Mission
The Virtuous Investment Circle (ViC) is an independent non-profit organisation that aims to create a vibrant ecosystem for angel investing in Malaysia.
Objectives
To achieve this mission, we have established five main objectives:
- To serve as a platform for innovative startups to raise funds and for savvy investors to invest in attractive deals.
- To encourage and strengthen the local angel community with good investing practices and values.
- To generate quality deal flows for ViC Members (angel investors) through a rigorous screening process.
- To assist ViC Members (angel investors) in deal syndication and limited due diligence work.
- To provide education, guidance and mentoring for new angel investors and entrepreneurs.
Platform for angel investing
ViC itself does not directly invest in companies but provides a platform that makes it easier for angel investors to find and invest in quality companies. ViC is therefore not an investment fund, as each of our angel investors fund selected companies in their own capacity. However, ViC will act as a guardian of sorts, to make sure that the interests of both parties are looked after. After all, an investment partnership works best when it is a win-win situation for both company and investor.
Virtuous circle
We believe that by providing an environment that encourages positive values, practices, standards and structure, we will encourage great angel investors to invest in great companies, which in turn, creates more great companies, which creates the need for more great angel investors, which lead to the creation of even more great companies, which encourages even more great angel investors to invest, and so forth. This chain of positive events is known as a virtuous circle.
Manager-led model
ViC is professionally managed and operates using a manager-led model.
What makes ViC special?
The angel investors in ViC are not only high net worth individuals that have the financial capacity to invest, they are savvy investors who also have years of industry knowledge, business experience and contacts that entrepreneurs may tap into help them succeed.
Membership for angel investors to join ViC is exclusively by invitation. We do not charge angel investors a membership fee, but the ViC committee vets them to ensure that they are genuine angel investors.
Furthermore, ViC maintains only a small group of angel investors at a time – those who are ready to invest and provide meaningful value to entrepreneurs but are just waiting for the right companies to come along.
Though ViC is an independent non-profit organisation, our close ties with investment agencies such as financial institutions, venture capitalists and grant managers in Malaysia allow us access to various resources and contacts that we may use to help entrepreneurs, if they should require it.
