Spokane Angel Alliance

The alliance sources primarily through local university connections, regional economic development organizations, and member referrals. The screening committee, chaired by Tom Simpson, reviews submissions and selects companies to present at member meetings. This model draws from the Inland Northwest's tight entrepreneurial network rather than from broker-driven deal flow.

Members invest directly. The alliance is not a fund — it does not pool capital. Instead, it facilitates introductions and provides a shared diligence framework, after which individual members write checks directly into the companies. This means each member's portfolio is self-directed, with the alliance acting as a discovery and evaluation layer.

Individual member checks ordinarily fall between $25,000 and $100,000, with the group collectively enabling round sizes in the range of several hundred thousand to low-single-digit millions. The structure allows members to syndicate their individual investments, so the total capital deployed per deal varies based on member interest for that specific company.

Yes. The alliance periodically co-invests alongside members of other Pacific Northwest angel groups, including the Northwest Energy Angels. These partnerships give Inland Northwest companies access to larger syndicates while giving coastal investors a pathway into Spokane-originated deal flow with a familiar diligence partner.

Tom Simpson serves as chairman and has held that role since the alliance was founded in 2006. The organization operates under a volunteer governance structure with a screening committee that evaluates incoming deal flow. The long-tenured chair provides unusual continuity for a member-driven angel network.