OUR INVESTMENT APPROACH
Since 2023, AwakenAngels has grown to become a dynamic force in early-stage investing, building an engaged, knowledgeable, and impact-driven investor community across Ireland and the Irish diaspora community
How we build our portfolio
At AwakenAngels, we know our investors’ time and capital are valuable. That’s why we’ve developed a clear, structured, and robust seven-step process to ensure only the most investible women-led businesses advance to pitch to our syndicate members.
Our seven-step selection process
Here’s how it works:
Membership & Eligibility Check
We only consider founders who are members of AwakenHub, our sister organisation. This ensures we know the founders, they are connected to our ecosystem, have access to preparation support, and are fully invested in the process. We also ask that they meet the following criteria:
- Women-led (cofounders can be men or women)
- Located and registered on the island of Ireland
- At pre-seed or seed stage, and suitable for early-stage angel investment
- Market validated with clear signs of customer demand and commercial potential
Submission of Investment Deck
We invite founders to submit a comprehensive investment deck for consideration, outlining their traction, business model, and funding requirements.
Initial Screening
Our deal leaders (13 experienced investors and advisors) conduct a first-pass review of every submission to ensure it aligns with our standards and investor expectations.
Founder Preparation
We believe prepared founders make better investments. Founders may be matched with mentors or receive feedback ahead of pitching, ensuring they are investment-ready before presenting to syndicate members.
Syndicate Pitch Events
Only the strongest applicants are invited to present at our regular AwakenAngels pitch events, attended by our growing syndicate of over 140 investors. This ensures that investor time is focused on quality opportunities only.
Rigorous Due Diligence
If there is interest among our syndicate members, our trained deal leaders lead the due diligence process, covering valuation, legal frameworks, growth potential, and governance. This structured review reduces individual risk and ensures collective confidence in any opportunity we present.
Investment & Ongoing Support
Once an opportunity is approved, syndicate members invest as a group, minimising personal risk while maximising impact. A key aspect of our AwakenAngels syndicate is that we strive to ensure our portfolio companies benefit not only from capital, but also from the expertise, skills, and networks of our investor community.