San Diego Angel Conference Investors Select 15 Semifinalists From Record 124 Applications

Interested accredited investors are encouraged to get to know the San Diego Angel Conference

SAN DIEGO – February 8, 2021 – San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC), a three-year-old University of San Diego (USD) School of Business program that activates accredited angel investors and engages promising early-stage companies, has selected 15 Semifinalists to compete in this year’s Conference.

In the weeks leading up to the main event, applying companies compete for increasingly limited opportunities for time and engagement with accredited angel investors. In the first round of selections, angel investors spent weeks reviewing materials before selecting the top 30 companies that advanced to the Quarter Finals. Those 30 companies were invited to make a 3-minute pitch to as many as 70 accredited investors.

Silas Smith, joining SDAC III’s Investor Team this year said, "As a new investor, it's been exciting to work with so many great companies and investors at SDAC this year. The investor team is very humble and transparent about sharing knowledge, and collectively brings a wide diversity of experience to the table. I feel like I've learned a ton and at the same time have been welcomed to contribute my own domain knowledge and expertise." Investors spent two weeks evaluating pitches and reviewing materials before selecting 15 companies who will compete in the Semifinals.

This year’s SDAC III Semi Finalists are:

1. Advocat Technologies - AI legal research & drafting platform
2. AQUATRAX - Water intelligence for water information management
3. Canvass Labs - Open Source Software Scanning Solutions
4. ChargeNet Stations - Electric vehicle (EV) charging station & SaaS AI platform
5. CommSafe AI - Keeping companies' communications safe 24/7
6. Digital Proteomics LLC - Reimagining antibody discovery & sequencing
7. Eyedaptic - Simulated Natural Vision Eyewear for AMD Sufferers
8. Fixing CO2 - Converting CO2 into chemicals and fuels
9. Fluid Power AI Inc - Smart hydraulic AI systems
10. Hempress Hygienics - 100% organic hemp tampons & feminine hygiene brand
11. NERD BIO - cellular drug-target engagement
12. OmniSync Incorporated - Like TurboTax for govt. grants and contracts
13. Uplyft - World's first Self Transfer System (“STS”) from bed to wheelchair for people with limited mobility
14. Verity Packaging, Inc. - Creating truly sustainable packaging solutions within the beauty and personal care industry
15. Yatiri Bio - Oncological next-generation proteomics and data analytics

The SDAC III Investors will continue this selection process by inviting all 15 companies to provide a 10-minute pitch. Investors will choose 6 finalists from the remaining pool of applicants on February 17, 2021. Jennifer and Sam Patel said, “As third-year investors in SDAC, we have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge, experience, and confidence in angel investing. The exposure to such a diverse group of companies is amazing and has allowed us to begin building a robust portfolio. We look forward to continuing growth and opportunities through SDAC.”

"We have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge, experience, and confidence in angel investing." -Jen & Sam Patel

Founders are getting a lot out of the program as well.

Semifinalist, Pradnya Desh, former US diplomat and founder of Advocat Technologies, AI legal research & drafting platform, is thrilled to be selected as a semifinalist by the group of about 30 investors in Fund III. She has experience with the Seattle Angel Conference and loved the process there as well. "We are excited to be selected as semi-finalists for the San Diego Angel Conference! Advocat is using AI to revolutionize legal research and drafting for enterprise legal departments. The process of getting to know SDAC investors, and answering their questions about our technology, financials & vision has already been immensely helpful for the growth of our company.”

"The process of getting to know SDAC investors, and answering their questions about our technology, financials & vision has already been immensely helpful for the growth of our company." -Pradnya Desh, founder of Advocat Technologies

Semi Finalist, Rupak Doshi with OmniSync shared, “We’re excited, humbled, and nervous, all at the same time! SDAC investors have provided strong validation for the approach to streamlining government grants and contracts, and we look forward to further strengthening our relationships with them, advisors from The Brink SBDC, and our fellow entrepreneurs.”

"SDAC investors have provided strong validation for the approach to streamlining government grants and contracts." -Rupak Doshi, OmniSync founder

The SDAC is both industry and stage agnostic and proudly considers everything from life science to software applications. Semi Finalist Natalie Castellana with Digital Proteomics shared, “We participated in the SDAC E-track last fall and have learned so much! We are thrilled to continue in the competition and share our platform for mining the human immune system for the next generation of antibody drugs.”

We participated in the SDAC E-track last fall and have learned so much! -Natalie Castellana, Digital Proteomics founder

Those interested in learning more about angel investing are encouraged to see the website as investors are still connecting. Companies will continue to compete until March 20, 2021, when the top 6 companies, having completed the due diligence process, will pitch at the finale for an investment estimated to be $200,000.*

SDAC’s combination of entrepreneurial education, up to $1.5 million in investments to winning companies, and its low angel fund investment threshold of about $6,000, has made it one of the largest angel investor programs in the country.

*Actual investment depends on the number of units purchased by participating investors. SDAC I and II had over $1,000,000 of direct investment.

For interested investors, please know that there is STILL TIME TO JOIN US AS AN INVESTOR - LET US KNOW.

[email protected]

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Media Contact:

Amy Duncan, SDAC III Fund Manager

[email protected]

858 254 7009

Mysty Rusk, SDAC Founder

[email protected]

916 612 7590