Angel Investor Club
G E O R G I A

Bringing together like-minded individuals to back scalable Georgian ventures.

Our Vision

We want to demonstrate that startup and SME investing in Georgia is a viable way for people to make genuine returns.

About Us

In Georgia, currently, there is no established private source of funding for startups. Our aim is to bridge this gap and become a go-to-funding partner for break-out ventures.

We believe that local founders have an enormous potential to grow disruptive companies on a global scale. With our crucial early-stage capital, we hope to pave the way for Georgian entrepreneurs and support the growth of their ventures.

By uniting like-minded individuals, our club members will get the opportunity to collectively assess presented startup opportunities and - with a lead investor in place - syndicate deals.

Bridging the Gap in the Startup Ecosystem

Local startups have limited funding options while investors don't get enough exposure to high-growth companies. We aim to bridge the gap and become the go-to funding partner for break-out ventures in the region.

For Startups & SMEs

As a group, we collectively invest anywhere from $30,000 up to $200,000 in startups ranging from the idea stage up to Series A funding rounds. Depending on the stage of an investee company, we will participate in an equity funding round, or provide either revenue-based financing or convertible debt.

In addition to crucial early-stage funding, we offer access to the network and expertise of our club members - seasoned entrepreneurs and executives at blue-chip companies. During the fundraising, we work with entrepreneurs to get them investment-ready. This includes support with preparing investment docs and finessing your pitch.

For Investors

We offer an opportunity to access high-growth startups with huge upside potential and explore synergies with investee companies. You will be able to mitigate associated risks through our pre-selection process. By syndicating investment opportunities, you will receive support from fellow investors throughout the entire investment journey.

Throughout the entire process, our club members will learn more about angel investing and emerging technologies. We will regularly organise workshop sessions with prominent angel investors and entrepreneurs. Furthermore, all the club members will get ample opportunities to socialise with like-minded individuals during various investor meetings and retreats.

Our Founding Partners

George (Gia) Bazgadze


An active investor and owner of various Georgia-based businesses and properties. George served as a Founding Member of the Board of American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia, Member of the Board of the Tax Payers Union, Member of Georgian Business Association, Member of the Supervisory Board of Georgian Stock Exchange. He was co-founder and CEO of Georgian Consulting Group (GCG), which was acquired by Ernst and Young; George led EY (Ernst & Young) Tbilisi office for more than 20 years as Country Managing Partner.

Currently, he is the Chairman of the Supervisory Council of the JSC Rustaveli/Cavea Cinemas Network, Founding Member of the American Academy in Tbilisi, Founder of the International Foundation for Arts and Intercultural Dialogue, Founder and Director of the film production company GAMS Pictures LLC.

Mr. Bazgadze’s experience includes several years in construction and real estate development. He managed a wide array of privatization, post-privatization restructuring, investment, consulting, and credit line technical assistance projects. George sits on several corporate boards, such as the American Academy in Georgia, First Step Georgia (FSG), Angel Investor Club Georgia.

Saba Kiknadze


Saba Kiknadze has been a pioneer of Georgian business since 1986 and one of the first entrepreneurs in a newly independent Georgia. As a serial entrepreneur, he was a founder and “pilot” of many successful companies, achieving leadership positions in different fields of activities – architecture, design, publishing, advertising, and especially in the tourism and hospitality industry.

He is the Founder and CEO of the Georgian Hospitality Group - a holding company in the field of Hospitality, Tourism, MICE, and Lifestyle Management. Some of the holding member companies, such as Caucasus Travel, Georgian Events are known as pioneers in their fields and enjoy strong brand positions in the market. Mr.Kiknadze, is founder, shareholder and in certain cases former manager of regional franchisee partner companies of worldwide brands, such as American Express Travel, Hertz, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Quintessentially.

As Chairman of the State Department of Tourism and Resorts (NTO) from 2004-2006, Mr.Kiknadze has contributed to creating fertile soil for the hospitality industry clusters, establishing a legal framework for tourism development, building tourism education pilot institutions, implementing public-private partnership programs, and designing principles of country’s international tourism promotion.

Apart from managing his own businesses, Mr.Kiknadze has a multi-million Investment and Development project portfolio. As a serial entrepreneur, he is a founder and/or board member of several startups in various fields such as ITC, Wineries, Microbiology Technologies, etc. Mr. Kiknadze is very active in sharing his experience and expertise and providing mentorship and incubation support to newcomers in business. He is a founder of Creative Business Cup Georgia - organizing annual competitions for Georgian startups. Saba Kiknadze’s most recent project is an annual international event - Welcome Challenge™ - Hospitality & Travel Industry Innovations Global Forum.

Esben Emborg


Mr. Emborg has 17 years in top corporate management, 11 years of which he spent in the Caucasus region. His relationship with SEAF began with his membership on the board of Directors for GRDF in 2007. Mr. Emborg has been active in the Caucasus since 1999, when he served first as Regional CEO for Cadbury Schweppes and then as the Regional CEO for Nestle SA, a position he held until 2008. Under Mr. Emborg’s leadership, Nestle’s regional presence grew to more than seven times its size. Before joining SEAF in 2009, Mr. Emborg was the CEO of SKA Capital, a Caucasus-based investment fund.

During his career in the Caucasus, Mr. Emborg has managed more than 300 people, been the President of the American Chamber of Commerce, and served as a board member of the EU Business Council. Currently, Mr. Emborg sits on board of Angel Investor Club Georgia. As a Danish Citizen, Mr. Emborg has represented the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the Danish Consul General to Georgia since 2000.

Gela Suli


Gela Suli is a Georgian-American media and technology entrepreneur and producer. Gela co-founded and for years was executive partner at Site4view, a New York based creative & production boutique that produced TV commercials, still photography shoots, music videos, reality TVs, documentaries, etc. for leading international brands, such as American Express, L’Oreal, Microsoft, IBM. He also founded and led Depicto, a real-time software application that many American advertising agencies have used in their work.

In 2013-15, Mr. Suli was the CEO of Georgian Film Studios, one of the oldest and prolific movie studios in the region in the XX century. He led the complete financial reorganization and legal restructuring of a multi-million-dollar company from an idle enterprise to a region’s leading provider of film production services for international clients. Gela has been an investment advisor and business intelligence consultant to several companies working in the Caspian / Black Sea region. In 2007-2009, he pioneered a concept of high-technology research and education center for Georgia that was eventually picked up as a blueprint by several Georgian universities.

Currently, Gela Suli is active in the development of Georgia’s startup ecosystem and leads or sits on boards of several organizations. He is a founding partner at Angel Investment Club Georgia and Startup Acceleration Partners. Gela is a mathematician by training and also holds an MA in International and Area Studies from Yale University.

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Get in touch and inquire about the membership to join Angel Investor Club Georgia.

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