Happy Thursday.

In today’s issue:

🔥 Angel Deals of the Week

Angel funding rounds announced in recent weeks, compiled from public sources or via direct announcement. These deals represent the elite few that survived an angel network’s vetting process. Note: I have not personally analyzed these companies and am sharing for informational purposes only.

📊 Angel Network Investment Tracker: 259 Deals, 125 Networks.

IndigoTex | Wool denim and waterless finishing

Participating Group: IAN Angel Fund

IndigoTex is developing wool-based denim and a waterless wool finishing process, and says it has signed confidentiality agreements with Ralph Lauren and Kering Group. IAN Angel Fund led the company’s $500K+ (₹5 crore) round.

Satendra Singh | $500K+ Round | New Delhi, India | October 2026 | Source

AlgaFilm Technologies | Algae-based wastewater nutrient removal tech

Participating Group: E8 Angels

AlgaFilm Technologies is developing a system that grows algae on engineered surfaces to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater, and says it has begun a full-scale demonstration in Kingsville, Ontario. E8 Angels participated in the company’s recently closed seed round.

Ahren Britton | Ancaster, Canada | September 2026 | Source

huupe | Smart basketball hoops with screens

Participating Group: Oregon Sports Angels

huupe makes smart basketball hoops with built-in screens that track shots, and counts Best Buy, Costco and Dick’s as retail partners. Oregon Sports Angels recently announced a follow-on investment in the company as part of its Series A extension.

Paul Anton | Irvine, CA | September 2026 | Source

Yotta Energy | Panel-mounted batteries for commercial solar

Participating Group: SWAN Impact Network

Yotta Energy is developing battery storage for commercial solar systems, including a 1 kWh battery unit that mounts directly behind each solar panel. SWAN Impact Network recently announced a follow-on investment in the company.

Jordan Harris | Austin, TX | September 2026 | Source

Smartlens | Smart contact lens for glaucoma

Smartlens is developing an electronics-free contact lens that tracks eye pressure, a glaucoma risk factor, and says the device is in late-stage US clinical trials. HBS Alumni Angels of Greater New York recently announced a follow-on investment in the company.

Savas Komban | Sunnyvale, CA | August 2026 | Source

📣 Have an Angel Deal to Announce?

🔖 Bookmarks

  1. 🚀 Tesla Unveils the Flying Roadster: Nine years after the first reveal, Tesla showed off a Roadster with SpaceX cold-gas thrusters that let it fly. It ships in 2028… maybe.

  2. 📽️ Worth the Watch: Ben Horowitz sits down with Speedrun GP Jonathan Lai on why a company’s story is also its strategy, and why it should be in writing.

  3. 💸 Accenture Caps Claude Spend: The consulting giant told many employees it will now only cover $29 a month per person on Claude.

🥇 The Nugget: My Top Takeaway from A Conversation with Melissa Withers

You cannot untwist a pretzel 🥨

Melissa introduced me to what she calls “the pretzel problem,” where founders often contort their business to match what an investor wants. The trouble is that a pretzel doesn’t untwist. It breaks.

Some capital decisions, once made, are tough to walk back. That makes alignment as much the investor’s responsibility as the founder’s, and too often I’ve seen well-intentioned investors miss the fact that their goals don’t align.

❝

From Melissa: “There's really not much bad capital. There's just using the wrong capital at the wrong time in the wrong way.”

Takeaway:

Before writing any check, ask: “Is this the right type of capital for what the company needs right now?”

Want more? Check out my full conversation with Melissa 👇

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more.

But Andrew, Which Ones Are Still Raising?


That’s the question I launched The Exclusive to answer. 18 new actively raising deals posted since I launched.

Apply for one of just 25 founding seats: $50/month for as long as you stay, full refund within 30 days if you’re not finding it useful. Accredited investors only.

In Partnership with Lovable

Turn your expertise into working software

  • Describe what you want to build

  • Get real software, not a prototype

  • Lovable handles payments, logins, databases

  • Change any detail yourself, any time

  • Put it in front of customers this week

Discount of $5 applies to first month of any paid plan. You need to sign up via this webpage in order to claim the discount. The discount applies to new and returning users without an active paid plan. Terms apply.

Until Next Week 👋

Thanks for reading - have a great week.

-Andrew

If you’re finding this newsletter valuable, share it with a friend, and consider subscribing if you haven’t already. You can also find me on LinkedIn and X.

Advertise with The Diligent Observer.