, OAF emerged as a collaborative response to the need for organized angel investing in Oregon, quickly becoming the most active local fund by participant count and dollars deployed.[1][2] Key figures include experienced leaders like Drew Smith (Jama Software board) and others from tech backgrounds who lead due diligence teams; the fund draws from a network where 85% of investors are founders or business leaders.[1] Its evolution has centered on annual fund cycles to maintain momentum, expanding from initial investments to a structured model with institutional backing and partnerships like Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, Ater Wynne LLP, and Perkins Coie.[1] Early traction was strong: by around 2010-2012, OAF had invested $7.7M across 16 companies with zero failures, fueling growth in portfolio firms like Clear Catheter Systems (FDA approval), Elemental Technologies ($15M raised), and Columbia Power Technologies.[2]
OAF rides the wave of regional tech resurgence in Oregon's "Silicon Forest," capitalizing on talent from Intel, Nike, and universities amid rising VC interest in underserved U.S. markets outside coastal hubs.[1][2] Timing is ideal post-2007 as angel networks professionalized to counter economic downturns, enabling high-risk bets in medtech (e.g., FDA wins), cleantech (wave energy), and SaaS amid national pushes for innovation hubs.[2] Market forces like state incentives, low failure rates, and job/revenue multipliers favor OAF, influencing the ecosystem by bridging angels to VCs (e.g., Portland Angel Network comparisons) and proving Oregon's viability for scalable startups.[1][5]
OAF is poised to sustain its lead as Oregon's premier angel venue, likely scaling annual funds amid persistent demand for local early-stage capital in AI, biotech, and climate tech—trends amplifying regional strengths.[1][2] Evolving influences could include deeper VC syndicates and impact metrics tied to education/economic development, with member networks opening doors to national players. As the most active fund by volume, OAF's model ensures enduring relevance, empowering the next wave of Oregon innovators just as it catalyzed Jama and Elemental's trajectories.[2]
