Although there are no absolute rules that govern which companies Zygote will invest in, here are some guidelines to provide a sense of what kind of opportunities will be of the most interest.

1) A big idea. Every great company starts with a great idea. Zygote seeks to help create great companies, not just successful ones.

2) World changing. Most companies won’t change the world. But, some will. We like entrepreneurs who dream large.

3) New technology. While many VCs are wary of “research projects”, we love new science and technology.

4) Self-sustaining. In order to build a valuable enterprise, there must be a plan to become self-sustaining. An enterprise built to be acquired will have few options.

5) Clean-tech. Every new company built today should be a clean-tech company.

6) Alignment with societal needs. If the need is there, the market will develop.

7) Alignment with Zygote Ventures expertise and/or interest. We are most interested in investments where we can add personal value in addition to money.

8) <$1M to accomplish something. Some companies only need a small investment to reach sustainability, some need much more. We are interested in both. But we strongly prefer to invest at a stage when a fairly small investment can have a real impact on moving the company forward.

9) SF Bay Area. This is not essential, but local investments are easiest to manage.

10) Personal chemistry. Angel investing, at its best, will lead to a close, long-term relationship.