The Home Office has awarded Envestors a concessionary contract to deliver the provision of Migration Business Endorsing Body (MBEB) Services commencing Spring 2023. Envestors has been delivering Endorsing Body Services for the Start-Up and Innovator visa categories for two years, along with other accredited organisations. In that time they have helped 291 companies. The endorsement services were a natural fit for Envestors, who work extensively with high-growth companies in the early-stage investment ecosystem and have a strong history of recognising innovation and performing appropriate due d ..read more

Register Here Event Details   Join us for an exciting event on 9th February at the Home Grown Private Members Club. We have a packed agenda, where we’ll launch our proprietary research into the real returns of angel investing and feature pitches from high growth businesses. Over the past year, we’ve been in conversation with many of you to get to the root of the question – what is the return on investment for angel investing. We’ll present the results of our survey, which is based on the portfolios of 40+ experienced angels who invested over £65m in the past 10 years. Then for those of ..read more

The early-stage investment space has been a staunchly traditional one – until now. Centered around relationships, the long-held assumption has been that digital has no role in play in helping to match investors and growth businesses. The global pandemic, with its restrictions on events and face-to-face meetings, proved this not to be the case. Angel clubs, family offices and UHNW investors are opening their eyes to the benefits of online investment platforms. Digital investment platforms are the Amazon of early-stage investing. Always on, they allow investors to discover, evaluate and invest i ..read more

Making your first investment or even engaging with start-ups and early-stage businesses can be daunting. What are the key factors to look out for and what are the likely pitfalls? Hosted by Gavin Heys, Director, Envestors Private Investment Club with special appearances from John Finnemore, Partner, CMS Law and Sarah Friend, Tax Adviser, friends.tax, this 60-minute event is designed to give you the tools you need to help you become a successful Angel Investor and learn how to better assess investment opportunities, conduct due diligence and get started on building your portfolio. Wh ..read more

As the end of the tax year approaches, many founders are vying for angel investors’ attention, hoping they could be the chosen ‘one’ for them. If that describes you, we’ve laid out a few ways to catch investors’ eye. Before approaching investors, however, it’s important to make sure you’re presenting a viable opportunity that’s ready for investment, and that you’re targeting the right people. If you’re confident about the opportunity you’re putting forward, it’s time to start contacting investors. In business, like in love, it’s all about compatibility. Most angel investors will focus on niche ..read more

With the UK’s vaccination programme underway, 2021 is bound to be a better year than 2020. Investment activity is set to increase, but the early-stage investment market is bound to feel the effects of the pandemic throughout the year.  However, will things get back to normal throughout the year? A nationwide rollout means the return to normal will be a slow one. Since experts are now predicting the vaccination campaign to go on until October, and with new strands popping up at the start of the year, the future still brings a degree of uncertainty. Mark Brownridge, Director General of the ..read more

Medtech has seen phenomenal growth in the last few years, and, with COVID shining an unprecedented spotlight on healthcare, angel networks supporting these innovative companies are adapting to the new normal themselves. 2020 has shaken the economy to the core. The early-stage investment market has been rocked more than others, with over 50% of UK angel investors reporting being negatively affected by the pandemic. As angels suffered through a recession, so did the startups that rely on them for survival. However, according to a report by Beauhurst, half of all life sciences companies tracked t ..read more

When investors think of backing early-stage companies, the first thing that comes to mind is traditional equity financing. However, as investors battle the economic uncertainty of current times, convertible loan notes (or CLNs) could be the best compromise. A hybrid between debt and equity, they offer investors the protection that an equity holder would have if the company dissolves, with the added security and income of debt. How CLNs work CLNs are short-term debt instruments through which loans are converted into equity shares at a later date. They present an opportunity for investors lookin ..read more

2020 has been a tumultuous year for growth businesses, but things are looking up. This year, private UK companies have seen a diminished investment landscape, but one which seemed to be picking up as the year drew to a close. Whilst overall deal value fell in Q1 and Q2 2020, it remained higher in Q3 at £2.7 billion, just a 1% drop compared to Q3 2019. There has, however, been a shift in direction of funds; investors have been focusing on portfolio companies, as well as more mature companies. Throughout COVID-19, there has also been a shift in sector preference with investment flowing towards v ..read more

As a crisis-riddled 2020 draws to an end, the UK early-stage ecosystem is left struggling and needing increasingly more support. 2020 has been a bad year for business across the board, but some are worse off than others. While there has been a lot of support to struggling businesses from the government and investment community, seed-stage companies have largely been left out in the cold. With investors choosing to fund existing investments and to place cash in more mature businesses, seed-stage companies, the innovators of tomorrow, have been overlooked. Santa Claus got stuck in my chimney Bac ..read more