Discover the thirty-five UK angel investors who are shaping the future of angel investing, driving innovation, and supporting early-stage startups.
Introduction
Angel investors play a crucial role in nurturing the startup ecosystem, providing not just capital but also invaluable mentorship and networking opportunities. In the UK, the landscape of angel investing has grown significantly, mirroring the vibrancy seen in hubs like San Francisco. The future of angel investing UK looks promising, thanks to the dedication of a diverse group of investors committed to fostering innovation and supporting early-stage startups. This article highlights thirty-five UK angel investors who are leading the way in shaping the future of angel investing.
Profiles of Leading UK Angel Investors
1. Andy Ayim | Product Coach & Angel Investor
Focus Areas: Consumer, D2C, Family-Owned Businesses, Culture
Andy Ayim is a product coach dedicated to helping companies establish robust product management practices. He founded The Angel Investing School, training professionals to venture into startup investments. Andy differentiates himself by investing in family-owned businesses with a long-term vision, prioritizing dividend income over immediate exits. His recent investment in Translate Culture, a retention marketing agency, exemplifies his commitment to legacy-building enterprises.
“My good friend Matt Pennycard said it best: Write the cheque, write it off and go to work.”
2. Gloria Monfrini | Angel Investor
Focus Areas: Founder-Focused, Marketplaces, Innovative Ventures
Gloria Monfrini brings extensive experience from her time at Uber, where she contributed to the company’s growth and strategic projects across the UK. Through her investment vehicle, Redbus, Gloria supports early-stage entrepreneurs by leveraging her operational expertise and vast network. Her investments in startups like FlowerBx and Fenton highlight her focus on adding value beyond capital.
“Work on honing your intuition. At the stage of a company’s life cycle at which angels invest, there is often very little concrete data on the company’s traction and ability to succeed. You are believing in a founder — his/her business acumen, ability to execute, drive and integrity. I see it as an investment in that person.”
3. Chris Mairs | Angel Investor
Focus Areas: DeepTech, User Experience, Founders’ Exceptionalism
With a background in Computer Science from Cambridge, Chris Mairs co-founded Metaswitch Networks, later acquired by Microsoft. As a Venture Partner at Entrepreneur First, Chris invests in startups that demonstrate exceptional founder qualities and robust user experiences. His portfolio includes Tractable and Flyt, showcasing his focus on innovative technology solutions.
“By far the most important thing I look for is personal exceptionalism in the founders. Being completely blind myself, assessing this in a predominantly visual world is prima facie challenging. But it forces the founder to explain the user experience verbally. If they cannot do that elegantly and compellingly then either the experience is muddled or the founder is muddled, both of which are a red flag.”
4. Sarah Turner | Founder, Angel Academe
Focus Areas: Female Founders, Scalable Tech, Visionary Leadership
Sarah Turner is the Co-Founder and CEO of Angel Academe, an angel network investing in female-founded tech startups. Since 2014, Sarah has championed the inclusion of more women in angel investing, providing pre-qualified deal flow and fostering a community of like-minded investors.
“Find your tribe and set aside some money for investing. A good investor network will bring you pre-qualified deal flow as well as like-minded people with complementary skills and experience to discuss and evaluate deals.”
5. Andy Davis | Founding Partner at 10×10 Fund
Focus Areas: Black Founders, Diverse Investments, Pre-Seed Funding
Andy Davis founded 10×10 Fund, which invests in exceptional black founders in the UK. As an angel at Atomico, Andy emphasizes the importance of community, trust, and dedication in investment decisions, focusing on founders who care deeply about their work.
“That the most important ingredient of community, people, and trust is care. The ability to care deeply will enable you to unlock levels of trust, commitment, and reward from the work that’s required to win.”
6. Rosemary Forsyth | Founder, The Forsyth Group & Angel Investor
Focus Areas: Impact Investing, Circular Economy, Disruptive Technologies
Rosemary Forsyth leads The Forsyth Group, specializing in building senior management teams for transformative businesses. As an angel investor, Rosemary supports companies like Net-a-Porter and TransferWise, focusing on long-term impact and sustainable growth.
“Having extreme clarity around the recruitment process can have incredible impact. Protect your reputation by looking after both your internal team and those who come to you from the outside.”
7. Michael Pennington | Founder & Angel Investor
Focus Areas: Pre-Seed, London-Based Tech, Team Balance
Michael Pennington co-founded Gumtree and Slando, both successfully acquired by major corporations. As one of London’s most active angel investors, Michael prioritizes early-stage investments in talented founders with balanced teams, ensuring technical expertise is present in the founding group.
“I generally prefer it when there’s technical skills in a founding team because 40% of the stuff you’ll be doing (in the startup world) is tech stuff.”
8. Deepali Nangia | Startup Advisor & Angel Investor
Focus Areas: FemTech, Digital Health, Sustainability
Deepali Nangia founded Alma Angels to empower investments in female-founded startups. Her investments focus on sectors like femtech and sustainability, emphasizing resilience and leadership in founders.
“Invest in people since businesses often pivot and you want to invest in founders who are proactive and resilient through this pivot.”
9. Ian Hogarth | Founder & Angel Investor
Focus Areas: Machine Learning, Avant-Garde Founders, Large Markets
Ian Hogarth, co-founder of Songkick, invests in startups that target large, often overlooked markets. His approach is founder-driven, seeking visionary leaders who push the boundaries of their fields.
“Great founders remind me of artists — naturally drawn to the avant-garde of their field.”
10. Chenelle Ansah | Cornerstone Partners
Focus Areas: Black and Diverse Founders, Fintech Disruption
Chenelle Ansah heads Cornerstone Partners, an angel syndicate focused on investing in black and diverse founders in the UK. Her efforts aim to bridge the funding gap for underrepresented groups, particularly in fintech.
“Black founders are over mentored and underfunded. We need more funds in the U.K. dedicated to investing in this group.”
11. Akhil Paul | Startup Advisor & Angel Investor
Focus Areas: B2B, SaaS, Strategic Support
With 15 years of strategic experience, Akhil Paul advises and invests in over 50 companies. He emphasizes the importance of providing real-time, proactive support to founders, leveraging his global network to aid in their growth.
“Don’t focus too stringently on ownership % & valuation. A 40% probability of a 2–5x return is better than a 5% probability of 10–20x.”
12. Michelle You | Founder & Angel Investor
Focus Areas: Climate, Environmental Solutions, Consumer Products
Michelle You, a former founder of Songkick, now invests in climate-related startups through LocalGlobe. She advocates for the inclusion of humanities perspectives in tech startups to foster meaningful innovations.
“Telling a coherent and inspiring story is so important. On product: Customer discovery, crisply defining the problem, and rapid experimentation are key.”
13. Melody Lang | Founder, Bloom Learning & Angel Investor
Focus Areas: EdTech, Future of Work, Female Founders
Melody Lang founded MPA Education and now co-leads Bloom Learning, focusing on the future of education and work. Her investments support startups that empower lifelong learning and professional development.
“People are going to increasingly take ownership of their lifelong learning journey.”
14. Harry McLaverty | Founder, SimplifyVC & Angel Investor
Focus Areas: Venture Capital, Next-Gen Angel Funds, Tech Opinions
Harry McLaverty founded SimplifyVC and has been instrumental in preparing next-gen angel funds in Europe and the US. His unique perspectives on tech and venture capital influence his investment strategies.
“Our children and grandchildren will hail Mark Zuckerberg as the hero of our generation, but our views may be more mixed.”
15. Gemma Bloemen | COO, Elder & Angel Investor
Focus Areas: Diverse Teams, Sustainability, Silver Economy
Gemma Bloemen leads operations at Elder while actively investing in startups that promote diversity, sustainability, and cater to the silver economy, ensuring inclusive growth within the investment landscape.
16-35. Additional UK Angel Investors Shaping the Future
Dwayne Gefferie | Data Scientist, Founder & Angel Investor
Fintech, Payments, AI, DiversityWill Armitage | Angel Investor
Sector and Continent Agnostic, Empathetic FoundersRoberta Lucca | Founder, Bossa Studios & Angel Investor
Femtech, Gaming, GenZ, Diverse FoundersJohn Mushriqui | Entrepreneur, Angel Investor & Community Builder
Team Building, CleantechJannat Shah Rajan | VC Turned Operator at eXate & Angel Investor
Change the Status Quo, Undeservedly Underfunded, Diverse FoundersLuca Ascani | Angel Investor
Fintech, Young Entrepreneurs, International MindsetMarcus Exall | Startup Advisor & Angel Investor
Humility, Focus, Tenacity, BeliefJulie Fedele | VP, Liberty Global & Angel Investor
Female Founders, FemTech, Diversity, Purpose-LedNick Telson | Angel Investor
Drive, Scalable Niche, Path to Profit, Industry ObsessionVivi Cahyadi | Founder, AltoVita & Angel Investor
Deeptech, SEIS with Traction, Proptech, RelentlessAron Gelbard | Founder, Bloom & Wild & Angel Investor
D2C, Sustainable, Innovative, KindnessAddie Pinkster | Founder, Adelpha & High Growth Angel Investor
Commercial Experience, Product Excellence, Execution AbilityJames Mishreki | Founder, Skin + Me & Angel Investor
D2C, Subscription Models, DeterminationBérénice Magistretti | Writer, Startup Advisor & Angel Investor
FemTech, Tech That Matters, Female Founders, InclusionAnnalisa Mensah | Trainee Solicitor, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner & Angel Investor
Fintech, Femtech, African Startups, GenZPaul Forster | Angel Investor
Ambitious, Focused, Simple, Scalable VenturesSarah Drinkwater | Director, Omidyar Network & Angel Investor
Future of Work, Living, Stronger Communities, Inclusive FuturesGabbi Cahane | Angel Investor
Edge, Instincts, Smarts, PerspectiveAbi Mohamed | Founder, Community Growth Ventures
Big Data, Consumer Goods, Underrepresented Founders, FintechMaia Moratti Marcou | Entrepreneur & Angel Investor
Faith, Focus, Foodtech, Biotech
These investors are at the forefront of identifying and nurturing the next generation of UK startups. Their diverse backgrounds and focused investment strategies contribute significantly to the evolving landscape of angel investing in the UK.
The Role of Platforms like Oriel IPO
Platforms such as Oriel IPO are revolutionizing the investment landscape by connecting UK startups with angel investors through SEIS/EIS tax incentives. Launched in early 2024, Oriel IPO eliminates commission fees, offers curated investment opportunities, and provides educational resources to empower both novice and experienced investors. By fostering a supportive community and facilitating strategic connections, Oriel IPO is instrumental in democratizing investment opportunities and strengthening the UK’s startup ecosystem.
The Future of Angel Investing in the UK
The future of angel investing UK is bright, driven by a growing number of dedicated investors and innovative platforms. With government-supported schemes like SEIS/EIS and the rise of digital investment marketplaces, funding access for startups is becoming more streamlined and accessible. As more investors join the ecosystem and leverage platforms like Oriel IPO, the UK is poised to sustain its momentum in global innovation and entrepreneurship.
Conclusion
The landscape of angel investing in the UK is enriched by the contributions of thirty-five exceptional investors. Their commitment to supporting early-stage startups, fostering diversity, and driving innovation ensures a vibrant and sustainable future for the UK’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Platforms like Oriel IPO further enhance this environment by providing essential tools and connections, making investment more accessible and impactful.
Ready to invest in the next big UK startup? Join Oriel IPO today and be part of shaping the future of angel investing in the UK.
