World Congress of Angel Investors 2019

Affiliated Congress of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI)

World Congress of Angel Investors WBAF 2019, the world’s biggest annual gathering of early-stage equity and investment markets, will have 5 important summits running concurrently and will host more than 1500 delegates from around the world. WBAF 2019 will also salute the global successes of the year at the World Excellence Awards & VIP Gala Dinner at the Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul.

For the first time ever, the World Business Angels Investment Forum is providing a unique opportunity to 66 selected start-ups and scale-ups to pitch their businesses on the Global Fund Raising Stage (GFRS) of the World Congress 2019.

 

WHERE

 

Swissotel The Bosphorus
Istanbul

WHEN

Sunday–Tuesday
February 17–19, 2019

WBAF 2019

 

  • World Congress of Angel Investors 2019
    (for angel investors)
  • Take Invest Summit 2019
    (for start-ups and scale-ups)
  • CEO-Preneurship Summit 2019
    (for CEOs of global companies over USD 100 million)
 

 

  • Impact Investment Summit 2019
    (for impact investors)
  • FinTech Summit 2019
    (for finance executives)
  • World Excellence Awards 2019
    (saluting the year’s successes)



Shaping the 2019 agenda of the world equity markets

An affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) will focus on angel investors partnering with private equity funds at the World Congress of Angel Investors in 2019. The discussions will explore how private equity funds can foster open innovation and deliver more business value through partnerships with angel investors, start-ups, scale-ups, high-growth businesses and SMEs. The CEO-Preneurship Summit will focus on connecting angel investors with corporate ventures, while the FinTech Summit will deal with issues of financial inclusion and ways to democratise access to finance from start-up to scale-up to exit. LPs, start-ups, scale-ups and angel investors will be able to connect at the Take Investment Summit and on the Global Pitching Stage.


Top business leaders from all over the world

On their retirement, corporate CEOs will have more time to mentor start-ups, scale-ups, high-growth businesses and SMEs. They come with a good financial package and a vast network that they have built over the years. The only thing they may lack is know-how: they need to learn about the principles of investing in start-ups and about founding a company from scratch. The time is now right for the CEOs of today to take a smart step — to focus on the potential of their future role as angel investors. The World Business Angels Investment Forum is taking the initiative, creating an international platform to support the transitioning of today’s CEOs to the qualified angel investors of tomorrow. WBAF believes that G20 countries can do more to foster economic development by involving CEOs more directly in early-stage equity markets.


Transforming the finance industry by incorporating cutting-edge technology

The FinTech Summit at WBAF 2019 in Istanbul will address the challenges and opportunities of the global fintech ecosystem. Global equity market leaders — family office managers, wealth management executives, stock exchange executives, financial experts, policymakers, academics, active members of early-stage investment markets, bank executives and WBAF delegates — will come together to discuss a wide range of topics related to transformations in the finance industry through the incorporation of cutting-edge technology.


Mobilizing private and public capital in innovative ways for the social good

Now is the time to focus on developing ways to finance all these social investments. The World Business Angels Investment Forum brings together angel investors, corporate venture executives, fund managers, stock exchange executives and public institutions at WBAF 2019 to discuss the increasing need for innovative and effective approaches to solving social and environmental issues. Cooperation with and partnerships between governments, NGOs, corporates, and private investors are new ways that can combine the forces of entrepreneurship, innovation and capital in order to improve peoples’ lives, increase awareness and expand the investor base to achieve more inclusion and more sustainable societies with action plans to make impact investment a more influential practice.


An opportunity to connect with and learn from hundreds of highly qualified angel investors from five continents

Aside from presentations by renowned thought leaders in the field of entrepreneurship and global angel investors, the Take Invest Summit at WBAF 2019 will feature keynote speeches, fireside chats, presentations and panel discussions. Each one will offer important insights into the start-up ecosystem. The summit will be also an open learning space for entrepreneurs to increase their understanding of the investment strategies of angel investors.


Helping the next generation of great companies move forward

The WBAF wants to give 100 start-ups, scale-ups and high-growth businesses an opportunity to connect with hundreds of highly qualified angel investors from five continents. We are therefore allocating a special area at WBAF 2019, where 100 start-ups, scale-ups and high-growth businesses will each have a designated area to showcase their business. The WBAF Take Invest Summit 2019 will essentially be a co-investment platform for angel investors, start-ups, scale-ups and high-growth businesses. In addition to opening an exhibition booth, each team will be asked to make a 3-minute pitch to investors on the Global Pitching Stage.


Fostering the kind of creative thinking that leads to innovation by open learning and skill development

The World Business Angels Investment Forum offers a wide variety of workshops at WBAF 2019, using a range of inputs (case studies, panel discussions, and presentations, to name a few), all of which encourage active participation and interaction on the part of those attending.The WBAF 2019 Workshops serve not just business angels; all types of stakeholders are welcome.


Qualified Angel Investor Certificate Programme

After the first cohort of the QBAC+ program at the London Stock Exchange Group, the next cohort of the certification program will start immediately after WBAF 2019. An intensive course will be held in Istanbul at the Swissotel The Bosphorus 20 – 22 February, which will provide an opportunity to be recognised as Qualified Angel Investor. For anyone new to angel investing, this is an invaluable course that covers the most important aspects of investing and ways to avoid the pitfalls angel investors may encounter. This course is for professionals (including CEOs) from listed companies or anyone who has an entrepreneurial background,directors of business angel networks, acceleration and incubation centres and technoparks and anyone who wants to set up a business angel network or create a business angel investment group.


Saluting those who stand out in imagining, discussing, and shaping the future of an entrepreneurial world

With its Excellence Awards, the World Business Angels Investment Forum looks beyond borders. It seeks to promote and nurture start-ups, scale-ups, high-growth businesses, SMEs, angel investors, and a dynamic business community throughout the world. From business angels to policymakers to academics, the Awards salute those who stand out in imagining, discussing, and shaping the future of an entrepreneurial world.


 

Act now!

Last year’s tickets sold very fast,so don’t miss your chance.WBAF 2019 will start in

 

WBAF 2019 Tickets

We invite you to join us in our global effort to ease access to smart finance, which will help create more jobs and more social justice worldwide
  • WBAF 2019 Pass

    ACCESS TO 2 DAYS OF WBAF 2019 - Excluding VIP Lunches & World Excellence Awards Gala Dinner
  • Access to WBAF Annual Congress sessions
  • Access to Take Invest Summit 2019 sessions
  • Access to CEO-Preneurship Summit 2019 sessions
  • Access to FinTech Summit 2019 sessions
  • Access to Impact Investment Summit sessions
  • Access to the Global Exchange Forum
  • Access to WBAF Academy Workshops
  • Access to all Start-up Pitches on the Global Stage
  • Tickets are €500 after 1 December 2018
  • Tickets are €550 after 1 January 2019
  • Tickets are €600 after 15 February 2019
  • 350
  • Book Now
  • Startup - LP - SME

    EXHIBITION SHOWCASE & PITCHING TO INVESTORS ON THE GFRS 2019
  • Two days Exhibition Booth with table and 2 chairs at the exhibition space
  • 2 Free WBAF 2019 Passes (1 Free Pass for LPs)
  • Pitching on the GFRS 2019 - Global Fund Raising Stage (subject to confirmation)
  • Access to WBAF Academy Workshops
  • Startups - Hall A- €800 / Hall B- €650 / Hall C- €500
  • SMEs - Hall A- €3500 / Hall B- €2500 / Hall C- €1500
  • LP - Hall A- €1350 until 30 Nov / Pls check prices after 1 December 2018
  • Each after the second person: €300
  • Before buying your ticket, check: https://wbaf2019.istanbul/GFRS-2019-About
  • 500
  • Book Now
  • QBAC+ Course

    QUALIFIED ANGEL INVESTOR COURSE - with final exam
  • 2 1/2 Days Intensive Course - 20 - 21 - 22 February 2019 - Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul
  • Course Materials
  • 2 Lunches & Coffee Breaks & Certificate Ceremony
  • 1500
  • Book Now
  • VIP Gala Dinner & VIP Lunches

    SWISSOTEL THE BOSPHORUS ISTANBUL
  • World Excellence Awards VIP Gala Dinner on 18 February 2019: €150 until 10 February 2019 / €200 after 10 February 2019
  • VIP Lunch on 18 February 2019: €100 until 10 February 2019 / €150 after 10 February 2019
  • VIP Lunch on 19 February 2019: €100 until 10 February 2019 / €150 after 10 February 2019
  • WITH A RED CARPET WALKING BEFORE THE GALA DINNER
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  • Book Now
  • Hotel Booking

    SWISSOTEL THE BOSPHORUS ISTANBUL
  • 1 Night Accommodation at the Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul
  • Single: 145 EUR including Tax - Excluding Breakfast
  • Double: 165 EUR including Tax and - Excluding Breakfast
  • 145
  • Book Now
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  • Turkish Airlines
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  • Flight Booking

    TURKISH AIRLINES
  • Turkish Airlines is the official airline of WBAF 2019.
  • Please check special discounts on Turkish Airlines for WBAF 2019 Delegates
  • Please send us an email for your special code to benefit from Turkish Airlines special prices
  •  
  • REQUEST YOUR DISCOUNT CODE
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  • Swiss Otel
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WBAF 2019 : Speakers from over 80 countries

By working together across borders, with a common vision, and with these smart dynamics in mind, we are well placed to create positive change in the global economy!

Location

WORLD CONGRESS OF ANGEL INVESTORS WBAF 2019

 

Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul

WBAF Secretary:
Christina McGimpsey
info@wbaforum.org

T: +90 539 666 50 44

Get Ticket Now!

We hope you will join us in Istanbul. We are sure you will find WBAF 2019 a rewarding experience