Cranfield University has a worldwide reputation as a centre of Business Education. To become even more engaged with business growth in its region the University has decided to launch its own Business Angels Network (BAN), with which to participate in the funding and growth of innovation in the SEMLEP and surrounding region. As the fulcrum of the Oxford to Cambridge arc, at both ends of which there are very well established early stage innovation support ecosystems, it is a natural and vital step to develop such a BAN at Cranfield, capitalising on our Alumni networks, our business expertise and our own research, with access for other STEM-based businesses growing in our region too.
Cranfield Business Angels is a meeting place for unquoted equity investors and growing enterprises seeking expansion capital. As a Membership Club we offer a pre-qualified flow of investment-ready opportunities, usually in round sizes from £100k to £1m, across a range of sectors, some of which may be spin-outs from Cranfield University with its world-class technical faculties and some may be innovative start-ups from around the vicinity.
Investing Members are self-certifying as either High Net Worth or Sophisticated Investors and include experienced angel investors looking to expand or diversify their portfolios.
To be accepted to pitch to our Members a company must provide details of its investment proposal (colloquially a “Business Plan”) and sufficient evidence of investment-readiness to be accepted by the Cranfield Business Angels team. A fee of £500 is charged for acceptance of pitch applications to cover assistance with preparation and finalisation of pitches. Each company presenting to Members is given 10 minutes, followed by Q&A and subsequent networking with Members.
In addition to regular pitch events Cranfield Business Angels holds regular networking events as well as evenings for novice Angels with expertise from tax, experienced angels and others to advise on how to start an angel portfolio.