The UK government has been super-active in fostering the startup growth. In 2021, UK-based startups attracted  $33 billion in venture capital funding, almost double the amount secured in 2020.

Similarly, the country witnesses thousands of startup deals every year, and in 2020, there were 736,000 new businesses within a single year. Thinking about the hidden secret behind this growth? Well, let us help you.

The secret behind the amazing growth of startups in the UK is the Angel Investors. These investors not only invest their time and money but also arrange different programs to boost the entrepreneurial landscape.

Here is the list of some of the top 8 angel investors in United Kindom along with some additional tips.

Top 8 Angel Investors in the United Kingdom

Following is a list of some of the top angel investors in the United Kingdom. 

Chris Adelsbach

Being one of the most active investors in the UK, Chris Adelsbach is a senior angel investor who has worked with numerous startups. Talking a little about his experience, Chris Adelsbach has spent around 13 years working with General Electric and has worked in many other firms as a Manager. He has also founded several businesses, including the famous Marlin Financial Group. 

Discussing his investment activities, Chris Adelsbach makes private investments as an individual and also through VC firms. He is a managing partner at Outrun Ventures and a Venture Partner at Techstars. Adelsbach usually makes individual investments in early-stage or seed-staged businesses that have strong teams and are led by experienced individuals. Although Chris Adelsbach invests in a huge range of sectors through VC firms, he is only making personal investments in the Fintech sector.

The investment range of Chris Adelsbach is around  €500,000.

Simon Murdoch

Being a part of the entrepreneurial community for around 2 decades, Simon Murdoch is one of the most experienced and active investors in the United Kingdom. He has founded several startups with his first business being a bookstore being acquired by Amazon in 1998. Similarly, Murdoch takes an interest in funding startups that are at the early stage and can easily operate on an international level when given the chance.

Moreover, Simon Murdoch usually invests in DevOps and Fintech but those aren't his only sectors of interest. He attends many networking events, startup programs, as well as accelerators to expand his portfolio and support the startup community.

The investment range of Simon Murdoch is between  €50,000 to  €100,000. 

Chris Mairs

Chris Mairs is the co-founder of software/telecoms company Metaswitch Networks. He is a well-known entrepreneur having founded several startups and also served as the Chairman of Magic Pony Tech. When funding startups, Chris Mairs believes in investing in businesses that will rise in the future. He usually makes early and seed-staged investments having a strict focus on startups that want to go international within the first year of funding.

Moreover, Chris Mairs also offers mentorship programs to his portfolio companies. He attends numerous startup events as most of his startup investments are from events where he meets worthy businesses and further understands their business ideas to take things to the next level.

The investment range of Chris Mairs is around  €500,000. 

Laurel Bowden

Laurel Bowden is an active angel investor who seeks to fund startups all across Europe. She has a strong focus in some countries, among which are the UK, Sweden, and Germany. Laurel is also a general partner at 83North which is a global VC firm.

Similarly, when investing in businesses, Laurel Bowden prefers to invest in startups that can be profitable and can at least generate an ROI of 3-4x within 24 months of investment. She also likes to invest in businesses that are backed by well-known founders or by individuals who have decent experience in the relevant industry. Once invested, Laurel Bowden also guides the startup through her extensive experience and knowledge of the relevant industries.

The investment range of Laurel Bowden is around  €200,000.

Taavet Hinrikus

Known as the co-founder and CEO of TransferWise, Taavet Hinrikus is also a famous angel investor in the UK. He has spent many years in the startup industry, working with different well-known firms, and has founded successful businesses as well.

Hinrikus is also known for working as an adviser to the Prime Minister of Estonia in the digital sector. He makes investments in startups that are working on a unique idea in the digital sector and have a strong team. Usually, most of the investment of Taavet Hinrikus is through fundraisers, startup accelerators, and startup events.

Taavet Hinrikus’s average check size for startup investments depends on the startup, but he usually invests in the range of £50,000 to £500,000.

Akhil Paul

Akhil Paul is also an experienced angel investor who funds UK-based startups in exchange for equity. He has spent 2 years working with Goldman Sachs and later joined the Caparo Group. He is known to be one of the most experienced angel investors in the community after being an advisor for 50+ companies. 

Similarly, Akhil Paul takes a long-term and flexible approach when investing. He builds relationships with business owners, management teams, and entrepreneurs to align interests, evolve businesses, and create lasting value. Akhil likes to invest in early-stage startups and usually exits within 2-3 years. 

The investment range of Akhil Paul is around  €1M. 

Reece Chowdhry

Reece Chowdhry is a notable angel investor and has invested in over 80 startups, spanning from their early stages to unicorn status. Among these investments, six have achieved unicorn status and many startups in his portfolio are growing. Reece has also been recognized as one of the Top Asian Tech Investors by Diversity UK and he is also the founding partner of Concept Partners.

Moreover, Reece’s investment philosophy centers around backing innovative ideas, disruptive technologies, and ambitious founders. He actively seeks out startups with strong growth potential and provides both capital and strategic guidance.

The investment range of Reece Chowdhry is around  €2M. 

Nicole Junkermann

Nicole Junkermann is an international entrepreneur and also an angel investor in the UK. Nicole has worked with several businesses including Nike and Adidas. In 2002, Nicole co-founded Infront Sports and Media, developing it into a leading sports media rights business. The company was later sold for €650 million.

When funding startups, Nicole prefers businesses that will drive high returns. She often mentions in her public talks that transformative technologies—such as genomics, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence—will drive breakthroughs in healthcare, finance, and security services. These sectors are also known to be her most liked ones.

Similarly, Nicole Junkerman also guides her portfolio companies. She conducts workshops and personalized meetings with her portfolio companies to support them when things aren't going the way planned.

The investment range of Nicole Junkerman is around 1.5M, as she makes seed and early-stage investments. 

Wrap-Up

In short, remember that angel investors always prefer those startups that will generate the highest returns. During the presentation, it is important to display your startup as a profitable one and always give a strong reason for the investors to invest in your startup. 

Similarly, we would also recommend you prepare a practical checklist before appearing in a screening test. This doesn't just help you in making a solid plan for securing an investment but will also help you avoid getting confused about what to speak and what to avoid during a presentation.

Last, but not least, remember that angel investors are quite different compared to VC firms. Venture Capital firms target startups with huge returns and also invest high capital. In contrast, most individual investors are more inclined towards making small personal investments and exiting within 2-5 years. 

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