A North Wales company that is developing a world-first technology to recycle MDF waste has received new funding of £165,000 from a group of business angels. MDF Recovery has secured the additional investment from a group of angels who have previously backed the business.

Simon Acland is the co-founder of Green Angel Syndicate, the only angel syndicate in the UK specialising in investments that are of benefit to the Green economy. We support early stage technology companies developing products and solutions specifically for a more efficient and sustainable use of global resources. 

The UK Business Angels Association has commissioned a new nationwide study to analyse the sentiment of investors towards the rising new-age trends that are set to dominate the tech landscape over the next decade.

The European Business Angel Network (EBAN), which is the pan-European community for the early stage investors covering over 150 member organizations in more than 50 countries has appointed Peter Cowley as its new President.

Peter Cowley, serial entrepreneur, invested investor and UK Angel of the Year 2014-15, will take the lead of the organisation for the next two years.

Lithuanian Business Angels Network (LitBAN), together with Co-Investment Fund “Koinvesticinis Fondas”, announced the first official investment in a Lithuanian startup. A unique investment of 100K EUR will go to Oxipit, a startup developing innovative diagnostic tools that allow to recognize cancer and other pathologies in radiograms using AI.

Labstep, the platform for researchers that captures real-time scientific data and connects lab groups enabling information sharing and reproducibility, announces today that it has raised £1 Million from angel investors. The company will use the funds to double its team to 12, launch a marketplace for lab supplies and add features that streamline how scientists will outsource elements of their research. 

Tuesday 19th June saw over 300 leading entrepreneurs and early-stage business investors gather at the stunning Liverpool Cathedral UK Business Angels Association’s annual UK Angel Investment Awards 2018.

Jenny Tooth, CEO of UKBAA presented the awards, they recognise outstanding achievement, identifying some of the most innovative and disruptive businesses across the UK; and the angel and early-stage investors that have backed them. We received nearly 300 nominations which was a record for the UKBAA Awards , so it was very challenging for our 24 expert judges to make their decision.

Archangels, the Edinburgh-based business angel syndicate, has been recognised as the UK’s Lead Angel Investment Syndicate of the Year by the UK Business Angels Association. T

he accolade follows a record year of investment for the world’s oldest business angel syndicate in 2017/18, during which it led with £11.2m of investment from its own members, supplemented by a further £6.8m of cash from co-investors, including Scottish Investment Bank, the investment arm of Scotland’s main economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise. 

UK Business Angel Market report published by the British Business Bank reveals clear regional disparity with 57% of Business Angels based in London and the South East

• 43% of Business Angel investments made in London and the South East
• 75% of business Angels aged over 45 and 21% aged over 65
• Healthcare, Life Sciences, Fintech and Software as a Service most popular sectors for investment

To celebrate its first anniversary, Green Angel Syndicate asked Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the UK’s Committee on Climate Change, to present his organisation’s vision of the future of the UK’s low-carbon economy, a vision in which large corporates, start-ups, private investors, and individual citizens all have a responsibility and a role to play.  His views are outlined in this blog post.

Micrima, the Bristol-based breast imaging company, has raised £4.4 million in additional equity funding led by Technology Venture Partners, The Angel CoFund (ACF), and Venture Founders - plus a group of returning and new individual investors - bringing the total amount raised to £10.7m.

Roy Johnson, Micrima’s Executive Chairman, said, “I am very happy to announce the completion of our latest funding round, which provides us with the capital we need to move our initial MARIA product into full commercial launch and follow this swiftly with the enhanced functionality that the system is capable of achieving. The market has been prepared over the past 18 months through the publication of our historical clinical trial data, and attendance at numerous congresses and trade shows to showcase our breakthrough technology. As a result, we have many influential clinicians and partners anticipating the launch of MARIA later this year. We look forward to putting the product we have worked so hard to create into their hands for the first time.”

The International Business Festivals is underway in Liverpool, with UKBAA as Investment Partner.