Meet Byron Crellin, who built and sold multiple businesses before moving into angel investing, now investing globally across sectors via AIN. His take on what "active" investor involvement should actually look like: stepping in, not just checking in. Read the full interview: angelinvestmentnetwork.net/m…

66% of investors use AI tools for deal sourcing or due diligence. In the UK, 40% use them regularly, double the global figure. Yet 54% have walked away from a deal because the AI felt bolted on for hype. Investors know what AI can genuinely do, because they're using it themselves. That's exactly why they spot it when it's just a label. From our 2026 Angel Investor Survey 👇 angelinvestmentnetwork.net/h… #InvestorSurvey #angelinvesting #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship

Final call ⏰ Applications for the Women Who Scale Female Founders Pitch Competition at SCALE Manchester close tomorrow, 16 October. Shortlisted founders will pitch to investors and a live audience of 300+ at Freight Island on 25 November, with AIN on the judging panel. Female and non-binary founders of SEIS/EIS-approved businesses headquartered in the North West, this is your last chance. 🔗 Apply now: forms.gle/C5zkCAhcfRNqYVut7 #SCALEManchester #WomenWhoScale #FemaleFounders #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship #angelinvesting

Meet Joanna Jensen, chair of the Enterprise Investment Scheme Association and founder of Childs Farm, the UK's No.1 baby and child skincare brand. She's also an angel investor in 12 female-founded brands. Her one piece of advice to a young startup, repeated three times for a reason: know your consumer. She's also candid about a hard truth many founders miss, don't overlook your early-stage angels once the bigger cheques start waving. They took the risk on you first. Read the full interview: angelinvestmentnetwork.net/m… #MeetTheInvestor #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship #angelinvesting

Meet our judge: Xavier Ballester. Xavier leads AIN's brokerage team and joins the panel at SCALE Manchester on 25 November. His reason for heading North is simple: world-class innovation isn't confined to London, and neither is investor attention.e If you have clear momentum and a compelling vision, there are just days left to apply. 🔗 Apply to pitch by 16 Oct: forms.gle/C5zkCAhcfRNqYVut7 #SCALEManchester #WomenWhoScale #FemaleFounders #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship #angelinvesting

44% of investors aren't putting any money into AI at all. With so much attention on AI raises, it's easy to forget how many angels are backing everything else. HealthTech and Climate/Energy both rank above AI and ML for sector appetite this year. If you're building a business that isn't AI-led, there's still very much an audience for it. From our 2026 Angel Investor Survey 👇 angelinvestmentnetwork.net/h… #InvestorSurvey #angelinvesting #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship

Last time, this was Nina van Schaick. After 14 years as a midwife, Nina built Peripear, a hands-free wearable designed to help prevent severe tearing during birth, and went on to win the Women Who Scale Female Founders pitch competition at SCALE London. Now the competition is coming to Manchester. If you're a female or non-binary founder building in the North West, this could be your moment. 🔗 Read Nina's story: angelinvestmentnetwork.net/b… 🔗 Apply to pitch by 16 Oct: forms.gle/C5zkCAhcfRNqYVut7 #SCALEManchester #WomenWhoScale #FemaleFounders #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship #angelinvesting

Meet Robin Leigh, angel investor and deal structurer with deep experience across the UK and Asia, and a former City lawyer, corporate finance adviser, and McKinsey consultant. His approach to founders is simple: under-promise, over-deliver. He'd rather get a long email flagging a problem early than find out after the event that something's gone wrong, transparency builds trust, and trust is everything. He also prioritises B2B over consumer-facing businesses, and looks for founders unafraid to say "I don't know" or "sorry." Read the full interview: angelinvestmentnetwork.net/s… #MeetTheInvestor #AngelInvesting #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship

The people behind SCALE Manchester, in their own words. Sam North and Amy Knight have built SCALE and Women Who Scale around one idea: the right introduction at the right moment can change the trajectory of a business. This November, they're bringing that to the North West. Female and non-binary founders of SEIS/EIS-approved businesses headquartered in the North West can apply to pitch until 16 October. 🔗 Apply to pitch: forms.gle/C5zkCAhcfRNqYVut7 #SCALEManchester #WomenWhoScale #FemaleFounders #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship #angelinvesting

Two minutes. That's how long many pitches get. In our 2026 Angel Investor Survey, 47% of angels said they reject half or more of the pitches they see within the first two minutes. Those first two minutes decide whether an investor keeps reading. A clear problem, a clear answer and honest numbers up front give your pitch the best chance of getting a second look. Read the full findings: angelinvestmentnetwork.net/h… #InvestorSurvey #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship #angelinvesting

Meet Kelly Clifford, CFO turned angel investor, currently focused on Tech for Good, technology that's commercially viable and genuinely does good. His investment approach has sharpened over the years. He screens hundreds of opportunities and backs very few, always circling back to two questions: is the team strong enough to pivot, and is the market big enough to matter. Curious what a CFO looks for that other investors might miss? Read the full interview here: angelinvestmentnetwork.net/c… #MeetTheInvestor #AngelInvesting #TechForGood #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship #angelinvesting

The results are in! 📊 We asked 64 angel investors about AI, founders and the funding climate for our 2026 Angel Investor Survey. The standout finding: 54% have walked away from a deal because the AI felt bolted on for hype. In the UK, that rises to 67%. A few more numbers that tell the story: ⏰ 47% reject half or more of the pitches they see within the first two minutes ✋ 59% say startup valuations are still too high, rising to 75% in the UK 💬 62% say the thing that separates founders who make it is being honest about problems early Whether you're raising or investing, the full findings are worth a read 👇 angelinvestmentnetwork.net/h… #InvestorSurvey #angelinvesting #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship

Tooth decay is the number one chronic disease in the world, and at any moment over a quarter of the global population has an active infection in their mouth. Yet toothpaste has barely changed in 75 years. Nura is changing that. Co-founder Joe Jones and the team have built what they describe as the world's most powerful enamel repair toothpaste. It's fluoride-free and designed to rebuild teeth at a structural level, not just protect the surface. As Joe puts it, it's "anti-aging for teeth." They're currently fundraising with AIN, raising £500k (EIS eligible) to scale their UK direct-to-consumer business, launch a subscription offering and fund inventory, with their first retail launch planned in the next 18 months. Interested? Get in touch with Xavier Ballester to find out more. #PitchSpotlight #InvestmentOpportunity #EISEligible #OralHealth #startups #founders #fundraising #investing #entrepreneurship #angelinvesting

Meet Alex Leigh, Managing Director at Future Planet Capital, focused on the UK Innovation and Seed Fund with a specialism in Defence & Security. His advice for a 30-second pitch that actually lands: show him you've done your homework. Reference a company he's already backed, explain why you're similar, and why that makes you worth his time. He also flagged tardiness as an instant red flag, "especially as this is before you've even given them the money." Read the full interview: angelinvestmentnetwork.net/m… #MeetTheInvestor #AngelInvesting

Meet Colin Boey, global investor and syndicate leader in B2B SaaS. His take on the AI gold rush? Refreshingly blunt. Founders slapping "AI company" on their pitch just to ride the trend won't fool investors, it's transparent, and it's unwise. His actual thesis: software that automates real workflow pain, with customers who are easy and affordable to acquire. He's also proud that 77% of his syndicate's investments have gone to diverse founder teams. Read the full interview: angelinvestmentnetwork.net/g… #MeetTheInvestor #AngelInvesting #B2BSaaS

One for the diary.. #fundraising #investors

We're proud to be back judging at SCALE Manchester. Our own Xavier Ballester joins the panel for this year's Women Who Scale Female Founders Pitch Competition on 25 November, backing exceptional female founders in the North West with the platform and investor network to scale globally. Applications are open now for female and non-binary founders headquartered in the North West of England. Apply to pitch: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F… #SCALEManchester #WomenWhoScale #FemaleFounders

🚨 Final call: Rheon Labs' round is closing. This is your last chance to get involved with one of our standout portfolio businesses. Watch the 60-second breakdown below and reach out if you're interested.

Could this be the Gore-Tex of modern materials science? Rheon Labs is eliminating design compromise across four massive sectors: ◼️Performance sportswear ◼️Protective body armor ◼️Vibration-dampening bike frames ◼️Sustainable packaging Watch the 60 Second Startup pitch now. #MaterialsScience #ProductDesign #Manufacturing #Startups

Final allocation alert for deep tech investors. Rheon Labs is raising £3 million, with over £2 million already secured. 💡 50+ commercial clients including Adidas and Decathlon 💰Path to profitability next year 📈Multi-industry application pipeline Catch the full pitch on @angel__network before the round closes. #Fundraising #AngelInvestors #VentureCapital #Startups