Like all angel investors, we are always looking for an edge, and this is why we actively try to seek founders whom we think have a better shot at being successful. We want to talk to founders who haven't been shopping around, and would like to become the angel of first choice for those who fall in our sweet spot. 

This can be a challenging undertaking, because we know that most start-ups are going to fail. In order to make money, we will need to be right, and to have the courage to go against the crowd. If we try to follow the herd and invest in sectors which are "hot", we are unlikely to be successful. These start-ups attract a lot of media attention, as a result of which their expected valuations become so high, that they're very unlikely to provide a satisfactory return. 

Now, while most angel investors are happy to take a piggy back approach and let someone else lead the deal, we prefer taking a more activist approach. We think this is where we have an edge, and we want to play to our strengths. 

Our hypothesis is that India is a booming market, which is going to continue growing. Because the start-up ecosystem is still immature, it provides us with lots of opportunities, and we are happy to pan for gold. We want to back Indian entrepreneurs, because they understand what makes the Indian market tick. 

We're specifically looking for Indian entrepreneurs who come from tier two and tier three cities. They live where most Indian consumers reside, and we believe that this means they have a much better understanding of the pain points of these consumers. We hope they will be able to use their insights to create clever solutions, adapted for India.

Usually these entrepreneurs are not very sophisticated. They're not very good at making pitches or designing PowerPoint presentations. Their English skills often leave a lot to be desired; and they're not very good at networking. Most don't have an IIT or an IIM pedigree, as a result of which they're always struggling to find investors who are willing to give them money. They are usually neglected, and many have a chip on their shoulder, because they resent being treated as second-class citizens simply because they don't have the right paper credentials.

However, they are usually very street smart, and these are the founders we have a soft corner for. This is because they operate in areas where there isn't much competition, as a result of which they have a chance to shine. Also, we feel we can add a lot of value to them, If they have sound technical skills and a good product, then we are happy to help them to polish their pitch and improve their English. 

Interestingly, these entrepreneurs have a lot of business sense. They are often from baniya families, and have lots of business men in their family. They are taught to be frugal, and understand the importance of tracking the bottom line very carefully. This is our sweet spot, and we think that by marrying our strengths, we can help them to create a winning company.