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Beacon Angels
An angel investment group focused on funding high potential early stage companies in New England | Beacon Angels is a Boston-based angel group that invests in...
Beacon Angels
An angel investment group focused on funding high potential early stage companies in New England | Beacon Angels is a Boston-based angel group that invests in the $50,000 to $400,000 range in early-stage, fast-growing companies. Since our 2006 founding, Beacon has helped grow many successful New England-based startup companies.
General information
Firm type
Angel Group
Year founded
2004
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Boston
Corporate office
Boston, MA, United States
Principals
William J. Schnoor
Chairman
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Beacon Angels?
Chairman William J. Schnoor guides the group's strategic direction, but investment decisions are made by individual members who vote to invest their own capital in deals. A member steering committee manages due-diligence coordination and schedules monthly pitch meetings. Beacon Angels has no central general partner making binding commitments.
How does Beacon Angels source proprietary deal flow?
Deal flow comes primarily through the extended networks of its 40–60 accredited members, many of whom are current or former operators and executives in the Boston area. Startups apply through the group's website and are screened by a selection committee before being invited to present at the monthly pitch event.
Is Beacon Angels structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
It is neither. Beacon Angels is an angel syndicate — an unincorporated group of individual angel investors who jointly evaluate deals and invest separately. The group charges no management fee and takes no carried interest, which distinguishes it structurally from family offices and professional venture funds.
Does Beacon Angels participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Beacon Angels pursues only direct investments in operating companies. It does not commit capital to venture or private equity funds, nor does it participate as a limited partner in any known fund structure.
What investment stages does Beacon Angels typically target?
The group targets pre-revenue to Series A companies, typically writing aggregate checks between $250,000 and $1 million per round. Beacon Angels often acts as a company's first institutional investor before dedicated seed or Series A venture funds enter.
Which sectors does Beacon Angels explicitly avoid?
The group has historically avoided capital-intensive sectors like biotech, medical devices, and hard-tech manufacturing, concentrating instead on enterprise software, digital health, AI/ML, and cybersecurity opportunities where member expertise and capital efficiency align.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
Member wealth originates from diverse sources including executive careers, prior entrepreneurial exits, professional-services practices, and inherited family assets. The group does not disclose individual member net worth or consolidated wealth origins.
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