The stereotype of the "angel investor" is a retired wealthy entrepreneur who sees potential, asks tough questions, takes a large stake, and in a few years makes a massive return in an IPO. This outsider fills the gap between the venture capitalist and the professional investor, swooping in with...

Considering significant reasons why some newventures are more likely than others to receive capital from external sources,it isargued that new venture finance follows a pattern of multistage selection over time. Using a sample of the life stories of 221 of new Swedish ventures in 1998, the...