EBAN's 10th Annual Congress kicks off tonight with a speakers' dinner. It's tomorrow that's got me stoked: I 'animate' the Awards Gala!

These Europeans love to eat late and that's gonna be true tomorrow night in Istanbul after the first day of the Congress and an evening cruise on the Bosphorus we celebrate with awards for several categories including Business Angel of the Year.

Now I know, but that first day I didn't, that the free tour guide of the mosque means a free tour of his Turkish rug shop. I know I got a good deal. Here, you get to see it before Barbara does.

A finalist last year for EBAN's Business Angel of the Year Award, Ari Korhonen runs Lagoon Capital. Sounds kind of tropical, but although Ari's investment company is surrounded by 188,000 lakes, it's not tropical, it's in Finland. For warmer temperatures he's off to Istanbul where he and I are panelists at EBAN's Annual Congress where we'll gather with angels from Mumbai and Istanbul to discuss: A look back at the last investment year.

Since it's Europe, there's probably some government involvement, so what's the role Veraventure is playing to stimulate early-stage investing?

Show #283 (28:49) Listen

Meet me in:
Istanbul: April 15-16 at EBAN's 2010 Congress.

Austin: April 21 at the Texas Entrepreneur Funding Symposium.

San Francisco: May 5-6-7 at the Angel Capital Association's Annual Summit

European enthusiasm for angel investing has been growing over the past few years. What's the potential for the future?

More growth, according to Brigitte Baumann, President of EBAN. Part of this growth comes from younger angels who may be working the corporate track, but are attracted to eventually become an entrepreneur. But do these younger angels qualify? In the US we use the SEC's definition of an Accredited Investor, but there's nothing like that in Europe.

Are these angel groups robbing the cradle? And, besides money, what can these younger angels bring to the table? You'll be surprised.

Show #273 (34:49) Listen

Meet Brigitte in person at the EBAN 10th Annual Congress, April 15-16 in Istanbul.

Got the email this morning: I'm invited to EBAN's 10th Annual Congress April 15-16 in Istanbul to moderate a panel, "One year after: angels reflect on their last investment year", where last year's Business Angels of the Year will discuss their most recent deals. Make plans now to join me.

Couldn't make it to Stanford this week for the EBAN tour? Join us for this session when the European Business Angel Network's tour of Silicon Valley meets up with Garage Technology Ventures' Bill Reichert. EBAN Managing Director Claire Munck has teamed up with Stanford's Burton Lee to create a whirlwind tour of the university and the local angel and venture capital highlights. This morning it was Bill's turn to present.

Listen for his comments about breaking even, "which almost never happens, versus controlling your own destiny". With a little prompting from the audience he shares his ideas on "patterns of failure" as it relates to investing in early stage startups.

Show #230 (1:12:08) Listen