Irish angel investors put more money into start-ups

Average investment rose 18% in 2019 to €255,000 from €215,000

Hban investors have ploughed more than €16.8 million into Irish start-ups last year.
Hban investors have ploughed more than €16.8 million into Irish start-ups last year.

Investors associated with the Halo Angel Business Network (Hban) put a combined €16.8 million into 66 Irish start-ups last year.

This is a dramatic increase on the €9.3million invested in 44 companies in 2018.

The figures come as 246 angel investors shared a major payday last week with the €363 million sale of Irish chip-maker Decawave to US Apple supplier Qorvo.

Established in 2007, Hban is a joint initiative of Enterprise Ireland and InterTrade Ireland that serves as a go-between to bring start-ups and investors together.

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New figures from the organisation show that companies who received investment from business angels were able to leverage a further €36 million from other sources to bring total funding to €52.8 million.

The average angel investment deal last year was €255,000, some 18 per cent higher than the 2018 figure of €215,000.

The ICT sector accounted for the most deals with 25 investments. It was followed by the medtech sector, which saw 10 deals.

Among the start-ups to receive investment via Hban last year were CroiValve, AventaMed, Bluedrop Medical, Buymie, Hexafly and Deciphex.

Hban investors have ploughed more than €100 million into Irish start-ups since 2007.

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor

Charlie Taylor is a former Irish Times business journalist