AI Replaces Weeks of Elite Forensics Work, Claude Vending Machine Orders a Live Fish, and Why Younger Investors Don't Call Themselves Angels

Happy Thursday.

In today’s issue:

• Angel Deals of the Week | 146 Deals, 94 Networks

• Bookmarks I think you’ll enjoy

• The best nugget from my conversation with Suresh Sundarababu, Executive Director of SWAN Impact Network

🔥 Angel Deals of the Week

Angel funding rounds announced in recent weeks, compiled from public sources or via direct notification. 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: 146 Deals, 94 Networks.

Cydelphi | AI-native breach recovery platform

Participating Group: Hyde Park Angels

Cydelphi is developing a patent-pending AI-native Digital Forensics & Incident Response platform that the company says cuts catastrophic breach recovery time by 75%, compressing timelines from months to days. The platform uses agentic AI to automatically generate and execute forensic playbooks, eliminating manual processes that historically required weeks of elite expertise. Cydelphi recently secured $3 million from Glasswing Ventures, Hyde Park Angels, Blu Ventures, and Merlin Group to advance product development and expand partnerships with MSSPs and DFIR providers serving healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services sectors.

Ron Newman | $3M Seed | Lake Forest, CA | February 2026 | Source

Gale HSA Payments | HSA/FSA eCommerce payment platform

Participating Group: Aggie Angel Network

Gale HSA Payments is developing a payment platform that enables eCommerce merchants to accept HSA and FSA cards at checkout for eligible products. The company says it has signed 100+ merchants and is one of few SIGIS Certified online HSA/FSA payment providers. Gale's platform connects merchants to the $150+ billion HSA/FSA market, which the company claims can drive up to 10% sales growth. The company recently secured an investment from the Aggie Angel Network.

Tom Griffiths | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | January 2026 | Source

NIRA | FDA-cleared at-home laser device

Participating Group: SideCar Angels

NIRA is developing FDA-cleared at-home laser devices that reduce fine lines and wrinkles by stimulating natural collagen production. The company's NIRA Precision and Pro lasers use 1,450 nm wavelength technology to safely heat the dermis, triggering a repair response without pain, redness, or downtime. Founded in 2012, NIRA holds over 12 patents and recently secured a convertible note with participation from SideCar Angels to support continued product development and market expansion.

David Bean | Danvers, MA | January 2026 | Exclusive

📣 Have an Angel Deal to Announce?

🔖 Bookmarks

1. 📽️ Worth the Watch: WSJ journalists let Claude run a vending machine for a few weeks. It lost $1,000+, ordered a live fish, and declared Snack Liberation Day.

2. 🦞 OpenAI Gets the Claw: Peter Steinberger, creator of OpenClaw (fka MoltBot, fka ClawdBot), is joining OpenAI.

3. 💸 Explaining the $1 Trillion Vertical Software Wipeout: Fantastic thought piece on how LLMs either destroy or strengthen 10 vertical software moats from a founder (Nicolas Bustamante) who has built on both sides.

🥇 The Nugget: My Top Takeaway from A Conversation with Suresh Sundarababu

The next generation of angels may not call themselves "angels" 👋

I’ve noticed the word "angel" can sometimes come with baggage, especially for younger investors. It can conjure an image of someone who's "made it," and I’ve noticed many angels simply consider themselves “investors.”

Takeaway:

If your angel group is struggling to grow membership, consider whether the branding itself could be a barrier. The next wave of investors may not identify with "angel." They often just want to learn, contribute, and invest.

Ask: Do we have an on-ramp for 20- and 30-somethings who want to contribute time and talent before they are ready to write checks? And does this crowd know we exist?

Want more? Check out my full conversation with Suresh 👇

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

🕵️ Looking for an Angel Group?

Finding the right angel community can be tough.

Answer 12 quick questions and I’ll curate 3 groups you might enjoy.

Even better - if one of them feels like a fit, I’ll personally make the intro.

Until Next Week 👋

Thanks for reading - have a great week.

-Andrew

P.S. If you enjoyed this post, could you do me a quick favor? Hit the "like" button or leave a comment with your thoughts. It may not seem like much, but it really helps me out a ton.

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.