About
The Rines Angel Fund was established in 2015 with a mission to bridge the gap between emerging angel investors and the established venture capital ecosystem across New England. Operating as a highly selective educational initiative, the Fund functions as a year-long four-credit course at the University of New Hampshire, designed to cultivate the next generation of sophisticated angel investors while simultaneously connecting them with promising early-stage companies in the region. The program combines structured investor education with practical deal exposure, allowing participants to learn fundamental concepts in venture capital, due diligence, and portfolio construction while engaging directly with founders and investment opportunities. By positioning itself within an academic framework, the Fund creates a rigorous selection process that attracts serious investors committed to understanding the venture ecosystem beyond capital deployment. The initiative serves a dual purpose: educating new angel investors on best practices, deal evaluation, and risk management while providing founders with access to a curated network of intelligent capital providers. Participants benefit from mentorship, peer learning within a cohort model, and exposure to a pipeline of investment opportunities sourced from and vetted for the New England venture community. The organization's focus on New England reflects a deliberate geographic strategy to support regional innovation and entrepreneurship. As an angel group, the Rines Angel Fund emphasizes the collaborative and educational aspects of angel investing rather than functioning as a traditional institutional fund, making it distinctive in its approach to building both investor capability and founder-investor relationships within its operating region.