As we begin to open up the UK, it’s a time look forward, but perhaps you will allow me a few words on the past year and what it has taught the angel and other related private company investment markets.  Reflection is useful because it would be surprising if we did not see a tidal wave of  entrepreneurship coated in angel and VC investment money as the economy recovers. What has gone wrong, but perhaps more about what has gone right, will give clues to creating a better investment environment for investors and entrepreneurs alike in the future. And of course, how we can make better returns, faster.

Matt Dickens, Senior Business Development Director at Ingenious discusses why investors should act sooner rather than later in setting their long term investment strategy.

James Murdoch shares his assessment of a year in Equity Crowdfunding.

Charlotte Arneaud of Envestors looks at parallels in consumer spending with angel investor decision-making. 

NorthEdge has launched its first ESG report in which it reviews the progress made by the firm in 2020 across sustainability, D&I and community, as well as setting out ambitious plans for the year ahead.

The report, titled Taking Responsibility, looks back on the achievements made at the private equity firm and across its portfolio.

These including gaining the United Nations supported Principles for Responsible Investment A+ status for Strategy and Governance for the third year running, placing NorthEdge in the top 12% of all private equity firms with <$1bn AUM in this category, and gaining A status for the Direct Private Equity Assessment for the sixth consecutive year.

Bilal Gokpinar, Professor of Operations, Technology and Innovation at the UCL School of Management looks at the benefits of Equity Crowdfunding beyond the purely financial.

Crowdfunding is traditionally viewed and understood to be a tool to raise funds for start-ups. Indeed, reward crowdfunding, where individuals donate to a project with the expectation of receiving a non-financial reward in return, has been successfully used to raise money in the early stages of financing for start-ups. This view of crowdfunding is beginning to expand. With established companies such as P&G, Coca-Cola and Lego now using reward crowdfunding, they have uncovered that it is potentially a powerful tool to capture valuable and honest customer input during product development.

David Holden-White, Co-Founder & Managing Director of techspert.io, looks at the expertise potential of AI for investors.

George Pennock, partner at  Four Seasons Ventures looks at the challenges of choosing the right non-executive director for your SME

We are now past the end of the tax year.  So now is a good time to mull over what you will be doing as an angel investor over the next twelve months. Here are a few things the AngelNews team thinks it would be helpful to spend some time on.

George Pennock, partner at Four Seasons Ventures looks at the challenges of choosing the right non-executive director for your SME

Jennifer Wall of Gannons Solicitors considers the main element of due diligence investors should carry out before investing in a UK company.

Luke Davis, CEO of IW Capital discusses how SMEs will help boost the nation’s recovery and future growth