South East Angels have launched their Brighton investor group, set to be the most active angel network in the local area. With a focus on providing value as well as funding to startups, the group is made up of High Net Worth Individuals with entrepreneurial backgrounds who are interested in investing in early-stage startups. 

Weezy, the UK’s leading on-demand superfast supermarket that delivers groceries in only 15 minutes, has raised $20 million in Series A funding to expand its grocery delivery service across London and the broader UK. The new investment was led by New York-based venture capital fund Left Lane Capital. Also participating are UK-based fund DN Capital, earlier investors Heartcore Capital and angel investors, notably Chris Muhr, the Groupon founder. The funding will help expand the company’s London-based team by 50 employees over the next four months, in addition to extra fulfilment centre staff. 

The issue of startup diversity is well documented. According to the HMRC, only nine per cent of early-stage funding goes to businesses with a female founder and only 35 per cent is invested into businesses outside of the London and South East ‘bubble.’

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Edinburgh-based business angel investment syndicate, Archangels, led investments of £16.3m in promising Scottish start-up and early stage companies in 2020, topping its 2019 total of £13.4m by 22%.

C-Link, a property procurement start-up founded in 2015 by Paul Heming and Chris Barber, has successfully raised a six figure investment from private investors through investment non-profit, NorthInvest.

OKKO Health, a digital eye care company, has received investment from seven Henley Business Angels (HBA) members, contributing towards a total funding round of £900,000. The amount invested by HBA members was £145k, making it the largest amount invested since HBA’s establishment in 2016.

Innovative Scottish-based drug delivery company, Bio-Images Drug Delivery Limited (BDD), has positioned itself for rapid growth with a further round of investment in its GMP* manufacturing capabilities alongside strategic recruitment to the senior leadership team and the Board of Directors.  The £1.2m investment, has been led by Edinburgh-based business angel investment syndicate, Archangels, supported by Scottish Enterprise and BioCity Investments. 

Zokri, a company that provides a ‘software as a service’ platform for businesses to create and track objectives and key results, has received investment from a member of Henley Business Angels (HBA), contributing towards their latest funding round.

The software that Zokri have created is designed to help employees within a company align their strategy, goals and tasks. This helps allow for effective collaboration and for managers to support teams and the wider business.

The founders of London-based ecommerce startup aisle 3 have bounced back after being made redundant at the start of the pandemic to successfully raise £200,000 for their new ecommerce venture, supported by Angel Investment Network.

Green Angel Syndicate, the UK’s angel syndicate specialising in the fight against climate change and global warming, has launched the GAS Climate Change Fund, for EIS and SEIS investors.

C-Link, a property procurement start-up founded in 2015 by Paul Heming and Chris Barber, has successfully raised a six figure investment from private investors through investment non-profit, NorthInvest.

Envestors' Oliver Woolley discusses why angel investing should be considered by HNWs in a negative interest rate environment.

As we continue to deal with coronavirus restrictions, it is reported by Bank of Englandpolicymakers that the UK may be heading for negative interest rates . This would be a first in the bank’s 326-year history.

With interest rates already at 0.1%, central bank officials announced an additional £150bn stimulus package last week, in an attempt to boost consumer spending during the second wave of the pandemic.

Despite news of a vaccine, the BoE has taken the total stimulus to £895bn, as double-dip recession forecasts emerge.