BILLIKEN ANGELS NETWORK

The Billiken Angels Network (BAN) was part of the Entrepreneurship Program of the John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University. Announced in 2007, it started operating in September 2008 with twenty angels ready to fund suitable opportunities, and a $1,000,000 sidecar co-investment fund made available by the University from its endowment. It closed in September 2017, having made 34 investments in 20 companies. The Billiken Angels’ tag line was “…the deals that make a difference... ” and that is the goal of the BAN - to identify and invest funds and expertise in those businesses that can make a difference in the economy of the St. Louis region, and in the lives of the people living in the region and elsewhere. The BAN considered businesses at any stage (seed, start-up, existing, growing, etc.) and in any industry (retail, wholesale, manufacturing, service, financial, internet, high-tech, etc.). BAN invested in firms in the St. Louis region, and only considered firms outside of the region when the firm has SLU DNA (firms owned by current or former SLU students, current or retired SLU faculty and staff, or firms using intellectual property licensed from SLU). Membership was open to accredited investors only. All BAN members had a strong commitment to help develop entrepreneurship through education at Saint Louis University in addition to investment.More