Investors tend to back people who remind them of themselves. Because most business angels are men, women founders have historically received only a small share of angel and early-stage equity funding. More women are becoming angels, more female business angel networks are designed to support women founders, and the range of funding options is widening. This guide explains where to find female business angels in the UK and how to improve your chances of securing investment.
What business angel investors do
Business angels are typically affluent individuals who invest their own money in start-ups or growing businesses, usually in exchange for equity. In the UK, the Enterprise Investment Scheme and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme offer generous tax reliefs to encourage this kind of investment. For the 2025/26 tax year, HMRC guidance states that SEIS allows an investor to put up to £200,000 into qualifying companies each tax year and claim 50% income tax relief, while EIS permits up to £1 million each tax year, or £2 million for knowledge-intensive companies, with 30% income tax relief.
There is no fixed investment size. Angel investments can range from around £5,000 to several hundred thousand pounds, with typical stakes reflecting the risk and valuation of the business. Angels usually expect a return and an exit route, often a sale of shares, within a three- to seven-year period. Many angels also bring sector expertise, contacts and hands-on support.
Deborah Meaden, best known from BBC’s Dragons’ Den, is one of the UK’s most visible women angel investors. She is known for seeking ethical, sustainable and socially beneficial investments, characteristics research suggests women angels often prioritise. Women investors also tend to spend more time mentoring investees, which many women founders value highly.
Female business angel networks and funds to know in 2026
According to UK Business Angels Association figures from 2024, women now account for around 15% of UK business angels, roughly 5,000 individual investors, up from an estimated 4% in 2009. Yet women-founded businesses still receive a disproportionately small share of equity finance. The British Business Bank’s Small Business Finance Markets 2025 report found that all-women founding teams received only around 2% of UK equity investment, while mixed-gender teams received about 11%.
Several UK networks and funds have been created to address this imbalance. They are a useful starting point if you are seeking investment or thinking of becoming an angel yourself. For broader context on the state of women-led enterprise, see Women in Business: Key UK Facts.
Angel Academe
Angel Academe is a UK women-only angel investment group that backs women-founded technology start-ups. Members pool capital and expertise, and the group is known for its thorough due diligence and active support of portfolio companies. It is open to new investors as well as founders seeking funding.
Investing Women
Investing Women is Scotland’s women-only angel syndicate. It runs the Ambition & Growth programme and invests in women-led businesses across sectors. As well as capital, it offers mentoring, peer support and access to a network of experienced investors.
UK Business Angels Association — Women Angels
The UKBAA is the national trade body for angel and early-stage investment. Its Women Angels initiatives aim to increase the number of women angel investors and improve access to finance for women founders. The UKBAA directory and regional events are a practical way to identify active angels and syndicates.
AllBright
AllBright is a UK community and platform for women entrepreneurs. While not a traditional angel fund, its events, academy and investor introductions can help founders build the relationships that lead to funding. It is particularly useful for consumer-facing and creative businesses.
Pink Salt Ventures
Pink Salt Ventures is a UK venture capital fund that invests in women-founded start-ups. It operates more like a VC than a classic angel network, but it is a relevant option for high-growth businesses seeking early-stage equity.
THEN Capital
THEN Capital closed a £45 million fund in 2025 as the first all-women investment team to receive backing from the British Business Bank, according to British Business Bank announcements. It focuses on early-stage technology and consumer businesses, including many women-led ventures.
Women Backing Women Fund
The Women Backing Women Fund is a £130 million vehicle launched to increase investment in women-founded businesses, according to British Business Bank announcements. In 2025 it began deploying first capital, offering another route for founders seeking patient equity finance.
Innovate UK Women in Innovation
Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation programme offers grant funding, mentoring and business support to women driving innovation. It is not equity investment, but it can de-risk your business and make you more attractive to angels later. For more non-dilutive options, see our guide to business grants for women in the UK.
Top tips for gaining business angel investment
1. Start with female business angel networks
Women-led businesses still receive a small share of equity investment, so targeting networks that actively back women founders can shorten your path to funding. Review the UKBAA directory, Angel Academe, Investing Women and other women-focused groups to find investors who understand your market.
2. Build relationships before you need capital
Most angel deals come through personal introductions. Attend women in business events, join sector communities and connect with angels on platforms such as the UKBAA network long before you open a funding round.
3. Research investor track records
Study each investor’s previous investments, preferred stage and ticket size. Look for angels who have backed businesses like yours or who publicly support women founders.
4. Craft a pitch that addresses investor concerns
Prepare a concise pitch that explains the problem you solve, your unique selling point, market opportunity, traction and growth plan. Be clear about how much you are raising, what the capital will achieve and how SEIS or EIS eligibility strengthens the opportunity. Our pitch deck guide for female founders can help.
5. Use mentorship and grant support to de-risk your business
Programmes such as Innovate UK Women in Innovation provide grant funding, mentoring and credibility. Non-dilutive funding can strengthen your position when you later approach angels.
6. Prepare thorough financials and a clear business plan
Investors expect realistic forecasts, unit economics and a path to profitability. A clear business plan sets out the structure investors want to see and demonstrates that you understand your numbers.
7. Showcase measurable traction
Evidence of sales, partnerships, user growth or product development reduces perceived risk. Highlight milestones and explain how investment will accelerate progress.
8. Ask for warm introductions and follow up
A referral from a trusted contact is far more effective than a cold email. Ask your advisers, customers or fellow founders for introductions to active angels, and keep relationships warm even with investors who pass.
Practical action steps for women founders
- Review the UKBAA directory and identify two or three female business angel networks that match your sector and stage.
- Check whether your business qualifies for SEIS or EIS, and mention this in your pitch materials.
- Prepare a one-page executive summary and a pitch deck before requesting introductions.
- Apply for relevant grants, such as Innovate UK Women in Innovation, to strengthen your traction.
- Ask your existing advisers for warm introductions to active angels.
Securing angel investment is rarely quick, but the growing number of female business angel networks and women-focused funds in the UK means the opportunities are better than ever. Stay focused, keep refining your approach and treat every conversation as a chance to learn.
