ARI team background Troy Knauss photo

Troy Knauss

ARI Fellow, Lead Instructor

Read more about Troy's book
How to Make Money with Angel Investors

Troy Knauss is a partner in several Angel funds and networks that invest in high-growth and turnaround companies. In addition to his fund activities, Troy is an exited entrepreneur with experience in manufacturing, brand building, software development, and ecommerce sales channels. Troy is an active investor in over sixty portfolio companies.

Troy is a frequent speaker to investors and entrepreneurs on private investing through his efforts with the Angel Resource Institute (ARI), a spin-out of the Kauffman Foundation. At ARI, Troy serves on the Board of Trustees and the Research Committee where he helps publish the annual HALO Report, an analysis of over 3,000 startup deals per year. Troy is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at the College of Charleston, a former Professor of Entrepreneurship at High Point University and Wake Forest University, and a former Board member of the Angel Capital Association. Troy previously served as Chair of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce's Launch Greensboro, an economic development initiative to attract, engage and help entrepreneurs start businesses; he also formerly served on the Advisory Council for Wake Forest University's Center of Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship; and Chaired The Launch Place, an economic development organization with a seed fund focused on building, growing, and relocating innovative businesses in Southern Virginia. Today, Troy continues to serve on a number of Boards and volunteers on a number of entrepreneurial initiatives. He holds degrees from Susquehanna University and Wake Forest University.

Troy along with Michael Cain, ARI Chairman, published a book, How to Make Money with Angel Investors & Entrepreneurs: 100 Rules to get a Start-Up Funded. As an entrepreneur, finding the right Angel Investor to fund a deal is difficult. Similarly, as an investor, finding the right entrepreneur to back is just as hard. This book helps entrepreneurs and investors get a better understanding of what it takes to build, invest in, and make money growing and exiting start-up companies. The book looks at 100 rules to fund a deal from the perspective of successful and experienced investors and exited-entrepreneurs.

 

HANDS-ON EDUCATION

Discover ARI programs

ARI has multiple courses designed for beginners to expert-level investors and entrepreneurs. Each course is ARI instructor led or ARI can train you to deliver courses.

Request a workshop proposal

ARI has delivered more than 400 courses across 38 states and 40 countries for angel groups, economic development organizations, and government initiatives to encourage early-stage investments and deal flow.

DIRECT RESEARCH

Join ARI's data collection initiative

ARI is continuously collecting data from Angel investors, groups, and entrepreneurs on early-stage and startup deals in order to provide better metrics.

View latest Halo Report™

View the latest Halo Report™ and find out what trends will impact your current and future funding rounds.

COLLABORATION

ARI collaboration partners include:

 

Sue Preston, Angel Resource Institute, explains a new ARI program designed to educate women entrepreneurs and investors.

Books by ARI Lead Instructors and Others