Important update: changes to online applications - If you haven’t started or completed your application yet, please review the updated information to avoid any disruptions. Find out more

Who are angel investors? 

Angel investors use their personal wealth to support the growth of promising small businesses. Through Angels Invest Wales, investors help shape the future of Welsh businesses while potentially earning impressive returns on their investment.

The AIW platform is only available for high net worth individuals and/or sophisticated investors.

I'm grateful to be part of Angels Invest Wales, supporting the growth and success of innovative Welsh businesses. As a lead investor, I'm able to collaborate with like-minded investors and entrepreneurs, and harness the fire power of match-funding through the Angel Co-fund to make the greatest possible impact, and nurture exciting businesses.

Huw Bishop, lead investor 

Opportunities for angel investors

We provide a personalised service for business angels and experienced investors looking for sound investment opportunities. Through our exclusive platform, you'll see a range of carefully selected, ‘quality controlled’ investment opportunities.

You'll also get exclusive access to quarterly webinars with investors and industry experts.

Be an active part of a high-quality professional investor network, with over 300 investors involved. Explore ‘best practice’ in investment strategies and quality networking opportunities with other high-net-worth individuals.

If you're new to investing, you have the opportunity to learn from, and shadow, experienced investors who form part of our broad network. 

Potentially qualify for tax relief benefits and exemptions through EIS and SEIS approved opportunities. You can read more about the benefits of EIS and SEIS in our Q&A with investor Patrick Nash.

You can apply for co-investment from the Wales Angel Co-investment Fund; available to syndicates of investors seeking to co-invest in Wales based SMEs, the fund supports the creation of angel syndicates and networks across Wales by providing loans and equity up to £250,000. 

Your questions answered

Angel investors are often high net worth individuals, with strong business or professional experience. Often, they’re successful entrepreneurs or former entrepreneurs themselves, or have held executive positions at large companies.

To become an angel investor you'll need an annual income of £100,000+ or net assets worth £250,000+ (not including your home or pension). 

Angels Invest Wales business angels invest in businesses in Wales in return for an equity share. As well as financial rewards, business angels can choose to play an active role in their investment.

After sending your details through our contact us form, you'll register on our investment platform and confirm your status as a high net worth Individual or a self-certified sophisticated investor.

Our regional managers use their business expertise to ensure opportunities are quality checked before being presented to our members who would be likely to invest.

Investment opportunities are regularly added to our investment platform which investors can view at their leisure. Our investment forums give businesses the opportunity to ‘pitch’ to prospective investors.

Joining our angel network

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Step 1

Fill out our contact form and we'll be in touch

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Step 2

You'll get access to our exclusive investment platform

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Step 3

Find exciting investment opportunities

Syndicates

We support angel syndicates (managed by a pre-approved lead investor) with match funding from our £8 million Wales Angel Co-investment Fund.

By being part of a syndicate, you can share the risks, share the work and maximise the returns. With only a small amount of investment from yourself, you can take part in larger deals, or a greater number of deals. This means you don’t need to be ultra high net worth to participate, and you can de-risk and diversify by having several investments.  

 

Lead Investors will need to apply directly to us initially for approval (two intakes per year). Use our contact us form to get started.

Upon a successful application, the Lead Investor will then need to form a syndicate with other experienced investors (syndicates must have a minimum of three investors including the lead).

Once a syndicate has been formed they can apply for co-investment. The Lead Investor and company will complete an application form provided (and relevant search docs) for submission. The syndicate will have carried out all due diligence on the company/project before presenting it to us.

Your application is then considered and if approved, solicitors will be instructed on a joint rep, pro rata, parri passu basis. Funds will be sent directly to solicitors only, on undertaking that they have received investor funds. 

The £8 million Wales Angel Co-investment Fund is a passive fund which aims to encourage more active angel investment. Managed by the Development Bank of Wales, the five year co-investment fund participates in syndicated investment rounds by co-investing loans and equity up to £250,000 alongside angel syndicates and a lead investor. Angel Invest Wales actively co-ordinates this activity on behalf of the Development Bank of Wales.

  • Equity and loans from £25,000 - £250,000
  • Maximum exposure to any individual syndicate is £700,000
  • Syndicate members must not have existing investments in the company/project
  • Family or friends of syndicate members, who are involved in companies/projects, will be deemed a conflict of interest 
  • As co-investor we can contribute up to a maximum of 50% of the total deal.

Lead Investors will be sent a short application form to complete and may be invited for interview.  Contact us to find out more, and take a look at experienced angel investor, Nelson Gray's article about the benefits of syndication.

Syndicate's second investment in next gen entrepreneurs

A syndicate of 10 business angels has made a follow-on investment in Swansea-based 2B Enterprising, the company delivering a bilingual enterprise education programme for primary schools.

Find out more