British Business Bank Commits £7 Million to Angel Syndicates
Funding | Apr 30, 2025 | British Business Bank Investments Ltd
The British Business Bank has committed £7 million to a new investment platform that will enable co-investing alongside five emerging UK angel syndicates. This initiative is part of the Bank's ongoing efforts to support early-stage businesses and expand investment reach outside of London, with a particular focus on increasing funding access for female-led businesses. Managed by Haatch, the platform includes diverse angel groups such as HERmesa, CircleRock Capital, The Games Angels, Sie Ventures, and 2050 Capital. The partnership aims to drive capital into high-potential startups across various sectors and aligns with the Bank's commitment to the 'Invest in Women Taskforce'. The £7 million co-investment from the Regional Angels Programme allows angel groups to bolster their investment potential, especially favouring female-led initiatives.
Sectors
- Private Equity / Venture Capital
- Financial Services
- Technology
- Gaming
Geography
- United Kingdom – The initiative is focused on supporting angel syndicates and investments in businesses across the UK, including areas outside of London.
Industry
- Private Equity / Venture Capital – This article involves investment in angel syndicates and venture capital, which is core to the private equity sector.
- Financial Services – The British Business Bank is a significant financial institution facilitating co-investment platforms, impacting the financial services industry.
- Technology – Many of the startups supported are tech-enabled or involved in deep tech and science innovations.
- Gaming – The Games Angels, one of the syndicated groups, focus on gaming industry investments.
Financials
- £7 million – Investment committed by the British Business Bank to the new co-investment platform.
- £27 million – Overall commitment of British Business Bank to Haatch.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Business Bank | Investor | Company | A government-owned economic development bank that supports access to finance for small businesses in the UK. |
| Haatch | Managing Partner | Company | Partner managing the co-investment platform alongside angel syndicates with the British Business Bank. |
| HERmesa | Angel Syndicate | Company | A women-led community investing in tech-enabled startups. |
| CircleRock Capital | Angel Syndicate | Company | Sector-agnostic platform focusing on early-stage investments. |
| The Games Angels | Angel Syndicate | Company | Invests in the gaming industry. |
| Sie Ventures | Angel Syndicate | Company | Focuses on diverse founding teams in the UK and Europe. |
| 2050 Capital | Angel Syndicate | Company | Invests in deep tech and science innovations. |
| Marla Shapiro, Emma Blackburn, Wibke Stoffers | Leaders | People | Leaders of HERmesa. |
| Fred Soneya | Co-founder and General Partner | People | Co-founder of Haatch. |
| Adam Kelly | Managing Director, Funds | People | Managing Director at British Business Bank. |
| Jenny Tooth OBE | Executive Chair | People | Executive Chair of UK Business Angels Association and member of the Invest in Women Task Force. |