We rank active individual angel investors based on who can actually pick winners — not just write checks.
2022 has been a record year for angels.
Despite an overall slowdown in VC dealmaking, this year has seen angel investors participate in 4,679 angel or seed deals worth a combined $36.2B. That deal total builds on 2021’s previous record of 4,422.
There was no shortage of ambitious ideas — from all-electric flying taxis to drug therapies that alter consciousness to treat mental illness.
But which angels are best at predicting future winners?
To answer this, we looked at individual angel investors who have made at least 4 angel investments in the past 2 years and tracked their investments since 2011. Then, we ranked these angels based on portfolio strength and performance — including across factors like whether portfolio companies went on to raise funding, become unicorns, and exit.
Notable examples from the list include:
- Elad Gil has invested in 32 companies in 2022 alone — a personal record — and 11 of these were seed or angel rounds. Some of Gil’s recent, big-name exits include Airbnb, Wish, and Opendoor.
- Kunal Shah has invested in 63 companies in 2022, 53 of which were seed/angel deals. The CRED founder also saw 3 exits this year, with portfolio companies getting acquired by the likes of Flipkart, Ola, and his own CRED.
- Ashton Kutcher has inked fewer deals this year after a big 2021. He has seen a handful of blockbuster exits in recent years from portfolio companies like Duolingo, Airbnb, and Poshmark.
Clients can see where we ranked these investors — and 47 others — below, or by downloading the list using the sidebar. You can also see our ranking of the top 50 angel investing groups here.
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