A business Angel, like those we work with in our GC Angel programme, does not only invest cash into a start up or early stage business but also a wealth of experience and knowledge to help the business grow.
Our Angels make investments as part of a syndicate, which not only minimises their individual risk but also enables them to work with a wider range of businesses.
With £850m invested by Angels annually in the UK, what is the attraction of becoming an Angel? There are of course many examples of investors making their fortunes from spotting the Next Big Thing but even though every new business will not hit those levels, investing in a successful young business can still deliver both better returns than a savings accounts and potentially provide tax relief for the investor. For most Angels though it is more about the personal satisfaction they gain from seeing a business learn, grow and succeed as a direct result of both their equity and their experience, rather than focusing on the financial reward.
Many Angels have successfully run their own businesses and will bring with them decades of experience, and an understanding of what it is like to be in an entrepreneur’s shoes. Becoming an Angel enables them to share the skills and expertise they have spent a lifetime developing with young, ambitious businesses that are hungry to follow in their footsteps and grow.
The Angels we work with talk about the return on their investment as being enormously rewarding and a great way to keep at the forefront of developments in their chosen sector. Becoming an Angel within a syndicate like GC Angels also puts you at the heart of a valuable business network of your peers.
For anyone who enjoys putting their skills and talents to great use and being part of a vibrant business community becoming a business Angel can be a great investment in the future of British business.