Liverpool city region angel investment network Gateway Angels offers new digital portal to better bring angel investors together with business founders. Tony McDonough reports

Angel investment network Gateway Angels has launched a new digital deal-sharing platform for both angel investors and ventures seeking new investment.

Gateway Angels, a division of Liverpool SME funding specialist MSIF, has already brought multiple angel investors together with high growth potential businesses since its launch as the LCR Angel Network in 2018.

Angel investors are typically wealthy individuals who provide capital for early-stage businesses or start-ups, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity.

Often angels are successful entrepreneurs themselves and are either looking at some alternative ways to invest their money or they want to give something back. Many relish the prospect of getting involved in an exciting new venture.

Katie Nicholson, investment director of Gateway Angels, told LBN angels were becoming an increasingly important part of the SME investment landscape and this new digital portal represents “ the next phase of our growth as an angel network”.

“Its purpose is to connect high-quality, early-stage founders with an engaged and growing community of angel investors, while making the process of discovering, assessing and investing in startups more efficient and accessible,” she said.

“Through the portal, registered investors gain secure access to curated deal flow, including pitch decks and key information on investable businesses, primarily from Liverpool city region but also from aligned ecosystems beyond the region.

“This creates a single, trusted place for angels to engage with opportunities, invest alongside others and stay connected to the Gateway Angels community.”

Visibility for founders is a key element of the portal, explained Katie, and for angel investorsit offers a more structured pathway into early-stage funding.

She added: “For Gateway Angels, it supports our wider mission to increase awareness of angel investing, encourage more people to become angels, and ultimately unlock more early-stage capital for ambitious startups in the region.

“The launch of the portal marks an important step in professionalising and scaling our activity, complementing our in-person investor dinners, pitch events and angel education programmes, and helping us build a more connected, member-led investment community.”

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Gateway Angels has also announced the appointment of Gaby Holden as its new marketing and operations executive. She joins from Manchester consultancy Wavemaker where she was an SEO executive.

Through roles across different sectors, as well as founding her own business creating handmade accessories, Gaby brings a broad mix of marketing, operational and relationship-driven experience to the business.

Gaby said: “I’m really pleased to be joining Gateway Angels at such an exciting stage of its growth. I’m looking forward to applying my marketing and operational experience to help build awareness and support the organisation’s long-term objectives.”