Investor Academe Workshop: Manchester, 16th May 2017

Investor Academe is a practical and interactive workshop for new and aspiring angel investors. Our intensive programme covers all the fundamental aspects of investing in startups from deal-sourcing and syndicate formation through to exit. The workshop is designed and delivered by experienced angel investors and includes tailored advice from experts in their field.

Workshop objective:

By the end of this workshop you'll have the knowledge and network to make "smart" investments as part of an angel syndicate or group.

Who should attend:

This workshop is for High Net Worth individuals who are interested in becoming angel investors as well as angels with some experience who want to fine-tune their investing skills and meet new Angel Academe members. It's particularly suited to people who want to:

+ Intelligently diversify their investment portfolio by investing in startups

+ Invest as part of a syndicate to pool their financial resources and expertise

+ Manage risk by taking a portfolio approach and leveraging the tax breaks for angel investors

+ Learn by doing and collaborating with experienced angels

+ Have fun, expand their network and fuel their brains!

About the workshop:

Central to the workshop is a due diligence exercise using a case study loosely based on a couple of real businesses which the founders have now exited. Franny Rounds, Co-Founder and CEO of our case study business Aloha!, will pitch her startup to us and answer our questions. We'll then group ourselves into syndicates to:

+ Understand the role of an angel investor

+ Discuss the key differences between investing in startups vs later stage businesses

+ Identify the crucial aspects of due diligence for a startup investment

+ Learn to navigate the legal documentation and to undersatnd and assess deal structure

+ Understand how to think about valuation in a startup business and what matters

+ Discuss likely follow-on funding requirement, exit options and our involvement with the business.

Once we've decided whether to invest (or not), we'll reveal what really happened to Aloha! There'll also be an opportunity to discuss your objectives for investing and attitude to risk, strategies for meeting your objectives and managing risk, how the tax breaks work to help maximise the upside and minimise the downside of angel investing and the wider benefits of angel investing beyond potential financial returns.

We'll also have experts on hand from our event partners, Arbuthnot Latham with regards to wealth management, and berg to explain the legal aspects of investing.

Workshop leaders:

The course will be delivered by Sarah Turner and Francesca Tondy, both seasoned angel investors from the Angel Academe network who have made over 20 investments between them over an 8 year period and Gaynor Dykes who has substantial knowledge of working alongside angel investors and in sourcing finance for growing businesses. We will draw on this varied and extensive experience as well as what's seen as industry best practice.

Angel Academe won Angel Syndicate of the Year and Best Women-led Investment at the 2015 UKBAA awards and Sarah picked up the TechNation 200 Tech Funder Award in 2015 and was included in the 2016 Maserati100 List which recognises entrepreneurs who are giving their time and resource to support the next generation of entrepreneurs.

What previous participants said:

"The workshop made me realise nobody is an amazing expert, just brave enough to ask questions"

"The interactivity and style – it was over in a flash. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Great participation. Huge amount of thought & effort"

"The key to successful investing is access to qualified dealflow, a really group of good people to invest with and an understanding of the process. This workshop and the Angel Academe network deliver all of that."

This event would not be possible without the generous support of:

Arbuthnot Latham is an independent "boutique" private bank focused on working in partnership with clients to help them achieve their financial goals. The bank believes in a truly tailored personal experience that adapts over time to support your wealth journey. The Arbuthnot name has been in existence since 1833. Arbuthnot Latham offers private and commercial banking, 'whole of market' wealth planning and an investment management service.

A Manchester law firm with a national reputation; berg is the go to partner for modern business. We pride ourselves on being the imaginative law firm, providing innovative solutions and real-world advice. berg are delighted to be supporting this Angel Academe event in the North. Investment is critical to the development of our economy and we are proud to be involved in developing the skillset required to deliver best practice and commercially focused investment advice.