Some of Wales’ most successful female entrepreneurs and business leaders are working together to support other women in the early-stage investment community in Wales.
Women Angels of Wales (WAW) is a business angel investment syndicate for women that was set up in 2022 by Carol Hall, Investment Manager for Angels Invest Wales. It is now jointly supported by the British Business Bank and the syndicate has access to co-investment of up to £250,000 for each deal from the Development Bank of Wales’s £8 million Wales Angel Co-Investment Fund.
With 47 members, WAW is Wales’ first all-female angel investor syndicate. Three lead investors include experienced business angel Jill Jones who has a background in optometry and property along with investment banker Sharon Pipe and insurance industry specialist Rachel Ashley. Their first investment was announced in late 2023 with £60,000 for Newport-based Stratigens, a SaaS product which brings together labour market, economics and location data to provide the insight businesses need to shape radically smarter decisions.
Alison Ettridge is the Chief Executive and Chief Believer of Stratigens. She said: “I’m delighted to have received the backing from Women Angels of Wales. They have varied and extensive experience as business leaders and investors and getting their support means so much more than just capital investment alone – it’s a mark of confidence and trust from respected businesswomen from across Wales.”
Carol Hall, Investment Manager for Angels Invest Wales, said: “Women angels have a critical role to play in supporting female entrepreneurship, particularly as research shows that women are much more likely to invest in female-founded companies.
“By encouraging more women to become angel investors, we allow them to support the businesses that matter to them and to create new sources of capital for innovative businesses. That’s why building the angel ecosystem in Wales is a priority for us and we’re always pleased to welcome new members to the group. We know that angel investment works best when investors work together in syndicates to pool skills, share knowledge and balance risk. It generates more firepower, particularly as we can then use our equity co-investment fund to leverage syndicated deals.”
The £8 million Wales Angel Co-investment Fund provides Welsh businesses 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.
The Ivy Cardiff: Toast to Mum in Style This Mother’s Day
A Milestone Moment: Child of Wales Awards 2026 Sells Out with Soul Legend Headliners
