How to find an investor. Alya Abbaszada on strategies for investing in successful startups

Alya Abbaszada — investor and Executive Director of SABAH.angels — shares her experience: what she looks for in startups and how she helps teams grow.

Alya Abbaszada, Baku city, Executive Director at SABAH.angels, LinkedIn

About me

I started my professional journey at a very early age and, over the years, have navigated across several fields, reflecting my continuous pursuit of work that I genuinely enjoy and am passionate about.

I began my career in accounting, then transitioned into Information Technologies, and eventually found my true calling in the startup and investment ecosystem. Throughout my journey, I have had the opportunity to work directly with hundreds of individuals across both public and private sectors, which helped me develop a strong ability to build networks and connect people — a skill I consider essential in the startup world.

Currently, I serve as the Executive Director of SABAH.angels, one of Azerbaijan’s leading angel investor networks. Despite being a young organization, we have already made investments into promising startups. Alongside my role at SABAH.angels, I have always aspired to be a founder myself. I hold a particular interest in healthcare startups, and recently co-founded Jetcare, a healthcare venture which I believe holds strong potential to contribute meaningfully to Azerbaijan’s medical sector.

In my view, being an investor demands strong analytical skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to assess both ideas and teams comprehensively. Patience and a long-term vision are equally critical, as returns in this field often take years to materialise.

Moreover, I see investing as a role of great responsibility. Every investment decision can significantly impact not only the startup but also its founders, team members, and the broader ecosystem. Therefore, it is crucial to stay aware of potential risks, keep up with market trends, and continuously monitor global developments to make well-informed decisions.

About investments

I initially began by investing in U.S.-based startups, primarily due to the maturity of the ecosystem, better deal flow, and the presence of experienced founders. However, as I gained exposure, I recognised the enormous untapped potential locally and across the region. Gradually, I shifted part of my focus towards supporting promising startups in my home market, where many innovative teams operate despite limited resources compared to more developed markets.

One of the early-stage startups I invested in has now reached its Series B round, which is incredibly rewarding. Witnessing a startup grow from a small, ambitious team into a scaling, revenue-generating company is one of the most fulfilling aspects of this work. Every success story reinforces my belief in backing strong founders early and supporting them throughout their journey.

Investing in startups involves various challenges. One particular case stands out. I invested in a HealthTech startup where the team initially demonstrated strong technical expertise. However, as the business scaled, they encountered unforeseen regulatory complexities, particularly regarding data privacy and medical certifications, which threatened their entire growth strategy.

At that point, my role as an investor extended beyond providing capital. I actively supported them by connecting the founders with legal experts specialised in healthcare regulations and introduced mentors from the medical industry. Together, we revisited their go-to-market strategy, restructured certain operations, and successfully helped them obtain the necessary certifications.

This experience reminded me how important it is to assess not only the product and team but also industry-specific risks at a very early stage. Since then, I place even greater emphasis on sector-specific due diligence, especially in regulated industries.

The founding team is always my primary focus — their vision, resilience, and ability to execute. A strong team can pivot and adapt, even when initial assumptions do not work out.

I also assess the market size, scalability of the solution, and whether the startup can build a sustainable competitive advantage. On the risk side, I evaluate both internal risks such as team dynamics and product readiness, and external risks like regulatory challenges and market shifts. Diversifying across sectors and stages helps me manage overall portfolio risk.

I actively invest in local, regional, and international markets. While I support strong startups within my own ecosystem, I also believe that global expansion is essential. That is why I continuously explore investment opportunities worldwide.

Beyond financial support, I offer mentorship particularly around quarterly reporting, helping founders interpret key metrics and monitor performance. I also aim to provide honest, practical feedback when founders face strategic or operational challenges. Currently, I am actively mentoring several startups across local and regional ecosystems, and it is deeply rewarding to accompany them through their growth stages.

Since I primarily invest in early-stage startups, my focus is heavily on evaluating the team and assessing the long-term viability of the product. Early-stage due diligence is often challenging as many risks are still unknown, but that’s also part of the excitement sometimes, a startup you invest in today could grow into a unicorn.

My investment size is flexible depending on the startup’s stage, needs, and growth plan. I assess their business plan, burn rate, and expected milestones for the next 12 to 18 months to determine the funding amount and duration.

Generally, I adopt a long-term approach, holding investments for five to seven years. However, the actual timeline depends on the startup’s growth trajectory, market conditions, and available exit opportunities.

Investor’s advice

My main advice is: deeply understand your business model, market size, and growth strategy. Well-prepared financial projections, a structured pitch deck, and clear milestones make a strong impression.

For sourcing investors, I recommend starting within your personal network, accelerators, industry events, and local angel networks can be very effective. Building relationships early, even before actively fundraising, often leads to stronger and more valuable investor connections.

Plans

I plan to continue expanding my portfolio both locally and globally. Recently, I have become particularly interested in HealthTech, AI-driven solutions, and sectors where strong fundamentals exist after proper due diligence. I am always seeking strong founding teams solving real problems with clear market demand and a vision for global scalability.