Business Angels

The British Venture Capital Association is a useful source of information about raising venture capital and lists member organisations which provide funding in most sectors and stages.

The BVCA is the industry body and public policy advocate for the private equity and venture capital industry in the UK.

BiG provides equity finance and business support expertise to established owner-managers, or potential managers, who can demonstrate growth potential, coupled with good management skills or an established track record. BiG is able to provide equity funding from £10k to £1m and more.

BiG will help businesses of any size, and it will syndicate with other financial partners to offer the best total, balanced-funding package. During the last twelve years, BiG has assisted over 47 companies (80% of which are still progressing) and has invested more than £14.5m.

It has created a vital regional funding source. It has given direction to small and medium size enterprises in the ‘North East of England’ who are looking to start-up or develop their growth. BiG members also assist in developing entry or exit strategies. Because of BiG’s expertise and high profile networking programme, its members are exceptionally well placed to understand the problems of the entrepreneur.

BiG members are also able to provide a wide range of professional skills to assist companies, both pre and post-investment.

The Group has grown steadily year on year since forming in 1997 and now comprises a management team of 20 and a client base of around 100. Service offerings include bespoke EIS portfolios, fund management,investment facilitation and management services.

With close relationships with a number of leading universities and innovation centres, and access to a wide variety of emerging commercial opportunities at early stages, Braveheart makes investments in young, emerging, unlisted companies where there is potential for significant growth through successful commercialisation of IP.

The Group’s headquarters are in Perth and there are regional offices in Yorkshire and central London.

Tiger Corporate Finance is an independent corporate finance house specialising in deal origination and equity finance which was formed by Roland Tate in 2005, following several years with PWC and KPMG where he was Director of Corporate Finance, gaining considerable experience in mergers and acquisitions.

There are 12 members actively seeking opportunities in most sectors.

Contact: Roland Tate – Director.

The purpose of the Investors Forum is to provide a showcase for high-growth and knowledge-based companies to present their investment proposals to an audience of local and national investors as well as other entrepreneurs and leading figures from the region’s professional services community.

The aim is to engage with high-growth businesses, to develop community and provide more opportunity for them to access the financial resources and business skills they need to succeed.

Entrust has operated Investor Forum, a formal Business Angel Network (BAN), since 1994.The network includes private equity and venture capital investors, business angels, successful entrepreneurs, business advisors, and corporate financiers. Currently, the network comprises 216 members of which 67 are private investors and 149 are professional intermediaries.

Entrust bring the network together with companies seeking investment, typically in the region of £50,000 to £1m. Securing this level of investment is recognised as a particular challenge, usually because it presents itself at that point where the SME is embarked simultaneously on sustainability and growth.

Presentation Evenings

Investor Forum events take place on average 5-6 times per year each involving four or five company pitches.

Companies are given 10 minutes to make their presentation which is followed by a question and answer session with the audience. To encourage discussion between companies and investors an exhibition area is provided where networking can take place over refreshments.

Venues are alternated to maximise the opportunities for SMEs and to encourage high net worth individuals from across the region to attend.

Keynote Speakers

The event format also presents opportunities for delegates to listen to top industry experts on relevant topics / themes sharing their valuable knowledge and experience with members.

For example, at the March 2009 event - sponsored by Dickinson Dees - delegates were able to hear from Anthony Clarke on business angel investment trends and the work being undertaken by the BBAA to promote and develop this marketplace. Anthony is the Chairman of the British Business Angel Association (BBAA), President of European Business Angels Network (EBAN) and Managing Director of GLE Growth Capital which currently has £330m under management across the UK.

British Business Angels Association

Entrust is a founding member of the British Business Angels Association (BBAA) Formed in June 2005, the association acts as a national body bringing together best practise and linkage with the wider angel marketplace. The BBAA currently has 22 full BAN members and 40 Associate members.

BBAA exists to represent UK early stage investment and is committed to promoting business angel investment as a viable form of capital injection for companies starting up and wishing to grow and develop. It has a number of roles which include:

• Promoting angel finance as the primary mechanism for new and high growth potential businesses to fund their growth requirements.
• Encouraging contact and the exchange of experience and ideas between angel groups and other sources of funding.
• Creating links with other UK and international associations and organisations.
• Engaging in regular dialogue with government and other opinion formers at national level to help shape policy for the benefit of the industry.
• Having an agreed code of conduct for all members to promote best practise and transparency across the industry.

The BBAA, in collaboration with NESTA, conducted one of the largest studies into UK Business Angel activity. The research aims to help policymakers, business angel networks, individual investors and all those interested in the early-stage investment market better understand this asset class.

Towards the end of 2008, the BBAA created four new committees to provide support and direction to the Association and enable practical actions on behalf of the membership. Entrust is involved in two of these committees; Early Stage Funds Committee and Research & Policy.