£8m angel investment fund for early-stage East Midlands companies

The local enterprise partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (D2N2 LEP) has announced the launch of an £8 million investment fund for ‘early-stage’ businesses.

The Haatch D2N2 Early Stage Angel Investment Fund (ESAIF) was set up with the help of legal advisers from full-service law firm Shakespeare Martineau, acting on behalf of D2N2 LEP.

D2N2 LEP has added £4 million to the fund pot and investment management company Haatch has matched the contribution.

Set up to stimulate investment and growth in companies that have been trading between six and 24 months, access to the £8 million fund will be exclusively for businesses based in the D2N2 region.

D2N2 LEP chair Elizabeth Fagan first announced the launch of ESAIF at the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) 2024.
She said: “Our aim is that over the longer term, these funds will be re-invested in the programme to catalyse investment and growth for further early-stage companies.”

Shakespeare Martineau experts working on the deal included investment fund partners Peter Mayhew, Kavita Patel and Sean Scott.

Commenting on the fund, Peter said: “It was great to work with D2N2 LEP on the development of this fund and seeing it come to fruition brings a huge degree of satisfaction. In addition to D2N2 LEP being able to provide strategic leadership in the region, funds such as ESAIF will drive economic growth and job creation for the region and companies at this pivotal, early stage in their evolution will undoubtedly benefit immensely from the investment on offer.”