Angel vs VC: Why I Chose Angel Investment (And Raised £1M)

Most founders think VC is the only path. It's not and it might not even be the right one for you.In this episode, Emmie and Mae get into one of the most misunderstood topics in the founder world: angel investment vs venture capital. Mae raised nearly £1M from angel investors after being rejected by hundreds of VC and it turned out to be exactly the right decision for her business.They break down how VC actually works (and why 99% of businesses aren't right for it), the real pros and cons of angel investment, and why getting rejected by a VC doesn't mean your business is bad, it might just mean you're talking to the wrong type of investor.Honest, practical, and no gatekeeping.In this episode:Why VC funding isn't right for most founders and what that actually meansHow angels differ from VCs (it's their own money and that changes everything)The pros of angel investment: flexibility, domain expertise, open doorsThe cons: smaller cheques, slower growth, the hustle of finding themFriends and family funding, the honest takeWhere Mae actually found her angel investorsThe three takeaways every founder needs to hearResources mentioned:SEIS (Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme) — tax efficient investing for early stage UK businesses: gov.uk/guidance/venture-capital-schemes-apply-for-the-seed-enterprise-investment-schemeEIS (Enterprise Investment Scheme) — gov.uk/guidance/enterprise-investment-scheme-introductionFemale Founders Rise Fundraising Accelerator Page: https://femalefoundersrise.com/acceleratorEIS Association: https://www.eisa.org.uk/Melanie Perkins story : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LywX3T5SccGet the episode playbook here: Angel Investment vs VC Funding: What Every Founder Needs to Know.New episodes every Tuesday. Join the Female Founders Rise community — 11,000+ female founders: femalefoundersrise.com