This was something none of us were completely certain about during a discussion recently.

Can anybody simply decide that they want to invest in startups, or are there financial requirements or investor classifications you need to meet first?

Particularly interested in how this works in the UK and whether the rules change depending on how or where you're investing.

There’s a bit of confusion between being an angel investor and being allowed to receive certain investment opportunities.

You don't need an official angel investor licence to invest your own money into a startup. The FCA rules are more about who can be approached for certain types of investment.

The experience side gets overlooked quite a lot.

On 23/09/2026 at 18:42, Connor Takeuchi said:

The experience side gets overlooked quite a lot.

Yeah, but I'd separate being a good angel from actually being an angel.

Someone can write a cheque and never get involved with the business. Doesn't make them a great investor, but they're still investing in a startup.

The FCA guidance is probably worth reading if you're trying to understand the actual criteria: FCA guidance on sophisticated investors

The label isn't really what I'd be worried about. It's whether they understand how risky early-stage investing actually is.

That's fair.

There’s a difference between qualifying as an angel and actually being good at it. Those aren't necessarily the same thing.