ABSTRACT
This chapter compiles and compares the findings of robust international research providing national profiles of business angels (informal venture capitalists). Since Bill Wetzel's pioneering study, researchers have produced 'ABCs' of angels in many countries and regions. The countries and regions include Australia, Canada, Finland, Japan, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States. The researchers include W. Wetzel, J. D. Aram, H. Landstrom, Y. Tashiro, and E. R. Tymes and O. J. Krasner. Most 'ABC' angel studies replace alphabetical order with logical order. They begin with 'C', personal characteristics, follow with 'A', investment attitudes, and conclude with 'B', investment behaviour. This simple schema guides the synthesis presented in the chapter. Every national study reported is scrutinised and classified with respect to three key questions of angel profiling — who, what and how: Who are these people? What attracts them to invest in an entrepreneur's venture? How do they behave when investing?
