We are the only member-based interest organisation for Business Angels in the country, with a dozen regional or other angel groups and 800+ angels.
BAN is the only trade association representing business angels in Norway. BAN is a member of EBAN – the European angel association.
Who? As any interest organisation we only further the interests of our members. Not consultants. Not VCs. Not mentors.
Our 3 goals: We represent our members towards government/politics/media/etc. We train angels. We improve deal flow for our members – and we collaborate with others towards these goals.
Our mission: Helping angels invest outside their local area – We welcome startups and angel investors from all around the world – and we play a key role in building angel networks in Latin America, Asia and Africa. And on the way BAN was the initiator and founder of the first Nordic BAN.
Events: We facilitate events and programs where angel investors and startups meet, we have events in all regions of Norway together with regional angel groups – though not always at regular intervals.
Lobby: We make it more attractive to invest in startups – we were one of three organisations that successfully lobbied for establishing a tax incentive for angel investments.
Training: We have trained over 500 angels in Norway, we train banks and other ecosystem players. All interest organisations are non-commercial, but we also support commercial training actors and any other initiatives that further the angel ecosystem in Norway.
+/- 800 angels
25 nationalities
50+ startup financed
22 MNOK of angel investment raised in 2018-2020
10 programs since 2017
10 regional BAN entities
A portfolio of +500 companies
A lot of good ideas
JØRN LEIN-MATHISEN – Managing Director, Founder & Lead Angel
- Best exit so far: 200X
- >70 early-stage angel investments since 2014
- Plus >80 cases indirectly through 9 angel portfolios
- Over €500.000 invested early-stage
- Co-founder or founder in >12 startups
- Mentor for >700 startups since 2012
- Background from international business: Pfizer, BCG, BearingPoint
- Background from government: Parliamentary advisor to ministers Erna Solberg and foreign affairs minister, MFA assistant attache at the UN Security Council, Stavanger Office in Brussels, UN + EU intern
- PhD-ABD in Social and Political Science, European University Institute (Firenze)
- MPhil in European studies, Cambridge University
- MA in International Politics and Economics, Université Libre de Bruxelles
ÅSMUND J. MANDAL – Chairman & Lead Angel
- Lead Angel in all our investment rounds and the main teacher of our programs.
- MA in Project Management from Handelshøyskolen BI.
- Experience as a Managing Director with a long history of working in the oil & gas industry.
- Serial entrepreneur: founder of Dovre Group, Dovre International, Dovre Information System, Dovre Sertifisering, Milestone, Visma and others as Nigeria-Norwegian Chamber of Commerces.
- +45 angel investments and one of the 3 known angels with such a wide portfolio.
- Expert consultant for Business Angels Norway.
- Head of Coordination and Project Director for international startups and investors trainings
- MA in HR Management and a Degree on Labour law from University of Zaragoza in Spain and ESIC Business School.
- 20+ years of experience as expert partner, with expertise in business development.
- Creates arenas for angel investors and companies, and facilitates seminars.
- Co-founder and COO at WIN Network Norway, empowering women to strengthen their financial position, by offering access to trainings, investment opportunities, and a co-investment network.
SVEIN-MAGNUS SØRENSEN – Dealflow Manager, Board Member and Angel Investor
Svein-Magnus is an experienced technology architect, startup-advisor and entrepreneur with a background and masters degree in information and communication technology. He is a board member for Business Angels Norway and an active angel investor with more than 20 investments made, as well as being a startup- and investment mentor for WIN Women Investors Network Norway and Founder Institute Norway. He has also been a speaker at a series of local and international technology conferences and is a founder and board-member in several professional technology-communities in Norway such as Cantara and Oslo Open Data Forum.
BOJAN RAKONJAC – Marketing Consultant
Bojan follows marketing trends and is always happy to share his knowledge.
Famous quote: “In todays business, the one that can spend most to acquire clients is the one that wins the game.”
How does this reflect on your business?
Master Internet Marketing™ certified
ARIANA GARSIA – Business development and Outreach Coordinator
- Social entrepreneur – co founder of social ventures based in United States and Latinamerica
- Mexican lawyer and MA International Development and Public Policy from the University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy
- 10 years of experience managing programs focused on economic development, entrepreneurship, migration and rule of law
- Served as Political and Economic Specialist for the US Department of State and for Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs.