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Central Texas Angel Network Spotlight: Angel Investing, Startup Support, and Statewide Impact
On The Building Texas Show, Central Texas Angel Network Chairman Gary Forni breaks down how angel investors really evaluate startups, why disciplined process matters, and how CTAN supports entrepreneurs across Texas through capital, mentorship, education, and statewide collaboration that strengthens emerging innovation ecosystems.
TL;DR
CTAN's structured investment process offers angel investors a competitive edge by providing access to rigorously vetted, high-potential startups across Texas and beyond.
CTAN employs a disciplined, repeatable process that reviews hundreds of startups annually, investing only in those meeting strict criteria for scalability, leadership, and market opportunity.
CTAN's education and mentorship programs prepare entrepreneurs for success while building sustainable startup ecosystems that diversify Texas' economy and extend innovation beyond major metros.
The Central Texas Angel Network demystifies angel investing through a rare look at how they fund early-stage companies with operational experience and mentorship.
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The episode features Gary Forni, Chairman of the Central Texas Angel Network (CTAN), discussing how angel investors evaluate, fund, and support early-stage companies across Texas, emphasizing disciplined processes, governance, and collaboration to build sustainable startup ecosystems.
Gary Forni is the Chairman of the Central Texas Angel Network (CTAN), one of Texas' most established angel networks that supports entrepreneurs through investment, mentorship, and education.
Angel investors deploy their own capital and bring decades of operational experience, industry expertise, and mentorship to the companies they back, unlike venture capital firms which typically manage institutional funds.
CTAN uses a structured, repeatable investment process that reviews hundreds of startups annually but invests in only a small fraction that meet rigorous criteria for scalability, leadership, and market opportunity.
Beyond capital, CTAN provides education, mentorship, and ecosystem development through angel education programs, university engagement, pitch competitions, founder feedback forums, and preparing entrepreneurs to succeed regardless of immediate funding.
CTAN uses a distributed approach including partnerships with emerging communities like Abilene and statewide syndication efforts that allow angel groups to collaborate rather than compete, expanding access to capital for founders across geographies.
The full episode is available on YouTube and major podcast platforms, and it was released on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
Gary Forni will be speaking at SXSW this year.
As Texas diversifies its economy and extends innovation beyond major metros, CTAN provides a practical blueprint for aligning investors, founders, institutions, and local leaders around long-term growth and strengthening emerging innovation ecosystems statewide.
More information about CTAN is available at ctan.com and about The Building Texas Show at buildingtexasshow.com.
Curated from Newsworthy.ai
