Luis Villalobos
Angel Investor
Luis Villalobos is an entrepreneur turned angel investor with 18 years experience in the field of business investment. The holder of a Masters Degree in Mathematics and Degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Villalobos started his career with software and logic design. His professional growth began when he joined a startup company, soon assuming role of Vice President of its department of engineering. He pursued his zest for business and entrepreneurial talent by founding his own business specializing in digital curve generation for a range of industrial products.
As entrepreneur, Villalobos ran a successful career executing prestigious projects for different businesses. His work included 3D design generations for retail and manufacturing businesses, mapping 3D torso for computer design for Hart, Schaffner and Marx men's apparel product, and designing Hughes Aircraft’s airport security detection system. Following business success, Villalobos sold his company to become a business angel and consultant.
Villalobos’ personal investment portfolio includes 12 companies. His first investment as an angel investor was in a company in dire and immediate need of seed capital before foreclosure. Following acquisition of angel finance, the company went on to achieve great heights in terms of business success and financial profits. His second investment was with Hirsh Electronics. Hirsh Electronics developed security codes for offices and pin number crawlers for ATM machines. Villalobos helped Hirsh buy patents and invited additional angels to make personal investments in the company. Hirsh’s business soon headed the commercial mar
Villalobos is the founder of the Tech Coast Angels, a 200 member investor club with offices in San Diego and Los Angeles, California. Tech Coast Angels is supremely active and over the years have closed 46 angel deals, typically investing between $5,000 and $800,000 in businesses. Tech Coast’s total investment amounts to $37 million, with several $1 to $2 million and some major $4 million investments.
According to Villalobos,businesses and the present economic market is just right for angel investments. Companies need to draw strong business strategies to attract capital finance. The major change, as Villalobos notes, has been in the Venture Capital market, which usually typically focuses on funding larger businesses, but of late has seen several VCs become angels and join Tech Coast. Every month, Tech Coast member committee consisting of 25 to 30 angels, screen at least 6 potential investors. Of these, 4 are selected for 20-minute corporate presentations, and followed with due diligence.
According to Villalobos, any angel club, with members possessing a wide range of experiences working in different backgrounds, is internally strong and makes well-informed business decisions.
Villalobos can be contacted at www.techcoastangels.com