France: Biomemory, a start-up focused on DNA data synthesis and storage, has closed of a 5 million euros seed investment for the development of its technology. The seed funding round was led by eureKARE and the French Tech Seed Fund, managed on behalf of the French State by Bpifrance within the scope of France 2030, with the support of Paris Business Angels, Prunay Impact and existing investors Octave Klaba (Founder and President of OVHcloud), Flavien Kulawik (Co-Founder of KLB Group), Radouane Kharbichi (SAP Entrepreneur), Eric Carreel (President and Founder of Withings, Sculpteo, Invoxia and Zoov), Jean David Benichou (President of Via.io and CEO of Viadialog).

France: Guy Gourevitch (pictured, right), President of Defense Angels has signed a partnership agreement with Airbus Development represented by Bertrand Gautier (pictured, left).

USA: The Angel Capital Association publishes the Angel Funders Report annually to increase awareness about angel investor activity and build a deeper understanding of the investing environment. 

A Leeds-based tech company whose advanced remote working software is used by the Home Office and the NHS has raised £400,000 from NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF), and angel investors.

London-based Period care and sexual health brand Here We Flo has raised £1.7m in an angel funding round, supported by Angel Investment Network, the world’s largest online angel investment platform. 

Here We Flo’s mission is ‘shamelessly natural care for life’s messiest moments’. The brand intends to challenge, shame and disrupt the period, bladder and sexual wellness markets with organic and vegan products. 

Every material is sourced with sustainability in mind and free of any dyes, pesticides, petroleum plastics and other contaminants that may impact health. The product list includes FLO Period Care, glo Sensitive Bladder Care and XO! Sexual Wellness.

In light of the recent Theronos fraud case, as reported in the Times this weekend, James Murdoch considers the question of whether crowdfunding platforms have a particular issue with the quality of investment opportunities compared to 'normal' angel investing, or whether it is just a difference in the visibility of failure.

The British Business Bank’s second annual Nations and Regions Tracker, published today, finds usage of external finance has fallen overall across the UK, as nine out of the twelve regions saw a drop in use of small business finance. In addition, 38% of smaller businesses were using external finance in the second quarter of 2022, down seven percentage points from 45% a year earlier. Core debt products remain the most used and widely available across the UK nations and regions.

Market Dynamics, a pioneering fintech start-up on a mission to democratise systematic trading for retail financial traders, has moved its operations to Brigantine Place, Cardiff following equity investment from the Development Bank of Wales.

Two student start-ups supported by the University’s B-Elevate incubator have been honoured by their founders’ inclusion in a prestigious listing of UK-based women shaping the future of business.  

Extend Robotics, a business that has developed an immersive software interface which allows the use of consumer virtual-reality headset to interact with a robot across the internet in real-time, has received investment from several Henley Business Angels members and guests, contributing towards a funding round of £345k.

Chairman Don McQueen and the Board of Dorset Business Angels Network (DBAN) have welcomed a new director to the Board, the DBAN Marketing Manager, Debbie Frith.

EBAN Vice President Selma Prodanovic, considers why gender bias could mean investors are missing out on the best investment opportunities.