AI-Powered Energy Savings, Data from 2,176 Startups on the SAFE Valuation Cap Spread, and Why Economics Always Win

Happy Thursday.

In today’s issue:

• Angel Deals of the Week | 90 Deals, 66 Networks

  • STAY TUNED: We’re about to cross 100 angel deals featured. Special subscriber only analysis dropping on 10/23 to celebrate. Don’t miss it!

• Bookmarks I think you’ll enjoy

• The best nugget from my conversation with John Jeffers, Co-Founder & CMO of REVOLUTION Turbine Technologies

• An exclusive opportunity for angel network leaders

🔥 Angel Deals of the Week

Angel funding rounds announced in recent weeks, compiled from public sources. 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.

🤖 Deal summaries generated using dealmemo.ai.

📊 Angel Network Investment Tracker: 90 Deals, 66 Networks.

Corganics | Medical-grade cannabinoid therapy products

Participating Groups: North Texas Angel Network

Corganics develops medical-grade cannabinoid (CBD) therapeutic products utilizing cutting-edge absorption technology for healthcare professionals. The Dallas-based company serves as an alternative to opioid medicines for pain management, with products exclusively available through physicians and hospital groups. Corganics recently secured $105,000 from six North Texas Angel Network members. The funding will support additional talent acquisition and fuel growth as the company works toward becoming the trusted source for safe, effective cannabinoid therapy.

Chad Collins | $105,000 Investment | Dallas, TX | September 2025 | Source

TrueMeter | AI-powered energy savings platform

Participating Group: Sand Hill Angels

TrueMeter is developing an AI-powered platform that automates energy savings for multi-location businesses in the $500B+ commercial energy market. The company delivers 7-15% energy cost savings with zero upfront investment and has already saved customers $3M+ while serving over 500 business locations including Yoshinoya and Fresh Direct. TrueMeter recently secured $4M in seed funding led by Ulu Ventures with participation from Sand Hill Angels and others to expand its optimization platform.

Ali Sarilgan | $4M Seed | San Francisco, CA | September 2025 | Source

NanoPattern Technologies | Specialized coating for semiconductor manufacturing

Participating Groups: New World Angels and Queen City Angels

NanoPattern Technologies is developing a patented specialized coating material that enables semiconductor manufacturers to create microscopic connections smaller than 5 microns between chips. The University of Chicago spinout's photodefinable hardmask technology delivers superior etch resistance and precision while integrating seamlessly with existing manufacturing workflows. The company recently secured investment from New World Angels and Queen City Angels to commercialize the breakthrough as AI and high-performance computing drive explosive demand for advanced chip packaging solutions.

Yu Kambe | Chicago, IL | August 2025 | Source

📣 Have an Angel Deal to Announce?

🔖 Bookmarks

1. 📊 Valuation Cap Lottery: Data on 2,176 startups from Peter Walker at Carta shows founders raising $500K-$999K SAFEs get valuation caps ranging from $7M to $30M, driven primarily by the founder’s resume.

2. ⚔️The Courage to Exclude: Thought piece from David Kaye on why great products deliberately exclude users - using Elden Ring and Linear as case studies.

3. 🤥 AI Schemers: OpenAI research reveals AI models deliberately lie to humans and even pretend to behave during tests to avoid detection.

🥇 The Nugget: My Top Takeaway from A Conversation with Energy Investor John Jeffers

Energy is a commodity business - economics always win 💰

Despite corporate sustainability commitments and consumer environmental preferences, energy remains fundamentally a commodity market where cost is king. Industrial businesses often operate on razor thin margins, while consumers face real household budget constraints. The "green premium" that users will voluntarily pay for in the long-run is minimal, making cost parity with alternatives a key test for any clean energy technology.

Takeaway: When evaluating clean energy deals, ask:

• Can this technology reach cost parity with fossil fuel alternatives WITHOUT subsidies?

• Is there a clear pathway to competitiveness with incumbent solutions on pure economics?

• How much of a "green premium" does the business model assume customers will pay?

Want more? Check out my full conversation with John 👇

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

📢 Angel Group Leaders: Need More Qualified Member Leads?

Every week, hundreds of angel investors read this newsletter. Many are interested in joining an angel group but don't know where to start. So, I’m helping them out.

What group leaders get: Pre-qualified leads for prospective membership.

The Angel Network Curator is LIVE: hit the button below to learn more, including how to sign up to get amplified exposure as a Featured Partner.

P.S. This curation only applies to subscribers who opt in. Everyone else - your info stays with me.

Until Next Week 👋

Thanks for reading - have a great week.

-Andrew

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