AwakenAngels

What AwakenAngels does

AwakenAngels is a women-led angel investment syndicate founded in 2023 and headquartered in Derry, Northern Ireland. It is the first and only all-island (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) women-led investment syndicate, operating as a spin-off from AwakenHub, a sister organisation that hosts a community of more than 3,000 women founders from which AwakenAngels sources its deal flow. The syndicate enables individual women investors to co-invest in pre-seed and seed-stage women-founded businesses on the island of Ireland at a minimum ticket of £2,000 per deal, on a deal-by-deal opt-in basis. Within roughly two years of operation, AwakenAngels has grown to 118 syndicate members (90% women) and has facilitated more than €4.3 million of investment across eight portfolio companies.

The platform combines an online syndicate management and investor communication tool with a structured education offering. The AwakenAngels Academy is a CPD-accredited nine-module programme covering investment strategy, due diligence, valuation, deal terms, portfolio management, follow-on rounds, exits, and impact investing, delivered online over five months. A separate Deal Leader Training Programme upskills experienced investors to lead rounds, and an Angel Investor Masterclass provides introductory workshops. Revenue is generated through two streams: an annual syndicate membership fee of £600 (covering the lifetime of the investment) and a 6% transaction fee on capital committed per deal, which bundles legal and professional services. A Sponsored Angels programme, funded by British Business Bank and InterTradeIreland, covers the membership fee and first transaction fee for eligible first-time women investors on the island of Ireland.

Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven. Deal flow originates from AwakenHub's founder community; investor acquisition runs through monthly pitch nights, fireside chats, information sessions, and the annual St Brigid's Day Trade Missions to New York and Boston, supplemented by the SheVentures Summit in Northern Ireland. In February 2026, AwakenAngels secured a strategic partnership with Women in Innovation (WIN) to deliver the Academy to WIN's 6,000 global members, materially expanding the addressable investor education funnel. The syndicate is led by co-founders Mary McKenna (Chair, winner of both Europe and UK Angel Investor of the Year 2023), Clare McGee (CEO), Denise McQuaid (Director of Investor Relations), and Sinead Crowley (Director of Community), supported by a Global Ambassador network with US diaspora reach.

Name

AwakenAngels

Legal name

AwakenAngels

Website

https://awakenangelshq.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AwakenAngels is a women-led angel investment syndicate based in Derry, Northern Ireland, enabling women to co-invest from £2,000 per deal in pre-seed and seed-stage women-founded businesses on the island of Ireland, supported by a CPD-accredited investor academy and a 118-member syndicate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Angel Investment Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Vehicles (525990)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Micro-VC & Angel Funds (FSANAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Series A/B) (FSANAAAB)

Keywords

• Angel investment syndicate
• Women angel investors
• Startup investment platform
• Angel investor education
• Seed stage investing

Headquarters

HQ city

Derry

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Annual Syndicate Membership: Annual membership fee of £600 for the lifetime of the investment, covering all syndicate participation.
2. Transaction Fees: 6% transaction fee proportion to capital committed on each investment made. Fees include all legal and professional services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AwakenAngels operates a women-led angel investment syndicate that pools capital from individual women investors (minimum £2,000 per deal) to collectively invest in curated, women-founded startups, primarily on the island of Ireland. The syndicate is supported by the AwakenAngels Academy (a CPD-accredited, nine-module angel investing education programme), the Sponsored Angels programme for first-time investors (sponsored by British Business Bank and InterTradeIreland), and Deal Leader Training for experienced investors. Deal flow is sourced primarily from the sister AwakenHub community of 3,000+ women founders.

Product overview

AwakenAngels operates as a women-led angel investment syndicate platform offering a suite of investment and education services. The core product is the AwakenAngels Syndicate, which enables women to collectively invest in women-founded businesses starting from £2,000 per deal. Supporting the syndicate are the AwakenAngels Academy and Training Modules (a 9-module CPD-accredited education programme), Sponsored Angels (sponsored membership for first-time investors), Deal Leader Training Programme, and Angel Investor Masterclass. The company also runs regular Pitch Events for portfolio companies and has secured a global partnership with Women in Innovation (WIN) to expand its Academy reach to 6,000 members worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AwakenAngels Academy: CPD-accredited angel investing training program with nine comprehensive modules covering investment strategy, due diligence, company valuation, deal terms, business model and financials, managing investments, follow-on rounds, exiting investments, and impact investing.

Products and services

• AwakenAngels Syndicate Core angel investment syndicate enabling women (and other investors) to collectively invest in curated, women-founded businesses on the island of Ireland, with minimum £2k per deal, annual membership, and curated deal flow from the AwakenHub founder ecosystem.
• AwakenAngels Academy CPD-accredited angel investing education programme consisting of nine modules (Investment Strategy, Due Diligence, Company Valuation, Deal Terms, Business Model and Financials, Managing Investments, Follow-on Rounds, Exiting Investments, Impact Investing), delivered online over 5 months with 24/7 access. Open to syndicate members and via the Women in Innovation partnership to WIN's 6,000 global members.
• Sponsored Angels (First-Time Investor Sponsorship) Sponsored syndicate membership programme in which British Business Bank and InterTradeIreland cover the annual membership fee and the transaction fee on the first minimum capital investment (£2,000+) for eligible first-time women investors on the island of Ireland. Includes access to AwakenAngels Academy training.
• Angel Investor Masterclass Accessible introductory workshops covering the fundamentals of start-up investing including risk and return, due diligence basics, valuation, impact investing, and portfolio construction.
• Deal Leader Training Programme Intensive training for experienced women investors to lead investment rounds within angel syndicates, covering due diligence, valuation, deal structuring, legal frameworks, and post-investment governance. Targeted at experienced investors progressing into deal leadership.
• Pitch Events Recurring monthly pitch events (in-person and online) showcasing women-led startups seeking pre-seed and seed investment, held across Ireland (Dublin, Derry, Cork, Galway, Belfast) and internationally (New York, Boston, London). Open to AwakenAngels members and the wider investor community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Eight portfolio companies raised €4.3M+ in investment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Women in Innovation (WIN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Strategic partnership to provide angel investing education to WIN's 6,000 global members through AwakenAngels Academy. Partnership announced at British Consul General's residence in New York during St Brigid's Day Trade Mission. First cohort commenced 17th February 2026.
• AwakenHubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization and all-island community for women founders. AwakenHub provides exclusive deal flow pipeline to AwakenAngels. Both organizations share founding team including Mary McKenna, Clare McGee, Denise McQuaid, Sinead Crowley.
• MAP DigitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal event agency founded by Mary Ann Pierce, Global Diaspora Ambassador for AwakenAngels. Powers conferences including Social Good and Global Summit of Women.
• Bank of IrelandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides NYC Hub venue for AwakenAngels events in New York, including Angel Investing 101 sessions.
• Ulster UniversityminorOthersListed as supporting partner of AwakenHub ecosystem.
• Taylor WessingminorOthersInternational law firm listed as supporting partner of AwakenHub ecosystem.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Angel Academe: UK-based angel syndicate specifically focused on investing in women-led and diverse-founded startups. Closest direct peer given shared mission, UK base, syndicate model, and explicit women-focus.
• Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN): Ireland's all-island umbrella angel network representing multiple syndicates. Directly comparable given AwakenAngels' island of Ireland focus and syndicated structure.
• AllBright: Women-focused business and investor community with associated fund/syndicate activity in the UK. Comparable given shared women-led business thesis and curated community positioning.
• Pipeline Angels: US-based angel investing network specifically focused on women and non-binary investors funding women-owned businesses. Closest US peer, sharing the women-investor-meets-women-founder model.

Emerging players

• Diversity VC: UK non-profit community working to increase diversity in venture and angel capital. Adjacent rather than directly competing; shares mission alignment around under-represented investors and founders.

Others

• UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA): Industry body representing UK angel investors and the awarding body for the UK Angel Investor of the Year award won by Mary McKenna. Industry/institutional context rather than direct competition.

Broad incumbents

• Female Founders Fund: US-based venture fund investing in technology companies founded by women. Comparable thesis on women-led investing but operates as a fund (not a syndicate) and at slightly later stages.
• EBAN (European Business Angels Network): Pan-European confederation of business angel networks and early-stage investors. Provides industry context and best-practice parallels for AwakenAngels as a member of the broader European angel ecosystem.
• Ada Ventures: UK-based early-stage VC focused on under-represented founders including women. Larger, broader portfolio approach than AwakenAngels but operates in the same diversity-and-impact-driven segment.

Regional players

• Network of Angel Investors Ireland (NAI) / IrishAngels: Ireland-focused angel investment network connecting individual investors with early-stage companies. Regional peer operating in the same Irish market with a broader (not women-only) mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/awakenangelshq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/awakenangelshq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments10 records

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

Frequently asked questions about AwakenAngels