Angels Invest Wales and CAMAU NESAF Drive Business Investment in North Wales

A - Home Page B - Original Content Finance & Investment Regions

Development Bank of Wales , 25th October 2022

Early stage businesses in North Wales are set to benefit from a new collaboration between Angels Invest Wales and business mentoring provider Camau Nesaf.

As the largest business angel network in Wales, Angels Invest Wales is part of the Development Bank of Wales and has over 300 registered investors in its network.

Working together with Camau Nesaf in North Wales, Angels Invest Wales will be scaling up activity to offer more start-up businesses and entrepreneurs the opportunity to get support from business angel lead investors. In addition, they will be able to access the £8 million Wales Angel Co Fund for match funding.

Steve Holt is the Director of Angels Invest Wales. He said:

“Working with technology start-ups, Camau Nesaf has grown out of Clwb Technoleg Môn, an Anglesey-based group of angel investors and entrepreneurs.”

“They now have a network of mentors and advisers who develop scale-up plans and investor readiness strategies so are well-placed to work with us to provide private investment for growing and start-up business in North Wales. They will use their knowledge, networks and expertise to form investment syndicates and identify opportunities in strategically important sectors in North Wales. Our co-investment fund will then provide match funding which effectively doubles the firepower.”

Clwb Tecnoleg Mon was originally launched by local entrepreneurs Ben Scholes and Nick Dryden. The pair now work closely with lead business angel Huw Bishop as co-founder and Director of Camau Nesaf.

Huw Bishop said:

“North Wales is a fantastic community of people who are constantly looking for ways to channel their creativity and enthusiasm. We see solid opportunities for investors as well as start-ups, particularly with the development of more syndicates which is very much the current pattern in angel investment strategies across the UK.”

“An angel syndicate with the ability to co-invest alongside other groups and financial institutions is a powerful vehicle for enabling growth and scaling-up of technology businesses. The days of singular angel investors growing business opportunities alone without the support of other like-minded investors are rapidly reducing – these days it’s all about shared knowledge and co-invested finance to build a solid platform for early stage business. Shared financial risk through a syndicated approach also works for angels in an uncertain economic climate.”

“An angel syndicate gains strength from a diverse range of investors. This ranges from those investing for the first time to experienced ‘high net worth’ investors who are seeking to expand their portfolio. I love helping local businesses grow and welcome approaches from investors at all levels – we’re open for business and we’re keen to talk to both entrepreneurs seeking to develop investment strategies for growth and angels interested in linking with like-minded investors.”

Ben Scholes is co-founder and Chief Executive of Beaumaris based Papertrail. He added:

“I have grown my business through a series of investment rounds over the last eight years. The opportunity to widen the shareholder base and achieve the same investment in our most recent round was due to the Wales Angel Co-investment Fund and the match funding provided for our angel syndicate. Huw played an instrumental role in this and has a pipeline of future funding opportunities.”

“The economic climate maybe uncertain but there is still plenty of appetite for growth and investment in North Wales. Camau Nesaf and Angels Invest Wales working together will help other early stage businesses to benefit from business angel investment and support. It has certainly helped us to get Papertrail where it is today.”

The £8 million Wales Angel Co-Investment Fund provides Welsh business with a key source of alternative finance through the encouragement of more active Angel investment. The five year fund supports the creation of angel syndicates and networks across Wales by providing loans and equity up to £250,000 to investors looking for co-investment.

Bydd busnesau sydd newydd eu sefydlu yng Ngogledd Cymru yn elwa o gydweithrediad newydd rhwng Angylion Buddsoddi Cymru a’r darparwr mentora busnes Camau Nesaf.

Fel yr angylion busnes mwyaf yng Nghymru, mae Angylion Buddsoddi Cymru yn rhan o Fanc Datblygu Cymru ac mae ganddo dros 300 o fuddsoddwyr cofrestredig yn ei rwydwaith.

Gan weithio gyda Camau Nesaf yng Ngogledd Cymru, bydd Angylion Buddsoddi Cymru yn cynyddu’r gweithgarwch i gynnig cyfle i fwy o fusnesau ac entrepreneuriaid newydd gael cymorth gan fuddsoddwyr arweiniol yr angylion busnes. Ar ben hynny, byddant yn gallu cael gafael ar y Gronfa Angylion Cymunedol Cymru gwerth £8 miliwn ar gyfer arian cyfatebol.

Steve Holt yw Cyfarwyddwr Angylion Buddsoddi Cymru. Dywedodd:

“Drwy weithio gyda busnesau newydd ym maes technoleg, mae Camau Nesaf wedi tyfu o Glwb Technoleg Môn, grŵp o angylion ac entrepreneuriaid o Ynys Môn.”

“Mae ganddynt bellach rwydwaith o fentoriaid a chynghorwyr sy’n datblygu cynlluniau uwchraddio a strategaethau parodrwydd i fuddsoddwyr felly maent mewn sefyllfa dda i weithio gyda ni i ddarparu buddsoddiad preifat ar gyfer busnesau newydd a busnesau sy’n datblygu yng Ngogledd Cymru. Byddant yn defnyddio eu gwybodaeth, eu rhwydweithiau a’u harbenigedd i ffurfio syndictiau buddsoddi a chanfod cyfleoedd mewn sectorau strategol bwysig yng Ngogledd Cymru. Yna bydd ein cronfa buddsoddi ar y cyd yn darparu arian cyfatebol sydd, i bob pwrpas, yn dyblu’r effaith.”

Cafodd Clwb Technoleg Môn ei lansio’n wreiddiol gan yr entrepreneuriaid lleol, Ben Scholes a Nick Dryden. Mae’r ddau bellach yn gweithio’n agos gyda’r angel busnes arweiniol Huw Bishop fel cyd-sylfaenydd a Chyfarwyddwr Camau Nesaf.

Dywedodd Huw Bishop:

“Mae Gogledd Cymru yn gymuned wych o bobl sy’n chwilio’n gyson am ffyrdd o sianelu eu creadigrwydd a’u brwdfrydedd. Gwelwn gyfleoedd cadarn i fuddsoddwyr, yn ogystal â busnesau newydd, yn enwedig wrth ddatblygu mwy o syndictiau, sef y patrwm presennol mewn strategaethau angylion buddsoddi ledled y DU.”

“Mae’r syndicet angylion gyda’r gallu i gyd-fuddsoddi ynghyd â grwpiau eraill a sefydliadau ariannol yn gyfrwng pwerus i alluogi twf a chynyddu busnesau technoleg. Mae dyddiau angylion buddsoddi unigol sy’n tyfu cyfleoedd busnes ar eu pen eu hunain heb gefnogaeth buddsoddwyr eraill o’r un anian yn lleihau’n gyflym – y dyddiau hyn, mae’n ymwneud â rhannu gwybodaeth a chyllid wedi’i fuddsoddi ar y cyd er mwyn creu platfform cadarn ar gyfer busnesau newydd. Mae rhannu risg ariannol drwy ddull syndicet hefyd yn gweithio i angylion mewn sefyllfa economaidd ansicr.”

“Mae syndicet angylion yn ennill cryfder gan amrywiaeth eang o fuddsoddwyr. Mae hyn yn amrywio o’r rheini sy’n buddsoddi am y tro cyntaf i fuddsoddwyr ‘gwerth net uchel’ profiadol sy’n ceisio ehangu eu portffolio. Rydw i wrth fy modd yn helpu busnesau lleol i dyfu ac rydw i’n croesawu dulliau gweithredu gan fuddsoddwyr ar bob lefel – rydyn ni’n agored i fusnes ac rydyn ni’n awyddus i siarad â’r ddau entrepreneur sy’n ceisio datblygu strategaethau buddsoddi ar gyfer twf ac angylion sydd â diddordeb mewn cysylltu â buddsoddwyr o’r un anian.”

Ben Scholes yw cyd-sylfaenydd a Phrif Weithredwr Papertrail ym Miwmares. Ychwanegodd:

“Rydw i wedi datblygu fy musnes drwy gyfres o rowndiau buddsoddi dros yr wyth mlynedd diwethaf. Y rheswm dros y cyfle i ehangu’r sylfaen gyfranddalwyr a sicrhau’r un buddsoddiad yn ein rownd diweddaraf oedd Cronfa Cyd-fuddsoddi Angylion Cymru a’r arian cyfatebol a ddarparwyd ar gyfer ein syndicet angylion. Fe wnaeth Huw chwarae rhan allweddol yn hyn ac mae ganddo lif o gyfleoedd cyllido yn y dyfodol.”

“Efallai fod y sefyllfa economaidd yn ansicr, ond mae digon o awydd o hyd i ddatblygu a buddsoddi yng Ngogledd Cymru. Bydd Camau Nesaf ac Angylion Buddsoddi Cymru yn cydweithio i helpu busnesau newydd eraill i elwa o fuddsoddiad a chefnogaeth gan angylion busnes. Mae’n sicr wedi ein helpu i gael Papertrail lle mae heddiw.”

Mae Cronfa Cyd-fuddsoddi Angylion Cymru, sy’n werth £8 miliwn, yn rhoi ffynhonnell allweddol o gyllid amgen i fusnesau Cymru drwy annog mwy o fuddsoddiad gweithredol gan angylion. Mae’r gronfa bum mlynedd yn rhoi cefnogaeth i greu syndictiau a rhwydweithiau angylion ledled Cymru drwy ddarparu benthyciadau ac ecwiti hyd at £250,000 i fuddsoddwyr sy’n chwilio am gyd-fuddsoddiad.