Compare angel investing
Compare UK angel-investing networks by access model, investor eligibility, minimum ticket, company stage, sector focus, due diligence and EIS/SEIS availability.
Angel investing means buying shares in very early-stage private companies. These investments are very high risk, usually illiquid and you could lose all the money you invest.
Different networks provide very different levels of deal screening, syndication, reporting and investment administration.
Last checked: 10 Aug 2026
Very high risk
You could lose all the money you invest.
Illiquid
There is usually no ready market for startup shares.
Dilution
Future fundraising can reduce your percentage ownership.
Investor restrictions
Some opportunities are available only to investors meeting specific eligibility requirements.
Member network
Members receive curated opportunities and decide whether to invest.
Syndicate
Investors may participate alongside a lead or group.
Online matching
The platform introduces founders and investors; the transaction may take place independently.
Managed fund
Investment decisions are made by a manager under a separate fund mandate.
Compare networks
Compare UK angel-investing networks by access model, investor eligibility, minimum ticket, company stage, sector focus, due diligence and EIS/SEIS availability.
8 angel-investing networks currently listed
We do not rank by projected returns.
8 angel networks and platforms
Investor access
HNW / Sophisticated
Minimum ticket
Deal-specific
Stage
Pre-seed to growth
Focus
Generalist
Due diligence
Structured network process
EIS/SEIS
EIS opportunities on qualifying deals; SEIS opportunities on qualifying deals
Very high risk. Private-company shares are usually illiquid. Dilution is possible. You could lose all of your investment.
Investor access
HNW / Sophisticated
Minimum ticket
Deal-specific
Stage
Pre-seed to early growth
Focus
Climate / sustainability
Due diligence
Structured network process
EIS/SEIS
EIS opportunities on qualifying deals; SEIS opportunities on qualifying deals
Very high risk. Private-company shares are usually illiquid. Dilution is possible. You could lose all of your investment.
Investor access
Member-network access
Minimum ticket
£10,000
Stage
Pre-seed to early revenue
Focus
Female / diverse founders
Due diligence
Structured network process
EIS/SEIS
EIS opportunities on qualifying deals; SEIS opportunities on qualifying deals
Very high risk. Private-company shares are usually illiquid. Dilution is possible. You could lose all of your investment.
Investor access
Member-network access
Minimum ticket
Deal-specific
Stage
Pre-seed to growth
Focus
Generalist
Due diligence
Structured network process
EIS/SEIS
EIS opportunities on qualifying deals; SEIS opportunities on qualifying deals
Very high risk. Private-company shares are usually illiquid. Dilution is possible. You could lose all of your investment.
Investor access
HNW / Sophisticated
Minimum ticket
Deal-specific
Stage
Seed to growth
Focus
Generalist
Due diligence
Platform diligence tools
EIS/SEIS
EIS opportunities on qualifying deals; SEIS opportunities on qualifying deals
Very high risk. Private-company shares are usually illiquid. Dilution is possible. You could lose all of your investment.
Investor access
Member-network access
Minimum ticket
Deal-specific
Stage
Seed to growth
Focus
Generalist
Due diligence
Platform diligence tools
EIS/SEIS
EIS opportunities on qualifying deals; SEIS opportunities on qualifying deals
Very high risk. Private-company shares are usually illiquid. Dilution is possible. You could lose all of your investment.
Investor access
Open matching / registration
Minimum ticket
Deal-specific
Stage
Pre-seed to Series A
Focus
Female / diverse founders
Due diligence
Platform diligence tools
EIS/SEIS
EIS opportunities on qualifying deals; SEIS opportunities on qualifying deals
Very high risk. Private-company shares are usually illiquid. Dilution is possible. You could lose all of your investment.
Investor access
Open matching / registration
Minimum ticket
Deal-specific
Stage
Pre-seed to growth
Focus
Generalist
Due diligence
Matching only
EIS/SEIS
Not stated as a standard feature
Very high risk. Private-company shares are usually illiquid. Dilution is possible. You could lose all of your investment.
Common equity with rights depending on the articles and share class.
May include preferential rights on liquidation or dividends.
Instruments that may convert into shares later under stated terms.
You may hold via a nominee or special-purpose vehicle rather than direct registration.
Angel-investment terms vary by deal. Share class and investor rights can matter as much as valuation. Read the articles of association, subscription agreement and shareholder agreement.
Step 1
Through a network, syndicate, platform or introduction.
Step 2
Assess founder-market fit, integrity and execution ability.
Step 3
Understand traction, unit economics and market context.
Step 4
Price, share class and shareholder rights all matter.
Step 5
Network screening should supplement, not replace, your own assessment.
Step 6
Complete legal documents and transfer funds.
Step 7
Reporting quality and information rights vary.
Step 8
Exit may be an acquisition, secondary sale, IPO or no return at all.
Why these founders for this problem and market.
Evidence of delivery, not just vision.
Whether the team covers product, commercial and operational needs.
Whether founders retain enough incentive after the round.
Full-time focus and personal stake in the outcome.
How clearly risks and uncertainties are disclosed.
What happens if a founder leaves.
How the team responds to challenge and investor input.
Whether founders can recruit the people required to scale.
Whether ownership and incentives remain coherent after the round.
Whether governance can evolve as the company grows.
Valuation
Private-company valuation determines how much ownership your investment buys.
Pre-money valuation
£4m
New capital
£1m
Post-money valuation
£5m
Angel investment
£25,000
Approximate ownership
0.5% before future dilution
Illustrative example only. A high valuation can reduce future return potential if company growth does not justify the price paid.
Ownership
Early-stage companies often raise several funding rounds. If new shares are issued and you do not participate, your percentage ownership may fall.
Initial ownership
1.00%
After Series A
0.75%
After Series B
0.55%
Illustrative ownership path: 1.00% → 0.55%
Illustrative example only. Dilution is not automatically negative if the company becomes much more valuable, but your ownership percentage changes.
What ownership your capital buys today.
Ordinary, preference or other rights attached.
Who gets paid first if the company is sold.
Whether you can influence key decisions.
Ability to maintain ownership in later rounds.
Protection if later rounds price lower.
What reporting you receive.
How exits can be forced or joined.
Whether investors get board or observer seats.
Conversion price, discount and caps where used.
Headline valuation is only one part of the economics.
A network's screening should supplement, not replace, your own assessment.
Tax schemes
Angel investing is an investment approach. EIS and SEIS are tax schemes. They are not the same thing.
Some qualifying angel investments may be eligible for Enterprise Investment Scheme relief under current rules, subject to investor and company conditions.
Some very early-stage qualifying investments may be eligible for Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme relief under current rules, subject to investor and company conditions.
A company may seek an indication from HMRC that a proposed investment may meet relevant scheme conditions based on the information submitted.
Single-company angel investing carries extreme concentration risk.
Highly concentrated
Still concentrated
Broader startup exposure
This is illustrative only. More investments do not guarantee better outcomes. Also consider sector, stage, vintage and follow-on reserve.
Future funding
Some angel investors keep part of their planned allocation available for future rounds in existing portfolio companies.
Support stronger portfolio companies or maintain ownership.
Participating may help reduce dilution.
It also means committing more capital to the same private companies.
You are not guaranteed access to future rounds.
Follow-on reserves are an educational concept, not a recommendation that every investor should reserve capital.
The company can fail completely.
There may be no buyer for the shares for years.
The business may depend heavily on a small founding team.
The company may run out of cash or fail to raise the next round.
Early-stage valuations are highly uncertain.
Future funding can materially reduce percentage ownership.
A small angel portfolio can depend on only a few company outcomes.
Private companies disclose much less than listed businesses.
Different investor rights and preferences can materially affect returns.
Educational only — not advice.
Our methodology
We do not rank networks by projected returns. We do not treat investment volume as evidence of investment quality. We do not treat EIS or SEIS relief as investment performance. Commercial relationships do not determine factual network information.
Last checked: 10 Aug 2026.