Angel Investors Bristol

Explore investment opportunities in South West #deeptech at a face-to-face event in Bristol on Thursday evening. You'll hear from Tech South West Funding Lead Ben Cooper, alongside Kealan Doyle of Symvan Capital, Roderick Beer of UK Business Angels Association and Pippa Clarke of Tech South West Financial Partner Bishop Fleming Chartered Accountants. There's a world of innovation ready for investment, right here in the South West. #TechInvestment #TechEvents #AngelInvestment Peter Lockett Alan Furley Ben Masheder

“We have to be smart, fast and don’t wait” (Dan Pritchard , Tech South West) Which is why on Friday we launched the North Devon Angels network, working with Tech SW as a driving force for that change and the business growth we want to support. A recent British Business Bank survey, outlined by Edward Tellwright, demonstrated that early stage finance, esp angels, was the second highest finance priority for scaling businesses. Yet 77.8% of intermediaries think that early stage finance is the main gap in the system at the moment. That is where we as Councils need to play our facilitating role within shaping that ecosystem, but never losing sight of the founders and innovators, linking to the 6 clusters identified in the Economic Strategy. Experience demonstrates that every angel investment unlocks about 3.2 the amount. But as Charles Harrewyn UKBAA from the UK Business Angels Association outlined, recent changes in the tax systems mean that there are major opportunities to use SEIS / EIS to offset capital gains liabilities by actually creating further positive impact. But that’s a role we need to ensure that our local accountants are able to advise and then see a clear pipeline into our angel investment network- locally and regionally. A really important piece of work. But what it then means is that angels, both with investment and connections, are able to do the early-stage heavy lifting to get the revenue on the up, stimulating VC confidence and appetite for further, and larger, investments. And, crucially, those angels don’t have to plough £100,000s of thousands into ventures. Especially if you are part of a syndicate anything over a £1,000 can work, especially if you can provide support, advice and contacts. This is a first step – so please have a look at https://lnkd.in/eYwjws-p to see how you can get involved, either as a founder or to explore what it means to be an angel, and get access to a deal pipeline locally and also as part of a wider network including Bristol and Cornwall as well. Our competitive advantage is all around us. Working here in Torridge and North Devon is special. When businesses are here, embedded, and working within wider networks they are proven to have a higher survival rate than nationally. And at a venue like Saunton Sands last week, who could genuinely want to be anywhere else? I finished work and ran down that beach to step into the weekend. I’ll just leave it there. Dominie Dunbrook Ben Cooper Rob Passmore, FRSA Hannah Sprague Richard Beedell James Morris Peter Morrish Stuart Brocklehurst Deborah Watson Jim Walker Rob Jordan Olly Hicks Dan Debnam Richard Tanner Andrew Marshall Clair Mills Paul Coles

Calling all Deeptech investors (and potential investors)! I’ll have my Angel Investors Bristol hat on and be talking all things Deeptech investing with the UK Business Angels Association’s Roderick Beer, Pippa Clarke of Bishop Fleming Chartered Accountants, and Kealan Doyle of Symvan Capital. Partnering with Tech South West, we’ll be at Bishop Fleming’s offices between 6pm and 8.30pm - so grab a free ticket and come along for thoughts, insights, drinks and networking! https://lnkd.in/endYWbRu Angel Investors Bristol Peter Lockett Jon Bonnick Science Creates Maven Capital Partners Mercia Ventures BBRC Foresight Group Adam Watts Rafael Joseph Melanie Goward Rafi Khan Luke Matthews Olly Cox Ed Rowberry Jari Moate Chris Butters Dan Pritchard Joe Bevan Richard Beedell Professor Matt Freeman Thanh Quan-Nicholls Marty Reid Chloe Vernon-Shore Harry Trick Richard Yorke Edward Tellwright Chris Dyson Scott Preece Simon Mark Corderoy Matthew Hicks Harry Alexander

The key to support is having the right type at the right time that aligns with where you are on your journey. And that is the key to Tech South West’s Growth Forge. Utilising Pragma Holis’s PragmaPulse business diagnostic tool, the Growth Forge team builds each cohort member a programme of support to help that business with focussed, actionable advice and measurable results. With support from partners across the business spectrum, and with coaches and mentors on hand to decode the problems and solutions, Growth Forge is able to provide a bespoke programme for each firm, which changes as the business changes. For 2025 TSW are also introducing three specialist cohorts - Marinetech, CleanTech and AI, with specialist support hubs in Plymouth, Exeter and Bristol. To find out more about the programme join us on a call tomorrow at 9.30am: https://lnkd.in/erGpvS7y Ashfords LLP Bishop Fleming Chartered Accountants British Business Bank British Business Bank South West Evo Talent Future Space - Bristol Howden Microsoft Plymouth and South Devon Freeport Program | B Corp™

We’re back! It’s Angel Investors Bristol’s first pitch event of 2025, and we’re excited to hear all about Inyanga Marine Energy Group from Richard Parkinson. A great South West based tidal energy firm. We also took the opportunity to engage with the members to talk about 2024, our successes and about our pipeline. And to look at the coming year and our process - how we can improve, how we can engage more and a deep-dive into our investment process. Interesting stuff! Great to also see lots of the ecosystem represented, including Edward Tellwright from British Business Bank and Simon Tutton MA (hons) MCSI DipPFS who’s using his experience as a VC to assist founders navigate the investment market - look out for more news about that! Jon Bonnick Ben Cooper Peter Lockett

Merry Christmas! 🎅 🎄 2024 has been an amazing first year for Angel Investors Bristol. We’ve grown to 122 members; and in that time we have completed three investments for almost £600k, in Astral Systems, Intelligent AI Limited and Distil.ai. And we’ve got another FIVE deals all close to completion! With many more in the pipeline for 2025, we're excited about our a ability to support even more companies across the South West and South Wales. We get a huge amount of applications a month from founders seeking investment, and picking out the ones we think will be attractive to as many as possible in the group is quite a process ... ✨ Some monthly stats ✨ 🎄Between 30-50 founders take the 'Are you ready for Angel Investment' assessment on our website 🎄Between 8-12 of those companies achieve the pass mark that enables them to make a full application 🎄Each of those 8-12 is circulated with our First Impression Group (FIG) - AIB members that have volunteered to take a look at applications and give feedback 🎄Each application receives feedback from 4-8 FIG members 🎄We have at least two FIG video calls each month to go through the opportunities, take a look at the FIG feedback and decide which to reject or engage further 🎄We speak to 4-6 companies every month, by video call 🎄We look to select two to present at each month's live pitch event, most often at the amazing Origin Workspace 🎄Phew! 😅 We can't do all we do without the support of the startup and scaleup ecosystem in Bristol, across the South West and South Wales. So a big thank you to you for all your support and we look forward to seeing even more of you at our events next year. We’ve got some pretty exciting developments on the horizon, too! We wish you a lovely Christmas and look forward to an exciting 2025! Milbotix Grace & Green Map Impact Anya Microsol

Oof - what a year! 🙇 We've had more plates spinning at Tech South West than we have sticks to balance them on. Challenging? Absolutely. Boring? Not a chance. 2024 was a huge year for us, with new projects, landmark events and fresh collaborations. And we kept the receipts: 🚀 Supported 60 companies through Growth Forge 🤝 Collaborated with 10 partners and 8 coaches ⏰ Delivered 1000+ hours of support 💰 Helped secure £2m in equity and grants 🌐 Ramped up the Access to Finance SW community 📊 Created the first-ever Tech Prospectus for the South West 👥 Brought together 150+ tech leaders at our Tech Leaders Summits 🏆 Celebrated trailblazers at the Tech South West Awards From SW Investment Summits to our big South West Showcase in London, the region's first tech prospectus and our new Social Value Partnership with Microsoft, we've been dedicated to driving connection, collaboration, and growth. Our Advisory Board, quarterly Leadership Forum, and members have been instrumental in shaping a thriving tech ecosystem that supports founders, investors, startups, and established businesses alike. 2024 was about building bridges, creating opportunities, and proving why the South West is becoming a true tech powerhouse. Has it all been plain sailing? Negative. Are there learnings for 2025? BIG ones. The journey continues - and we can't do it alone. Be part of the community in 2025. Sign up to our weekly email and plug into the region's fastest growing sector: https://lnkd.in/dqs7Zybz #TechSouthWest #Innovation2024 #TechEcosystem #TechFromTheCuttingEdge Hazel Tucker Martin Barnes Anthony Story Todd Gifford Daniel White Lucy Savin (Cert CII) Eifion Jones Tom Kennard Caroline Orr Isobel Shaw Thanh Quan-Nicholls John Terry Jason Coleman Hannah Sprague Sarah Fasey Richard Potter Niki Davies Paul Bird Kris Sum Alan Furley Barry Tottle Lizzie Tottle Lucy P. Anthony Peake Andrew Ellis, FRSA Rob Nicholls Rob Passmore, FRSA Ruth Farenga Alicia Grimes Rhona Munro Toby Parkins Elly Rowley Emma Mallett Professor Tim Dodwell Karin Rudolph Alex Watts Caitlin Gould Colin Dart

Great initiative for #femalefounders Amy Newton Natasha McKenzie Abigail Frear Sarah Smith Andrea Kelly Anna-Lisa Wesley Briony Phillips Elly Rowley Hatty Fawcett Katie Martin Serena Giaminardi Jess Saumarez

Last Friday the Tech South West team got together at Firepool Centre for Digital Innovation in Taunton - with Joe Bevan dialling in from Spain - to reflect on 2024, to solidify plans for 2025 and to refocus on our core mission and objectives. This week we followed up with our online Christmas Quiz, organised by our own Laura Bond! Proud to say I shaved it by half-a-point! 💪 🎅 It's amazing to look back and think about how much such a small, mainly part-time, team has delivered this year, including: 👏 two sold-out investment summits in Exeter and Bristol 🤩 a Growth Forge programme with a cohort of over 60 SW-based tech firms 😵💫 x3 Growth Forge Days 😍 the launch of a SW Tech Prospectus 🤪 a fantastic London showcase and dinner at Howden's head office 🥳 a leadership summit 😎 engaged with Westminster and the many new MPs from across the region 🤯 and yet another amazing Tech South West Awards at Ashton Gate And 2025 looks even more intense! I'm looking forward to recharging over Xmas and New Year! 😅 We've helped firms raise millions in investment, grants and debt, worked with dozens of companies to improve their operations and become investor ready, showcased the best of the SW both locally and nationally, and we've worked with West of England Combined Authority, Western Gateway, Great South West and Plymouth and South Devon Freeport - amongst many others - to shine a light on the South West and the amazing tech sector. Of course, we couldn't do any of this work without the support of our numerous sponsors, partners, coaches and mentors! A huge thanks to (and a big apology to anyone I've not included - my memory is shocking - and I've also hit the maximum mention limit!). Thanks to you all! Bishop Fleming Chartered Accountants Ashfords LLP Howden Evo Talent Angel Investors Bristol Program | B Corp™ Microsoft ISL Talent British Business Bank North Devon Council Torridge District Council Future Space - Bristol Exeter Science Park Michelmores Pragma Holis Ryan Innovate UK Business West South West Business Council Petroc Official Maven Capital Partners Mercia Asset Management PLC The FSE Group New Future Ventures QantX RWK Goodman University of Exeter Countex Finance Ltd Exeter Innovation Accelerator Creative UK Merry Christmas everyone - have a great festive break and see you in 2025 for more amazing, impactful programmes! 🎄

What a night! GroundWaves has won The Futurist Award at the Electronics Weekly #ElektraAwards for its amazing Apex haptic sneakers! Huge credit to Nick and Chris for all the hardwork in getting to this stage (and for both finding a black tie!). GroundWaves is graduate of the Tech South West StartUp Studio, and has received amazing support from MyWorld - Bristol Bath and Innovate UK’s Creative Catalyst, plus investment from members of Bristol Private Equity Club and Angel Investors Bristol. Only last week the guys were updating investors with their progress at amazing new facility, The Sheds in Temple Quarter - and the guys are now seeking fresh investment to take them to production. Mark Leaver Katie Martin Joe Bevan Dan Pritchard Jon Bonnick Peter Lockett Dan Fallon Peter de Groot Rafi Khan Damon Bonser Rob V. Matt Tomlinson Luke Matthews Adam Watts Alan Furley Simon Tutton MA (hons) MCSI DipPFS Bernard James James Vaughan James Fox Clare Lovering Steve Harris