Cambridge Angels CEO has earned her wings and then some!

How long have you been with the Angels? Where were you previously and in what capacity?

I joined Cambridge Angels in 2018 at a time when the group had grown to the point that it needed a bit more structure and process. I was the first full time employee of the group.

I have a degree in Applied Linguistics. I grew up in South Africa where there are 12 official languages, so I specialised in language learning in a multicultural society. That degree was always a labour of love rather than a career choice, as my career headed off in the direction of operations leadership. I have worked in business consulting, project management, programme management, implemented ISO standards, and headed up technology teams, and internal governance and compliance teams.

Before joining Cambridge Angels, I was COO of an early-stage startup in Cambridge which was positioned as the data authority on the then burgeoning crowdfunding industry. Being part of a very early, gutsy start-up gave me a great deal of insight that has served me well at Cambridge Angels.

How did your engagement with them come about and in what capacity?

Former Chair of Cambridge Angels, the late Peter Cowley, was working on a strategic initiative for the group, part of which was the decision to employ a full time resource.

I was fortunate to have met some of the Cambridge Angels through my connection with one of the members, Tim Parsonson. In a typical Cambridge serendipitous way, before reconnecting with him in Cambridge, I had worked for two of Tim’s successful businesses that he founded in South Africa. I learned enough about the Cambridge Angels to know that I very much wanted to submit my CV when the role became available and was fortunate to be selected for the position.

When did you become appointed to a managerial position pre the CEO elevation?

My original title was Deal Sorcerer – a slip of the tongue when Peter Cowley was referring to ‘the person that sources deals’. I was employed to manage the group from day one, but I have always had the excellent and supportive guidance of our Cambridge Angels board.

What did your duties involve then? What are your duties now?

As we have grown the group, my role has expanded to one of greater external representation of Cambridge Angels. My duties are largely akin to the CEOs of the early-stage technology businesses that Cambridge Angels supports - in other words, a pretty comprehensive selection of responsibilities to run the business!

I look after our membership, manage the dealflow together with our excellent Deal Applications and Events Manager, Charlotte, and develop the group’s reach by building networks to attract high quality investment opportunities.

What has been the most enjoyable element of your time with the Angels?

What’s not to love? I get to work with some of the brightest minds of our generation, who are not just experienced business builders but are humble, generous people who are happy to invest not just their capital but their time and experience into helping founders.

They really do put the ‘smart’ into smart capital. Also, I can never be bored when I am talking to founders. Every day I learn something new about science, engineering and technology.

Have you found it tricky to institute consistency in terms of investment decisions/commitment across such a broad diversity of personalities?

It is important for us that founders have a consistent and positive experience when approaching Cambridge Angels, but the diversity of our investor group is one of its key strengths.

Yes, it is tricky to maintain consistency when you have 60 individuals, plus our corporate members as part of the network, but the key is in putting the time and attention into tracking and managing the process, and in maintaining transparent communication with the angels and the companies. With a large volume of deals coming in daily, we don’t always get it right, but we never stop trying!

What would you regard as the best investments you have seen in your time with Camnridge Angels?

Cambridge Angels has been investing since 2001 which is a lot longer than the time I have been with the group. There are many companies that were portfolio companies long before I came on the scene. So, I think I would rather not answer that question with specifics.

How do you rate the importance to the ecosystem of the role the Angels perform?

One of the key reasons our angels offer their support and experience, is that they are paying forward the support they had when they were starting their entrepreneurial journeys. It makes perfect sense to benefit from the work of predecessors who have been there and done that.

The angels help early-stage founders make fewer mistakes or make mistakes more quickly before iterating and moving on. They act as Investor Directors, Advisors, and Board Members to help companies scale. Knowing that Cambridge Angels has nurtured a company can be a positive signal to later-stage investors. One of our members describes it as a midwife function.

Our angels are also a voice for thought leadership and policy conversations. We are a connector of people, ideas, and companies through our extended network. The ecosystem is rich with support for innovation, and we see ourselves as a critical part of that growth.

Sometimes it’s hard to lift my head out of the detail, but taking a step back and considering our group’s role in life-changing innovation is quite humbling!

How many female angels does the group have? Is that enough? As a nation how do we encourage more?

At the moment, we have nine female angels. Diversity in our group is an important success factor, and we would love to see more female angels who are successfully exited, technology or healthcare entrepreneurs. We need more female entrepreneurs and role models.

In my view, the more groups like Cambridge Angels that exist, the more chance we have of increasing diversity. Our angels do a lot of learning from each other, they leverage each other’s sector expertise, and being part of a trusted network makes the process enjoyable.

To discuss any aspect of being a Cambridge Angel, contact Emmi via emmi@cambridgeangels.net