Investor Connect 868: Music City Angels: How David Vulcano Screens Deals, Terms, and Founder Fit in Nashville

In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome David Vulcano, Vice President for clinical research, compliance and integrity at HCA Healthcare and president of Music City Angels, who shares how the Nashville chapter fits within the multi-city Community Equity Partners network and how the group invests through both angel funds and a club model. David walks through their process—light initial screening via the website, chapter-based prescreening, and monthly live pitches—along with what they want to see in early companies, including an MVP (not R&D), clear problem/solution, strong team, investment terms, and an exit strategy. David discusses the sectors they find compelling, including healthcare, fintech, advanced materials, EV/battery technology, and infrastructure, and he notes that "AI" alone isn't enough without a real problem being solved. He highlights what separates strong founders in the room—preparation, coachability, and hitting key points within a short pitch—and outlines common red flags such as uncapped SAFEs or convertible notes and founders who haven't thought through realistic exit scenarios. We also cover how Music City Angels adds value beyond capital through board roles, connections, syndication, and shared diligence across investor networks, as well as Tennessee ecosystem resources like Launch Tennessee matching funds and the Entrepreneur Center for pitch help. David offers advice to new angel investors to learn through group meetings and shared diligence, and he emphasizes that founders should submit through the Community Equity Partners website for the fastest path to a clear answer. Links mentioned: Community Equity Partners website. Reach out to at [email protected] ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact [email protected] Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.