Dissolving Dog Poop, Fundable ≠ Investable, and What 100+ Angel Investors Value Most

Happy Thursday.

In today’s issue:

• Angel Deals of the Week | 155 Deals, 97 Networks

• Bookmarks I think you’ll enjoy

• The best nugget from my survey of 100+ angels on why they join angel groups

🔥 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: 155 Deals, 97 Networks.

PooPoof, Inc. | Dog waste dissolving spray foam

Participating Group: Veterinary Angel Network for Entrepreneurs

PooPoof is developing an enzyme-based spray foam that breaks down dog waste into water, mineral salts, and sugars within minutes, eliminating the need for bags or bins. Based at ClimateHaven in New Haven, the company says the formula also neutralizes harmful pathogens. Backed by MIT I-Corp, MassChallenge, and Praxis, PooPoof recently received investment from Veterinary Angel Network for Entrepreneurs (VANE) to advance research toward pilot deployment.

Isabella Hinkson | New Haven, CT | March 2026 | Source

Olelo Intelligence | AI sales coaching for auto shops

Participating Group: Hawaiʻi Angels

Olelo Intelligence is developing an AI platform that analyzes service advisor calls in real time for high-volume automotive repair shops, flagging missed sales opportunities and coaching managers to convert more calls into booked appointments. The company says it has scaled to more than 100 live shop locations across 62 franchisees, including a national partnership with AAMCO. Hawaiʻi Angels led the round with $500,000 of the total $1 million raised.

Miki Hardisty | $1M Angel Round | Honolulu, HI | January 2026 | Source

Avisi Technologies | Implant designed to lower eye pressure for glaucoma patients

Participating Group: Golden Seeds

Avisi Technologies is developing VisiPlate®, a patented implant that drains fluid to reduce pressure inside the eye in open-angle glaucoma patients. The device uses microscopic channels designed to minimize scarring. The company recently closed a $10.7M Series A, led by MedVenture Partners with participation from Golden Seeds, to fund an FDA-approved pivotal clinical trial currently enrolling patients across multiple US sites.

Rui Jing Jiang | $10.7M Series A | Redwood City, CA | February 2026 | Source

📣 Have an Angel Deal to Announce?

🎙️Join Me at the ACA Summit in Denver

The ACA Summit is back in Colorado this April, and The Diligent Observer will be there. We're recording conversations with leaders from some of the most active angel groups in the country. If you're in the room, come find us!

This is my favorite event every year. It’s the one place where angel group leaders, individual investors, and ecosystem builders are all under the same roof for three days: April 21-23 at The Westin in Westminster, CO. Keynotes from Peter Walker and Angel Gambino, five breakout tracks, Angel University courses, a giant startup showcase, AND a fun poker tournament.

Don’t miss it.

🎟️ Not an ACA member? Register with code “DO200” and save $200.

Register for the ACA Summit →

P.S. Missed last year? Check out “Inside Angel Investing 2025: The ACA Summit”.

P.P.S. We’re hosting a “fun run” at 6:30am on Wednesday 4/22. Want to join us? RSVP here so we can bring enough donuts.

🔖 Bookmarks

1. 📈 7x More Apps, 30% More Churn: RevenueCat's “State of Subscription Apps” 2026 report shows app launches have exploded from 2,000 in 2022 to 15,000 per month in 2026, but AI-powered apps are churning subscribers 30% faster.

2. 🐑 Consensus is the Most Expensive Thing in VC: Thought piece from the Euclid Ventures team breaking down why fundable startups and investable startups are not the same thing.

3. 🫀 Software with a Soul: NFX Partner Anna Piñol on why "humanness" will be a core value proposition for the next wave of AI companies.

🥇 The Nugget: My Top Takeaway from Surveying 100+ Angels on Why they Join Angel Groups

Angel networks: members join for deals, stay for community 🤝

Most of us assume deal flow is what holds a network together.

My data says otherwise.

After surveying 101 angel investors across 13 angel groups, my analysis (which explains 77% of the variance in overall member satisfaction) found that Community and Social Experience accounts for 28% of overall member satisfaction. Deal Quality and Access comes in second, at 17%. Together they explain 45% of satisfaction, and the remaining drivers split the rest.

Overall satisfaction of angel group members across the dataset sits at 6.1 out of 7, but the ordering of the value drivers is the real nugget here.

Takeaways: If you run an angel group, consider:

• Community and social experience is the single biggest driver of member satisfaction. Energy spent cultivating relationships, culture, and belonging is energy very well spent.

• Deal quality matters, but maybe less than you’d think. Keep it strong, but don't lose sleep over it at the expense of everything else.

P.S. Knowing what members value most dramatically shapes operational investments. If you run an angel group and want better data on what's driving satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) among your members, reply to this email. I'd love to help you run an analysis like this one.

🕵️ 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

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