Ones to watch: UK platforms and communities disrupting early stage investing in 2022
Innovators changing the face of the UK startup scene
These are some of the innovators I see having a real impact on how angel investors and founders find each other, how they structure deals and how they get investment admin done.
They are challenging the status quo, enabling a more diverse range of founders and angel investors to participate and with more flexibility than traditionally sized equity for cash deals.
This impacts:
increased diversity of who invests and who gets investment
lower investment costs and less paperwork
greater transparency and fairness
#1 Does angel investing has a diversity problem? Yes.
Change maker Andy Ayim at Angel Investing School has an excellent course and community that's enabling more people to invest than ever before.
✅ A more diverse angel community creates a more diverse founder community
#2 I don't think that traditional Venture Capital is a good fit but what choice do I have?
Esme Verity at Considered Capital raises awareness about alternative fundraising routes to VC via her newsletter, directory and courses.
✅ Not all startups need or want VC. That isn’t the only route to raise capital
#3 I spend enough time on fundraising, how can I at least reduce the legal/admin burden?
The SeedLegals platform founded by Anthony Rose means that founders waste less money and time on fundraising admin.
✅ Transparency on process and terms gives first time founders better negotiating power
#4 How can I grow my startup with limited financial resources?
Innovator Judy Leung at Sweqlink matches founders who need access to talent with people who want to earn equity in exchange for their for time.
✅ This helps startups bootstrap and broadens who can participate
#5 How can I take small cheque angel investments in my startup? How can I lead syndicates and help founders?
Rapidly growing platform Odin co-founded by Patrick Ryan helps:
✅ Founders raise money via smaller cheque investors efficiently
✅ Incentivises syndicate leads to help founders raise more money
#6 How can I learn and invest with other angel investors?
Syndicates such as HERmesa run by Marla Shapiro work to make the pool of angel investors and founders more representative of the society that we live in, their particular focus in gender representation.
✅ Create greater gender diversity on both sides of the investor/founder table
#7 Who’s missing from this list?
Let me know on Twitter, LinkedIn or comment here.
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