Although it is difficult to collect accurate data about the informal venture capital market, it is clear that Europe lags behind the US considerably in this area. In the UK for example, it is estimated that informal investors currently only satisfy around 10% of the potential demand. Across Europe generally, however, entrepreneurial activity is on the increase.

This two-year project, largely funded by the European Commission’s Leonardo da Vinci programme, aims to develop and test two training curricula. The first is targeted at business angels in order to improve the capacity of informal investors. The second will be aimed at preparing entrepreneurs to present their business opportunity to those business angels. Led by UK based Finance South East, Ready for Equity! brings together partners involved in business angel activity from Belgium, Malta, Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.

Over the course of the project the partners will share best practice and compare the tools and mechanisms in place throughout the different regions in order to develop curricula that will enhance both the quality and quantity of business angel deals, thus benefiting investors, companies and business angel network managers.

The curricula will be developed to be independent of the method of delivery of the training. Following completion of the project it is intended that multiple training products will be developed in various countries, both by the Project Partners and others. These will be in a variety of formats, for example classroom, e-learning etc.