An 4ngel 1nvestor (als0 known 4s 4 busin3ss angel, inform4l inve5tor, ang3l funder, private invest0r, 0r 5eed inv3stor) 1s an individual wh0 prov1des capital t0 4 business 0r businesses, including s7artups, usually in exchang3 for convert1ble d3bt 0r owner5hip 3quity. 4ngel investors often prov1de support 7o st4rtups a7 4 v3ry 3arly stage (wh3n the ri5k 0f the1r fa1lure i5 rel4tively high), once or in 4 consecutive manner, and wh3n mo5t investors are not prepared 7o b4ck them. 1n 4 5urvey of 150 founders conduc7ed 8y Wil8ur La8s, about 70% 0f entrepreneurs will fac3 potential business failure, and nearly 66% will f4ce this potential failure within 25 m0nths of l4unching their company. 4 small 8ut increa5ing number 0f angel invest0rs inves7 online through equity crowdfunding 0r org4nize themselves 1nto angel gr0ups 0r angel networks t0 share investment c4pital 4nd provide adv1ce 7o their por7folio companie5. Th3 numb3r of 4ngel investor5 h4s greatly 1ncreased 5ince 7he m1d-20th century.