Cambridge Angels

Sphere Fluidics is now Sphere Bio in a rebranding exercise that reflects the company's transition from a leading droplet-based microfluidics innovator to an established commercial provider of integrated life sciences tools and solutions. https://lnkd.in/dEr8cnfW

"Oxford Drug Design has been awarded £1 ($1.2) million in funding to progress its uUTI (uncomplicated urinary tract infection) antibacterial programme from PACE (Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy)." https://lnkd.in/ed2tu2pu

Shareholder communications – the good, the bad and the ugly Recently, we asked our 60 experienced angel investors for their top-of-mind best and worst examples of shareholder communications. Cambridge Angels has a portfolio of 125 companies so it’s a rich and diverse source of information. 🔔 Spoiler alert: the number one factor that determines best and worst shareholder comms (by quite a long way) is the ‘when’ communications are sent. Companies that communicate readily at the start and then fall silent until more funding is required are NOT investors’ favourites. Finding a good template and communicating consistently are top of the list of good shareholder communication practices. There are many shareholder comms templates available online but to help you along, here are some additional top tips from Cambridge Angels investors: ❔ Start with reminding your investors what the company does. Remember that you’re the one who is immersed in the detail; your shareholders might need a little reminder. 🖊️ Be specific. One of our members cited this section from a shareholder update as a good example of specific information: Financial Metrics Cash on hand: Burn this month: New ARR this month: Total ARR: Product Metrics New users this month: Total users: Weekly active users: Average weekly engagement time: Churn rate this month: 📃 Whilst you want to give a good level of detail, don’t be tempted to make it too long. A Cambridge Angels member noted that one shareholder communication was presented in a 40 slide PowerPoint deck. There’s a fine balance between providing too little and too much information! The rule of thumb is that it should be readable in 1 minute. 🙏 Be clear about your ask. Trust that your investors want to help the company succeed. How can they help you? Ask for connections, advice, help with finding great talent etc. ⌛ Set up a template and make it simple enough to keep up a rhythm of communication. Receiving shareholder comms once a month or once a quarter is quite normal, and your investors will come to expect the next update in their inbox. Our Cambridge Angels member Simon Blakey recently posted his thoughts on shareholder comms with some specific and clear guidance. See the comments for a link to his post. Feel free to share your top tips for good shareholder communications.

"Qureight and Remedy Cell have collaborated to validate the mechanism of action of RC-0315 in the Phase Ib clinical trial for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)" https://lnkd.in/emtvFr6y

"The Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation and Trinity Hall, one of the oldest Colleges in Cambridge, have partnered to celebrate and support extraordinary social innovators creating social impact through business across the UK". Entries for this competition are now open and close on 17 April 2025. https://lnkd.in/eyRgaxRm

Read more about Cambridge Angels backed Wild Hydrogen and their novel method for producing affordable, carbon-negative hydrogen https://lnkd.in/eGr7zYSR

In the fast-evolving world of energy storage, breakthroughs in battery technology are critical to shaping a sustainable future. At the forefront of this innovation is Cambridge Angels portfolio company illumion, a deep-tech company leveraging advanced optical techniques to revolutionise battery development. Christoph Schnedermann, its founder and CEO, discusses his journey, the company’s vision, and his insights on leadership and fundraising. See comments for the link to the interview

Amadeus Capital Partners has announced the launch of their fellowship programme. If you are a STEM PhD looking to work in venture capital, this could be the opportunity you've been looking for

Congratulations to Cambridge Angels backed company, Monument Therapeutics! The company has raised a further £850k, led by ACF Investors

"Healx has dosed the first subject in the open-label Phase II INSPIRE-NF1 trial to assess the efficacy and safety of HLX-1502 in individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a rare genetic disorder that causes tumours to form along nerves." https://lnkd.in/e82DmZNq