Angel investor network HBAN is to host an all-island pitching event at its annual conference that will see six companies vie for a pot of €1m.

The virtual event takes place on Wednesday February 2, focusing on impact investing and on encouraging more first-time and experienced investors to consider business angel investing.

According to the organisation, angel investment on the island of Ireland is now growing beyond pre-pandemic levels, helping entrepreneurs to shape a new era of doing business and also helping startups to obtain investment from additional sources.

At the morning session speakers will discuss their experiences of impact investing, how it is benefiting their own portfolios and contributing to a more diverse and socially conscious startup ecosystem.

Speakers will also set out to show prospective angel investors what is involved.

In Association with

Among the speakers, who will also decide on the pitch successes, are Marcia Dawood, chair of the Angel Capital Association based in the US; Norman Crowley of Cool Planet Group and founder of electric car company Electrifii; Loretta McCarthy of the US-based investor consortium Golden Seeds; data platform researcher Henry Whorwood of Beauhurst; and husband and wife team Lisa and Charly Kleissner, who  will provide an overview of the global impact investing market, while giving insights into where to invest and the returns that investors can expect.

At the event, the organisation will also detail its new Impact Syndicate, which will aim to invest €10m in ESG-related startups over the next three years. The syndicate will have a focus on climate, agritech and food supply chain, energy, blue economy, health, and cleantech. The syndicate will be co-chaired by Faye Walsh Drouillard, the first female chair of a HBAN syndicate, and Mark Peters.

HBAN is a joint initiative of Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland and Invest Northern Ireland, to support the early stage entrepreneurial community across the island of Ireland and work to increase the number of angel investors. 

There are full details of the conference and a registration route here.

Photo: Enterprise Ireland CEO Leo Clancy (second from left) with (l-r) HBAN executives John Phelan, Niamh Sterling and Julian Seymour,