AwakenAngels

ALPHA Innovation EU female boot campers 💫 I’ve registered for the information event on sept 10 th ,, you can too ! 🤝

Dear Women Founders, Please avoid sending proprietary information in your email outreach and pitch decks to potential investors. It seems that some of you may not be thoroughly researching your investors. Today, I received a pitch deck for the second time in two weeks that included sensitive competitor and financial information to companies similar to two of our AwakenAngels portfolio. While I deleted the information in both instances, not all investors will. Safeguard your business by conducting thorough research on investors before sharing too much detail. Investors have unique personas, motivations, and drivers—understand them to protect your competitive advantage. Please stop emailing blind. #fundraising #investors #founders

There's still time to register for our information session tomorrow, August 14th, at 1pm. In just 30 minutes, we'll walk you through the mechanics of AwakenAngels, whether you're a seasoned angel investor or just starting out. We've got you covered! Link to register below. Mary McKenna, MBE Clare McGee Sinead Crowley Susan Nightingale Shane O'Hanlon

Are you interested in angel investing and supporting women founders across the island of Ireland? Our Co-Founder, Mary McKenna, MBE, shares why joining the AwakenAngels syndicate could be a great opportunity for you. We are excited to announce that our 4th training cohort kicks off on October 8th. If you are curious about angel investing as an asset class and want to learn how to get started, join us for an information session on Wednesday, August 14th, at 1pm. We will walk you through our 9-module training programme and explain the mechanics of AwakenAngels. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eMi5ZVC5

Today getting even better - delighted to welcome our Taoiseach Simon Harris to Glenties in #Donegal & to chat with him briefly about our work at AwakenHub & AwakenAngels, which resonates strongly with some of the themes An Taoiseach addressed in his talk today at the MacGill Summer School. Thank you to Frances Fitzgerald for the introduction & also for the chat today & for your strong support of women. Some days are just brilliant … & today is one of those ☘️☘️☘️ Great job with the fireside chat Cathy Gormley-Heenan of Ulster University 👍

Are interested in exploring the world of angel investing? Our 4th training cohort starts on October 8th. Register now for our information session on August 17th, where we will walk you through the mechanics of AwakenAngels. Whether you are an experienced investor or new to this asset class, join us to learn how you can help transform the investment landscape for women founders in Ireland. Male allies are welcome too! Our training covers: Introduction to Angel Investing: Key principles and opportunities. Due Diligence: Thorough research for evaluating investment prospects. Company Valuation: Methods for informed investment decisions. Deal Terms: Negotiating favourable terms. Understanding Business Models and Financials: Assessing start-up viability. Follow-on Rounds: Ensuring continued investment success. Register now: https://lnkd.in/eMi5ZVC5 Thanks to the continued support of British Business Bank & InterTradeIreland

I love this on “second bounce” & #startups from Irish serial entrepreneur John Stapleton. That phrase “until you’ve exited your startup, you’ve actually achieved very little” is so harsh … but it contains a lot of truth. As a first time #founder there is just a mountain of stuff you don’t know about that’s surely coming down the pipe towards you, faster & faster as you start getting traction & making early progress & attracting a bit of attention from external parties & investors. This is a time heavily populated with peril as mistakes can be made at every turn in the road. Especially when you bring in your first round of investment. Mistakes that at some point in the future might cost you dear in terms of money, standing, reputation & even friendship. 20 years ago I was CFO in a #startup also backed by Apax Ventures. The guys were very vocal about our business & where we should go next, but they talked in riddles & we had no idea what they meant half the time, parachuting into Belfast for a few hours from London or their yachts on the Med or from god only knows where. The challenge is this - just about everyone can see the first bounce of the ball. But to anticipate where the second’s going, you need a really deep understanding of not only the market but also clients and their needs, the latest trends, an appreciation of where your venture is in the cycle - for both your sector and for the economy as a whole, and oh so much more. It’s one of the fundamental reasons why we set up AwakenHub & AwakenAngels - to bring the decades of experience the four of us have to benefit women founders in Ireland who truly have a global mindset from Day 1. Clare McGee Denise McQuaid & Sinead Crowley also each have 20+ years of solid & relevant business experience behind them & we all have networks to die for - so if we’re not sure where that ball might bounce next, you can bet your bottom dollar that we know someone who does. Be careful who you take advice from. You can join our community via this link https://lnkd.in/g3frV6FF #community #angelinvestment #seedstage #womenfounders #advice #experience #RonaldCohen #secondbounce

Super evening at the UK Business Angels Association Awards with Denise McQuaid. Great to spend a few hours with Jenny Tooth OBE, Roderick Beer (& his bathtub gin) & Charles Harrewyn UKBAA (who’s now fully finessed his #JamesBond persona) & also our British Business Bank sponsors Warren Ralls & Stephen Welton CBE. Also fab to catch up with many friends & collaborators from the UK investment ecosystem (Gurpreet Manku Deepali Nangia Kevin Withane (FRSA) 😃 David Fogel Roxane Sanguinetti Chris Adelsbach Helen Oldham Triin Linamagi Timothy Mills Henry Whorwood Kristina Pereckaite) & to finally meet Andrew Gaule in person to discuss Clew Bay & Irish airports (or the lack of them!). We missed you Andrea Sinclair. Wonderful dinner company and conversations with Hannah Bernard OBE Neil MacDougall & Irene Graham OBE and we even managed to catch up with a couple of Northern Ireland folks afterwards at the drinks - good to see you Jenny Ervine & Noel McKenna (small world indeed Eileen Mooney!). What an amazing investor network Jenny & Rod have built over the years & even more amazing for us to be part of the #UKBAA “family”. Sad to part with my UK Business Angel of the Year title but happy that it went to this year’s deserving winner (along with my tiara) to Nick Button-Brown - I’ll be in touch to book a call with you Nick - this is one accolade with strings attached 😂😂😂 It also permitted me the opportunity to update our investor audience with the great progress we’ve made at AwakenAngels in the last year. If anyone reading this is interested in joining our angel syndicate and starting to invest in Irish founders, please do give Denise or I a shout.

In case you missed it yesterday in the Business Post “Who are the top 100 most powerful people in #tech in Ireland?” We are celebrating our Co-Founder Mary McKenna, MBE recognition. Thank you, Charlie Taylor, for compiling a fantastic summary of those shaping the Irish startup and funding ecosystem. At AwakenAngels we are thrilled to be driving change in the investment landscape for women founders across the island. If you are interested in joining our syndicate please register your interest here and one of our team will be in touch: https://lnkd.in/evZwSb2W https://lnkd.in/emSx53bQ #angelinvesting #startup #womenfounders #gotwings #womenbackingwomen

In case you missed it yesterday in the Business Post “Who are the top 100 most powerful people in #tech in Ireland?” We are celebrating our Co-Founder Mary McKenna, MBE recognition. Thank you, Charlie Taylor, for compiling a fantastic summary of those shaping the Irish startup and funding ecosystem. At AwakenAngels we are thrilled to be driving change in the investment landscape for women founders across the island. If you are interested in joining our syndicate please register your interest here and one of our team will be in touch: https://lnkd.in/evZwSb2W https://lnkd.in/emSx53bQ #angelinvesting #startup #womenfounders #gotwings #womenbackingwomen