GlobalWelsh, Wales’ not-for-profit grassroots diaspora organisation, is to launch the GlobalWelsh Investor Portal at a formal launch event at The Gherkin in the City of London on Monday 1st July.
The portal will be the first and only investment platform dedicated to driving Diaspora Direct Investment (DDI) into Wales and connecting entrepreneurs and investors within Wales’ global diaspora community.
[aoa id=”1″]The new online portal will enable early stage companies, founded in Wales or by members of the diaspora, to showcase their businesses and attract investment and support from investors within the Welsh diaspora. For investors it will offer a one-stop-shop where they can browse, engage and invest in Wales’ most exciting and innovative businesses. The key aims of the portal are to:[/aoa]
- Help start-up and growing businesses develop valuable and long-term relationships with investors
- Champion the views and interests of the diaspora and Welsh businesses
- Raise awareness of businesses in Wales and within the diaspora
- Set the industry standard on investment best practice in Wales
- Increase Wales’ prosperity by driving inward investment
The portal was borne out of a growing need for seed funding for early stage businesses in Wales, a growing start-up community in Wales, and an increasing demand from members of the diaspora who are looking to give back through investment and mentorship. Walter May, founder and CEO of GlobalWelsh, comments:
“Many of our diaspora are already investing, but not in Wales – we hope to change this. The new portal will open up brand new channels of engagement, enable new relationships, and present new opportunities for both Welsh entrepreneurs and investors within our diaspora community. This is the first big step towards Wales realising its future as a wealth creator.”
Prior to appearing on the portal, each deal will be reviewed by a panel of experts, chaired by GlobalWelsh Founding Patron, JustEat Founder and ex-CEO, Chairman of Dragons Rugby, and venture partner at 83NorthVC, David Buttress, he said:
“As a VC, I see a lot of entrepreneurs and I can tell you, there’s no difference between the level of talent I see coming out of Silicon Valley, and the level of talent I have seen in Wales, zero. So, our problem isn’t talent or potential, it’s opportunity and confidence. Silicon Valley’s built on strong exits, which makes it a breeding ground for success. We need more exits if we’re to realise our full potential. Exits need backing, where better to get that backing than our diaspora? The diaspora is full of successful people who want to give back and they want to see Wales succeed. This new portal could be a game changer for the Welsh start-up scene.”
Built by Welsh fintech company Delio, the non-regulatory portal will allow investors to self-certify, browse live investment opportunities, open a direct dialogue with business founders, perform their own due diligence, and form syndicates with other GlobalWelsh investors on the portal.
The project was generously funded by GlobalWelsh Founding Patrons, Mike Powell (serial aviation entrepreneur), Warren East (CEO of Rolls-Royce) and Phil Buck (CEO of Sunnybarn Investments), who see the potential of the Welsh investment market, Phil comments:
“I see so many high-potential venture and growth companies in Wales worthy of real investment and support from those who’ve taken similar journeys, the majority of which exists outside of Wales and much of it within the diaspora, who have an added propensity to invest. The new portal will offer investors the chance to view the best of what Wales has to offer as well as provide the facility for diaspora members to have a direct impact on job creation, innovation, and economic progress in Wales.”
The formal launch event is taking place at The Gherkin in the City of London on 1st July 2019 and being hosted in partnership with Aberdeen Standard Capital and Capita Scaling Partner. If you are an investor and would like to attend please send an email to [email protected].
If you’re an entrepreneur or investor and interested in joining the portal, please get in touch via [email protected].
