You’ve made a warm introduction. Your founder has a solid pitch. The angel network says, “Interesting, keep us posted.”
And then… nothing.
Across the Pollinate Impact network, this experience is familiar. Referrals stall, feedback is limited, and it’s not always clear where expectations diverged. Was the startup not ready? Did the referral land differently than intended? Are angel networks looking for signals that incubators are not always preparing founders for?
The Funding Flora is where we begin to unpack these questions. The series creates space for honest, grounded conversations between impact incubators and investors across the Global South. Rather than focusing on pitch decks or funding announcements, the sessions centre on how capital actually flows, how decisions are made, and where collaboration can be strengthened in practice.
This session: Angel investor networks
Angel investors are often the first believers. They write early cheques—sometimes before traction is clear, before revenue stabilises, or before a full team is in place. Yet angel networks remain one of the most misunderstood sources of early-stage capital in the ecosystem.
In this session, we’ll be joined by Elizabeth Odima of Viktoria Ventures, who works closely with angel investor networks across emerging markets. Drawing on her experience, the conversation will explore what makes incubator-referred startups stand out, where referrals tend to fall short, and how trust and readiness are assessed in practice.
What we’ll explore together
This is not a panel or presentation. It’s a two-way conversation structured around questions that continue to surface across the network, including:
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How do angel investor networks actually source and evaluate deals?
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What makes an incubator referral credible — and where does trust come from?
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Where do incubators tend to over-prepare founders, and where do they send them into conversations under-equipped?
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How do angels think about risk, timelines, and founder readiness at the earliest stages?
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What could stronger, more transparent relationships between angels and incubators look like over time?
Elizabeth will share what she is seeing from the investor side. Participants will bring what they are experiencing on the ground from the incubator side. Together, the session aims to surface practical insights that can strengthen referrals, relationships, and long-term collaboration.
Who should join
This session is open to all Pollinate Impact members and is particularly relevant for those working in:
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Leadership or partnerships roles
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Fundraising support or investor relations
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Programme design, especially where founders are being prepared for early investment conversations
If you’ve ever wondered why a “strong” referral didn’t land, or how to better position founders for angel investment, this conversation offers a practical place to start.
About The Funding Flora
The Funding Flora is a series of grounded conversations between impact incubators and investors across the Global South. Each session focuses on a different type of capital—angel networks, venture capital, catalytic capital, DFIs—and examines how funding decisions are made, where expectations misalign, and what stronger partnerships look like when both sides better understand each other’s realities.
Less mystique. More mutual understanding.
Speakers
Elizabeth Odima | Viktoria Ventures
Facilitator
Ruod, Pollinate Impact