Grand Angels President Jody Vanderwel told the Business Journal that Mock Draft Central, which is based in Grand Rapids, was an attractive investment on a number of fronts. But the company's president, Jason Pliml, was the main attraction.

"Two of our members had actually invested in this business a little bit and then the business made an application to the Grand Angels. So we had a couple of members who had a history both as investors with Jason Pliml and Mock Draft," said Vanderwel.

"And one knew him even before that and was aware of the quality work he did and the quality of person he was," she added.

Pliml first got the idea for his business in 2001 and unveiled it in April 2002. By the end of 2003, the subscriber base to mockdraftcentral.com topped 1,000. The following year Pliml turned all of his attention to developing the business further.

A year later he had 36,000 subscribers, held more than 7,000 mock drafts, signed several licensing agreements, and rolled out a load of new features at the site.

"As you know, the classic line is that investors bet on the jockey and not the horse," said Venderwel. "That's not to say that this isn't an intriguing business. I think he has a great business model and a very robust technology. But behind that is a man who is not only very technologically able, but a bright man who loves what he does.

"His passion for this business is so obvious. He is also incredibly humble. So as a person, you not only like him, but you respect him. He engenders confidence in his actions."

Vanderwel wasn't the only Grand Angel who had high praise for Pliml.

"Jason Pliml is the kind of creative entrepreneur that, as he builds his future here, is helping build the future West Michigan economy for us all. He has the kind of drive, vision and values that Grand Angels is proud to support," said Craig Hall, a Grand Angel founder and a Mock Draft Central investor.

A key element to the future of Mock Draft Central is the licensing of its technology to companies that produce fantasy sports games. A game maker can cut its production cost by up to half by using Pliml's model instead of building its own. And Pliml's software supports all the major sports, along with some of the niche ones.

"The investors have done their diligence on the business itself and believe that it has great potential," said Vanderwel.

The fantasy sports market that Pliml is involved in has become a multibillion dollar industry that reaches every corner of the globe. Males between the ages of 30 and 45 currently make up more than 90 percent of the market, and data says these players have a median annual income that approaches $80,000. Not surprisingly, one of the most effective ways to reach this large group of sports enthusiasts is online.

"Our investors invest individually, they make their own investment decisions. Our typical model is we would form an LLC and the LLC would be either the stockholder or the note holder, depending on whether we were doing a stock deal or a note deal. We sometimes do convertible debt. Then our members who want to invest become members of the LLC," said Vanderwel.

Grand Angels has been investing since former Grand Bank Founder and CEO Chuck Stoddard convened the group two years ago. Membership has risen since then, going from eight to more than 40. The Grand Angels is one of four angel networks in the state and a member of the Angel Capital Alliance, a national organization supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City.

Pliml has a degree in computer science and mathematics and 10 years of experience in software engineering. He is married with children, and likes to garden and read non-fiction - when he isn't playing fantasy sports or plotting the future of Mock Draft Central.

"If we keep delivering exciting, innovative ideas and continue helping people compete in their fantasy leagues, my dream will be realized - having every fantasy sports owner in the world using our drafting technology at least once," wrote Pliml on his Web site.

"Ambitious, sure. But that's never stopped me before." BJX