Poli Angels

Poli Angels is a Sao Paulo-based angel network composed primarily of alumni from the engineering school of the University of Sao Paulo (Escola Politecnica), writing sub-$250k cheques at seed into technical and scientific founders, with healthcare exposure in medical devices, medtech, and health IT software. The network’s distinguishing feature is the technical credibility of its members, many of whom are senior engineers, founders, or executives at major Brazilian and global technology companies, which makes Poli Angels a useful early validator for deep-tech and engineering-heavy healthcare founders. For founders, Poli Angels is best understood as a syndicate that provides a small but signal-rich first cheque and immediate access to an engineering-led mentor network. The right founder profile is a Poli alumnus or technically credible founder building a medical device, AI-enabled diagnostic, or engineering-intensive health IT product. Non-technical commercial founders, asset-heavy clinic models, and capital-intensive biotech are a poor fit. Entry path is via the Poli alumni network, USP-affiliated incubators, or warm introductions from prior portfolio founders. In the pitch, lead with technical depth, IP and regulatory positioning (ANVISA, FDA), and a clear plan to use the Poli Angels cheque to reach an institutional seed milestone. Caveats: as an angel network, Poli Angels’ cheque size and follow-on capacity are limited, so founders should plan to syndicate with Brazilian and international institutional leads (Eurofarma Ventures, Igah, ABSeed, US deep-tech funds) for the rest of the round. The network’s healthcare-specific deal cadence is uneven, so request a recent deal sheet during diligence. AI claims will get probed by technical members but commercial diligence is lighter, so founders should be intellectually honest about model maturity and clinical validation.