Founders Seeking Investment

Fueling Your Startup's Growth and Success

If you’re a founder looking for funding and operating in the South West or in South Wales, Angel Investors Bristol (AIB) may be able to help.

However, it’s tough! Between 30-40 companies apply for funding through our website each month and we only have the capacity (presently) to invest in one or two per month. So what sort of companies appeal most to our members?

  • SEIS / EIS approved (so that investors are able to receive the appropriate tax benefits).

  • A credible founder / founding team that not only has the resilience to run a company, but has extra required to scale a fast growth opportunity.

  • A defendable service / product (maybe via IP or positioning in the market with key industry partners to protect your moat).

  • A company that has grant funding, requires match funding or co-investing with other funding organisations.

  • We like med/heath-tech, SaaS, ESG/environmental, inclusivity.

  • We like companies with revenue and commercial traction.

What don’t we invest in?

  • Idea stage - we like to see customer traction (or at the very least, absolute evidence of customer demand e.g. letters of intent).

  • Food and drinks brands tend not to resonate with our membership.

  • Foreign businesses.

Angel funding isn’t the only way to get funding and may not be suitable for your business.
We have a long list of other support agencies on our Ecosystem page to help you find more…

Why Choose Bristol Angel Investment Club?

  1. Investment Expertise: Our club comprises experienced investors with a deep understanding of the startup ecosystem. We bring valuable industry knowledge, strategic guidance, and mentorship to the table. By partnering with Bristol Angel Investment Club, you'll gain access to a wealth of expertise to drive your startup's success.

  2. Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) Support: As a SEIS-focused investment club, we specialise in funding early-stage startups that qualify for the SEIS program. This offers significant tax advantages to our investors, making your venture even more attractive for funding. We'll guide you through the SEIS process and help you unlock the benefits it provides. You can find more info at the Government website (here), or use a company like Founder Catalyst (AIB member) to support the whole admin process.

  3. Network and Connections: Joining Angel Investors Bristol grants you access to our extensive network of investors, industry experts, and successful entrepreneurs. These connections can open doors to potential customers, partners, and future rounds of funding. We foster a collaborative ecosystem where founders can thrive and forge valuable relationships.

  4. South West / South Wales Focus: As a Bristol-based investment club, we have a deep commitment to supporting the regional startup community. We believe in the potential of regional-based ventures to drive innovation and economic growth. By partnering with Angel Investors Bristol, you'll gain access to resources, mentorship, and a network specifically tailored to the local startup ecosystem.

How to Apply for Funding

  1. Submit Your Application: Start with Are you Ready for Angel Investment. If you score highly enough, you’ll be invited (at the end of the assessment) to submit additional information and your pitch-deck with financials for review (don’t miss this, don’t wait for an email). Around 30-50 companies a month take this assessment, only 8-12 a month are assessed to be ready.

  2. Evaluation and Due Diligence: Our team of experienced investors will carefully review each application we receive. If your startup aligns with our investment criteria and shows potential, we'll conduct further due diligence, including market analysis, team assessments, and financial scrutiny. We may request additional information or schedule video calls or meetings with your team.

  3. Pitch Presentation: If your startup passes our initial evaluation, you'll be invited to present your business in front of our investment committee. This is an opportunity to showcase your vision, demonstrate your traction, and address any questions or concerns our committee members may have. We have one pitch event a month with only 1 or 2 carefully selected companies presenting.

  4. Funding Decision: Following the pitch presentation, our members will deliberate and make a funding decision. Each member choses if they want to invest and how much on an individual basis. If there is enough interest from members you’ll be invited into the due diligence phase. This is where we do a deep dive into your team and company so that there is complete transparency for all investors. You will need to supply a Share Holder Agreement and Subscription Agreement which we can guide you with. We invest as one group under a ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ SPV which is administered through our FCA approved partner, Odin.

Let's Shape the Future Together

At Angel Investors Bristol, we believe in the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to drive positive change. If you're a passionate founder with a disruptive startup, we invite you to apply for funding and join our community of like-minded individuals. Together, we can shape the future of the UK’s South West startup ecosystem and beyond.

Apply for funding with Angel Investors Bristol today and take the next step towards realising your startup's full potential, just click on the button below...