Minerva Business Angel Network

What Minerva Business Angel Network does

Minerva Business Angel Network is one of England's oldest angel investment networks, established in 1994 as part of the University of Warwick Science Park Ltd and operating in its current ten-group format since 2010. It is a not-for-profit organization that connects high-net-worth individual investors with high-growth technology companies seeking early-stage equity or debt funding, operating across the Midlands, London, and Northwest of England. Since 2010 the network has supported more than 90 companies in raising over £63 million (with later reporting citing £80 million+ across 70+ companies), and was recognized by Beauhurst as one of the Midlands' top equity investors by deal count (72 deals 2011–2020).

The core product is a structured investment facilitation service: entrepreneurs apply through a funding application process, are screened and prepared for pitching, and present to monthly investor group meetings across ten regional groups hosted at university locations. Active members pay an annual subscription granting access to all investment groups and an exclusive Dealum-powered deal platform for viewing opportunities, participating in due diligence, and co-investing alongside professional VCTs and VC firms. The network does not publish pricing; investment minimums are £5,000 per angel with no upper cap, and members are expected to complete a qualifying investment within two years. Supporting products include the annual Pitch Up competition (formerly Pitchfest WM), the Minerva Educational Series for both investors and entrepreneurs, and a portfolio of 90+ companies spanning EdTech, FinTech, MedTech, marine tech, consumer, and semiconductor sectors.

Minerva's go-to-market is hybrid: a community-led model leveraging institutional collaborations with eight universities (Aston, Birmingham, John Moores, Loughborough, Nottingham, Nottingham Trent, Warwick Business School London, Sci-Tech Daresbury) and the Black Country Growth Hub for deal flow and investor recruitment, combined with event-driven monthly meetings and an annual pitching competition, supported by email newsletters, webinars, and the website (minerva.uk.net). The organization is led by Alex Toft, Head of Minerva Business Angels, and operates from the University of Warwick Science Park headquarters in Coventry. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed, consistent with its not-for-profit status.

Name

Minerva Business Angel Network

Legal name

Minerva Business Angels (University of Warwick Science Park Ltd)

Website

https://minerva.uk.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Minerva Business Angel Network is a UK not-for-profit angel investment network, established in 1994 and operated by the University of Warwick Science Park, that connects high-net-worth individual investors with early-stage technology companies across ten regional investment groups spanning the Midlands, London, and Northwest England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Angel Investment Network

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Micro-VC & Angel Funds (FSANAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

Keywords

• Angel investment network
• Early stage funding
• Deal flow platform
• Investor syndication
• Startup mentoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Coventry

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Subscriptions: Investors pay an annual subscription fee to become active members and access investment groups, the deal platform, and networking opportunities. The subscription includes access to all Minerva Investment Groups.
2. Investment Facilitation Services: Minerva facilitates connections between angel investors and companies seeking funding. While described as not-for-profit, the network charges for its services to companies applying for investment support, including application processing, pitch preparation assistance, and access to the investor network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Minerva Business Angel Network is a not-for-profit angel investment network that connects wealthy individual investors with high-growth technology companies seeking early-stage funding. It operates ten investment groups across the Midlands, London, and Northwest of England that meet monthly to review pre-screened deals, with investor access provided via an annual membership subscription and a dedicated deal platform. The network also runs the annual Pitch Up competition and an educational webinar series for both investors and entrepreneurs.

Product overview

Minerva Business Angel Network operates as a business angel investment network with ten investment groups across the UK. The core offering consists of a deal platform providing exclusive access to investment opportunities, alongside structured investment groups that meet monthly. Minerva facilitates connections between high-growth tech companies seeking funding and angel investors, supported by educational programs and the Pitch Up competition series. The network functions as part of the University of Warwick Science Park and has facilitated over £63 million in investments across more than 90 companies since 2010.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Active Membership Annual subscription offering for angel investors granting access to all ten Minerva Investment Groups, monthly meetings where up to three companies pitch, the exclusive deal platform, and participation in due diligence investigations. Includes an expectation that members will identify a suitable investment within two years of joining.
• Investment Groups Ten monthly investment groups based across the Midlands, London and Northwest of England, hosted at university locations, where members meet to view pitches and discuss investment opportunities.
• Deal Platform Exclusive online platform providing Minerva members access to deal flow, allowing angels to view investment opportunities, manage due diligence and coordinate syndicates.
• Funding Application Service Structured service for entrepreneurs to apply for funding through Minerva, including application submission, interview, pitch preparation support and exposure to the angel network.
• Pitch Up Competition Annual investment competition enabling businesses to pitch head-to-head to Minerva's investor audience, paired with an educational webinar series covering investor readiness, VC vs angel investing, SEIS/EIS and valuation.
• Minerva Educational Series Webinar-based educational series covering valuation approaches, SEIS/EIS pitfalls, term sheets, shareholder agreements and investing strategies for angel investors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98 companies invested in since 2010
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• BeauhurstminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2021Platform providing data on UK high-growth companies; commissioned MICRA/Beauhurst Investment Opportunities in the Midlands Report highlighting Minerva's contribution.
• University of Warwick Science ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinerva is part of the University of Warwick Science Park Ltd. The Science Park provides operational support, infrastructure, and institutional backing. Minerva has been operational since 1994 as part of this organization.
• Aston UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional collaboration through Aston Centre for Growth to deliver Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up competition and educational series.
• University of Birmingham EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-delivers Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up competition and webinars to help businesses raise investment.
• Nottingham Trent UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Minerva Investment Group 10; institutional collaboration for investment group delivery.
• Loughborough UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity collaboration for delivering investment groups and facilitating access to university support.
• University of NottinghamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity collaboration for investment group delivery and support services.
• John Moores University (Liverpool)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with LJMU to build new angel network in Liverpool region.
• Warwick Business School (London)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional collaboration for delivering investment groups and access to support.
• Sci-Tech DaresburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator for extended coverage and local support alongside university partnerships.
• Black Country Growth HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery collaborator for extended regional coverage and local business support.
• Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to build Minerva Liverpool angel network, maintaining momentum from initial meeting on 10th March.
• NTU EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted Minerva's first face-to-face event in Nottingham; supports regional investment group activities.
• Midlands Innovation (MICRA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned report on investment opportunities in the Midlands; provides single gateway to Midlands Innovation universities' IP and spinout portfolio.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Seedrs (now Republic Europe): Seedrs (acquired by Republic) is a UK equity crowdfunding platform offering primary and secondary investment in private companies. It is comparable as a digital alternative to traditional angel networks for founders seeking early-stage capital.
• Crowdcube: Crowdcube is a leading UK equity crowdfunding platform allowing startups to raise from retail and sophisticated investors. It competes for the same early-stage UK deal flow that Minerva aggregates through its investment groups.
• SyndicateRoom: SyndicateRoom is an online co-investment platform that enables angels to pool into lead-investor-led rounds. It is comparable to Minerva as a syndication mechanism for early-stage UK deals, and is also itself a Minerva portfolio company, illustrating the overlapping ecosystems.

Regional players

• NorthInvest: NorthInvest is a Northern England angel network focused on connecting investors with regional startups. It is comparable as a regional UK angel network with university partnerships, operating in overlapping geography (Northwest) with Minerva's Liverpool and Warrington-area groups.

Others

• British Business Bank: British Business Bank is a UK government development bank that operates co-investment programmes alongside angel networks. It is comparable as an ecosystem participant that channels capital to the same entrepreneur base and frequently co-invests with networks like Minerva.
• UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA): UKBAA is the UK trade association for the early-stage investment community, of which Minerva is a member and former awards finalist. It is comparable as an industry-body peer that shapes the UK angel ecosystem in which Minerva operates.

Direct peers

• London Business Angels: London Business Angels is one of the UK's longest-running angel networks, providing a structured deal-flow platform for HNW investors. It mirrors Minerva's model of curated pitch meetings, due diligence support, and post-investment relationships in a different UK region.
• Cambridge Angels: Cambridge Angels is a UK-based angel network affiliated with the Cambridge Cluster. It is directly comparable as a regional, university-adjacent angel syndicate that meets regularly to co-invest in early-stage technology and life sciences companies.
• Angel Investment Network: Angel Investment Network is a UK-headquartered online platform matching angel investors with early-stage companies. It is comparable to Minerva as a competing funnel for angel capital, though Minerva adds curated in-person syndication that the platform model lacks.

Broad incumbents

• Octopus Ventures: Octopus Ventures is one of the UK's largest VCs, with deep exposure to UK seed and Series A tech. It is comparable as a destination for the same entrepreneur pool Minerva serves, though operating at later stages and at materially larger cheque sizes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/minerva-business-angels
• Xx.com/minervanetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments17 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Minerva Business Angel Network