Business Angels in Birmingham
Perhaps you are looking to start a small business in Birmingham and the Midlands or maybe you have a great idea for a business but have yet to launch it because you do not know how to finance it. Navigating the tricky world of business financing can be difficult, and an entrepreneur can waste a lot of time following up with traditional banks, venture capital funds and even grants from the government, only to find that finance from these types of organisations is not available for a variety of reasons.
For established businesses in Birmingham there are several different ways that they can raise capital. Often banks, and VC funds are potential sources for finance but for the new entrepreneur a different approach is needed.
The good news for a new business in Birmingham is that one of the best ways to raise money for a start-up is to get involved with an angel investor. These are high net worth individuals who are looking for interesting and profitable investment opportunities.
Typically, an angel investor will not be as concerned that a start-up does not have an extensive trading history (the thing traditional financial institutions look for) instead they will look at the business idea and its potential for success. Often an angel investor will look for a good idea, a person who they want to invest in, or even a business in a location that they want to target such as Birmingham. Sometimes if an angel investor has other investments in one area, they will look to invest in other businesses close by. Occasionally angel groups are formed by individuals in a local area who look to pool their money and resources to invest in the area that they are based, to help support both the area, entrepreneurship, and businesses that operate within it.
Angel investors may also support a new business with start-up equity, also known as seed capital. For these kinds of pre-seed stage companies, private equity investors are a great source for securing this kind of financing.
One of the side-benefits for partnering with an angel investor is that some will also offer mentoring which can be beneficial for a new entrepreneur.
Launching A Business in Birmingham
Business people who would like to attract early stage investment for their idea may wish to target some of the key business ecosystems that are popular in Birmingham and across the East and West Midlands. Historically Birmingham was famous for producing motor vehicles and it also had a big jewellery sector. Today, healthcare, financial services and tech and digital are all popular areas for both innovators to launch in and for angels to find funding opportunities across. Manufacturing and industrial enterprises are also a big sector across Birmingham and the Midlands.
HS2 will also help business with its connection from London to Birmingham, giving investors and entrepreneurs another good reason to set up in the city. The Birmingham Business District is also a popular area that attracts new and existing businesses to the area.
Angel Investment Network in Birmingham
This is where the UK and Global based Angel Investment Network can help. Entrepreneurs can sign-up to put details of their start-up idea or project and pitch to angels and investors located in and around Birmingham and Midlands.
One of the key benefits to our angel investor network is that it is a truly global enterprise, attracting high net worth investors and innovative businesses from around the globe. So, if you're based in Birmingham or further afield, the Angel Investment Network can help.