In a European context, the UK business angel market is seen as one of the most mature and extensively researched. However, there is a lack of recent systematic evidence on the profile and approach of business angels, their investing activities and notably their impact on the growth and performance of the businesses in which they invest. This report sets out to fill this gap by providing new findings from the largest survey of business angels in the UK and the impact of their investment activities to date. This report, commissioned by the UKBAA in association with the Centre for Entrepreneurs (CFE) and with the support of the BVCA, Deloitte, Barclays and the ESRC, presents the results of the largest study of the investment behaviour and impact of business angels in the UK to date. The study comprised responses from 403 individual angels who responded to the online Nation of Angels survey, detailed follow-up telephone interviews with 42 individual angels who shared more details of their investment behaviour, and an online survey of 28 angel syndicate and network leads across the UK representing 8,000 angels. What is clear from the results of this research is that the UK business angel market is changing.The Reports can be downloaded here:
Nation of Angels - The Unsung Heroes of Britain's Economy
Nation of Angels - Full Report
The main findings of the study are:
- Rise in Female Angels
- Angels are more active than ever
- Investing further from home
- Angels increasingly invest alongside funding vehicles
- 90% of Angels report using EIS or SEIS Tax Relief Schemes
- Syndicates show preference for an experienced Lead Angel over presence on board
- Increased expectations of returns
- 25% of Angels have invested in Social Impact.
