London-based venture capital firm Ada Ventures has unveiled the second cohort of its angel investment programme, with members from across the UK.
Each of the 20 members of the Ada Ventures angel program will invest up to £50,000.
Check Warner MBE, founding partner of Ada Ventures, said: “It is 65% female, 20% black, 20% Asian, 15% LGBTQ+ and 10% disabled. We will only solve the toughest problems we face with talent from different backgrounds and different lived experiences.”
Warner added that an increased regional focus on technology is something he would like to see in Wednesday’s Spring Statement.
The full cohort of the Ada Ventures angel program is
- Beth Glenfield, Director of Women Who Code Belfast
- Bruce Walker, CEO and co-founder of FutureX
- David Newman, co-founder of Delio
- Aarushi Kapur, Head of Special Projects at BIOS Health
- Oyinkansola Adebayo, CEO and Founder of Niyo
- Christian Tooley, founder of i3 Investing
- Samantha Payne MBE, Founder of OpenBionics
- Izzy Obeng, CEO of Foundervine
- Richard Ng, CTO of greenworkx
- Pia Hauch, Head of Cabinet at Currencies Direct
- June Angelides MBE, Founder and Investor
- Amina Ahmad, Head of Community and Impact at Diversity VC
- Celia Hensman, co-founder and director of the Disability Policy Center
- Michael Tefula, CFO of CIRCA5000 and Atomico Angel
- Mandy Nyarko MBE, co-founder of Startup Up Discovery School
- Edwina Johnson, Global Head of Alloys
- George Thomas Jones, Director of Mental Health at Livi UK
- Beth Carter, Head of Growth at Flexa
- Sriya Sundaresen, founder of Transition Zero
said Ada Ventures UKTN is expected to reveal the final name of the cohort this week or next.
Izzy Obeng, founder of Foundervine, said: “As someone with lived experience of the challenges that ethnicity, economic background, gender and location have on entrepreneurial opportunities, I know firsthand the impact it can have when investment decisions are more objective, transparent and fair.”
In October, Ada Ventures closed £36 million in funding for its second early-stage startup investment fund.
“There is a massive amount of economic growth to be unlocked by increasing access to underrepresented founders in regions of the UK that most London VCs would only dare look at, let alone do anything about,” said Samantha Payne. MBE, founder of Open Bionics.
“I can’t wait to start writing angel checks with Ada Ventures and my Southwest money.”