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A new fund has been set up in Greater Manchester to boost innovation and entrepreneurship. It’s been made available as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, because of the lack of available innovation and loan capital for start-up businesses. The money has been awarded by Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to investment service, the GC Angels. GC Angels was set up to broaden access to early-stage funding for businesses with hi…

GC Angels, GMCA’s instrument to address the early-stage market gap in Greater Manchester, is the most active seed equity investor in the North in 2020 to date, according to data from Beauhurst, software that measures equity fundraising. Despite the impact of COVID-19 on the startup market, Beauhurst’s figures reveal that GC Angels has invested into 11 rounds totalling £4.8m. The firm is followed by crowdfunding platform Crowdcube, Maven, and Mercia via the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, and Northstar Ventures in the North East.

Housemates, a new Manchester-based tech start-up, is set to shake up the UK and international student accommodation market with the launch of its innovative online student property platform. The launch comes after the business secured £100,000 of pre-seed funding from GC Angels to expand its platform across the UK and internationally.

July 2020 saw The North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT) publish Finance and Innovation Report: Essential Enablers for Future Growth. The report commissioned prior to the pandemic and its impact on the ecosystem, highlighted the progress being made by regions in the North West to address regional funding imbalances and accelerate growth and innovation, highlighting regional success stories, whilst showcasing the strong need for further support and interventions to both recoup lost ground due to COVID19, and accelerate beyond.

A Manchester tech firm helping companies hire freelancers has secured investment from the combined authority, business support service GC Angels and private angel investors, bringing its total funding to £1.2m.

GC Angels Investment Director Jessica Jackson, and Black Nova Group's Head of Partnerships, Alex Lennon joined a lively and engaging webinar hosted by Heather Gray, Business Development Manager at Bruntwood Works last week. Attendees were given insights into investment in the UK and how Covid-19 has affected the market. With nearly 80% of SMEs citing declining revenues throughout 2020, many are looking to see what capital options are available to them.

The UK is the fourth best country in Europe when it comes to starting a business. Bursting with innovators and entrepreneurs in the many sectors spanning tech, it offers well-paid jobs and contributes billions to GDP.

On 26th May 2020, creative businesses and investors joined GC Angels and The Business Growth Hub for the second event (our first digitally) in the Invest in Series - Invest in Creative Media. These events form a large part of our awareness building work for the Creative Scaleup Programme, aimed at shining a light on areas for investment to investors who may otherwise be unaware of, or actively avoid opportunities within the creative sector.

Manchester-based Collctiv, a group payment app that allows friends and family to collect money together, has secured a £140,000 co-investment from GC Angels.

Manchester-based student accommodation marketplace Housemates has secured £100,000 of pre-seed funding from GC Angels.