Business Angel Stories with Ronaldo Rossi

About yourself

Current Roles: Private angel investor; Freelance SAP professional and digital transformation consultant for small companies; Hails from: São Paulo, Brazil.

Education:

Business Administration @ UNIFEI Brazil (Industrial Engineering University)

MBA in Marketing @ ESPM Brazil (Escola Superior Propaganda e Marketing)

First Job: Intern at Deloitte Consulting.

Work Attire: Casual – definitely.

Hobbies: Cycling and Hiking.

Most admired entrepreneur or investor, and why:

My late father-in-law. He founded an electronic equipment company in Brazil thirty years ago that is still doing well. He was a wise and charismatic person who influenced me a lot.

How did you begin angel investing?

How did you get started with angel investing?

In October 2016 I founded, along with 7 other entrepreneurs, an angel investment group called Campanjos (Campinas City Angel Investors) in Brazil. The group doesn’t exist anymore, but it solidified my appreciation for angel investing.

What was your first angel investment?

Aprimorha, an executive outplacement company in Brazil.

What was your most meaningful investment?

When I first started the investment negotiations with Aprimorha’s main shareholder in 2016 the company had 6 employees. When I exited the company in 2020, after designing and implementing a robust automated workflow system, there were 25 workers with compound annual growth of 30% each year. It meant a lot to me that 25 people had the opportunity to work in a motivating environment at a growing company, not to mention having hundreds of satisfied clients, and that it changed people’s lives and paths - this was very fulfilling for me.

What is your almost unmentionable secret as an investor?

I haven’t been an investor for long but so far I would say that it is about putting in time and effort – researching, talking to people, keeping track of numbers and reflecting before making decisions.

You & LBAN

Why did you decide to join LBAN?

After a chat with Stephan Peters in August 2020, there was no doubt in my mind that LBAN would be a nice organization to join and that it would allow me to meet entrepreneurial people in Luxembourg and beyond the borders.

What benefits did you find in LBAN?

LBAN offers legal support, information on market practices, business insights and new investment opportunities – all of which are benefits I find stimulating and reassuring. I look forward to when we will be able to meet in person, when I have no doubt that the benefits will extend to the chance for deeper conversations and some laughs.

Investing

How do you find the companies for investments as a business angel? Which ways works best for you?

Through friends and colleagues usually, but since I am new to Luxembourg and we are still in a pandemic situation, groups like LBAN are especially useful to get introduced to start-ups. Being able to discuss and exchange ideas with other angel investors in the group is invaluable.

How do you evaluate deals? What are your investment criteria and the qualities you are looking for?

Again, I haven’t been doing this for very long, so companies with a proven MVP are the most appealing to me. However, the story and situation of the founders, how their idea came and developed and the potential of the company for growth also feed into my assessment.

Considering being a generalist rather than a specialist, are you looking for some reasonable metrics which helps you to decide on a particular investment?

In my opinion the main metric to be appraised is scalability. In other words, can the company grow and in how much time will it have a mature product or service that can be largely replicated.

Your Investments

Can you explain the motivation behind your investments?

My investment preferences are for companies that are socially and environmentally responsible in the tech, logistics and finance sectors. I am also looking for companies that have already undergone the proof of concept. That said, I like EcoPetBox, for example, which is not in tech or logistics, so, my criteria are not set in stone.

As a business angel, how do you support and help start-ups accelerate further?

Most of my career has been in ERP systems and processes and I try to combine my past experience with the companies I am investing in. Right now, I am looking for a new company that needs help preparing its IT systems and processes to meet increasing demand.

Tips & Advice

What were your lessons learned from previous investments?

My personal experience taught me to get involved and stay informed as much and as often as possible. For the fields in which I have no experience, I have learned not hesitate to consult people with more know-how.

Do you have any advice for new angel investors?

I’m flattered you asked. I would suggest investing in segments that you have previous experience with or that you really believe is promising; don’t just follow the crowd.

Which are the most important qualities of a good business angel?

A good business angel should be trustworthy, supportive, fair and well-informed.

In your opinion, is it better to become a business angel investor or rather invest in a VC fund?

It depends on how much time you have on your hands, as I’ve learned angel investing requires a more hands-on approach. You also have to be willing to take more risks. I like it because it gives me the opportunity to get directly involved with start-ups and, in my opinion, it is very exciting to have a front seat in assisting and watching an innovative product or service go to market and (hopefully) succeed.

Do you have any other piece of advice?

Always reserve time in your agenda for helping others.

Thank you very much for such insights! It was a pleasure speaking with you.