Folkestone Business Angels

The resort town of Folkestone is located on the South East coast in the county of Kent. It has sandy beaches, colourful gardens and charming people. The town is situated right next to the Straits of Dover and on a clear day you can see France in the distance over the channel.

The town has excellent communications to London and Europe. Two centuries ago the idea of the Channel Tunnel was born but it was not until 1987 that work started in Folkestone and France and did not stop until it was finally finished in 1994. The town now boasts a Eurotunnel passenger terminal taking freight vehicles, cars, and foot passengers via the Channel Tunnel to Calais.

There is a cobbled old high street which leads down to a working harbour with a wide promenade with outstanding views. There is plenty of fresh seafood as the town houses many fisherman and has done for years. The port is less busy these days with only the Hoverspeed offering up to four crossings per day between Folkestone and Boulogne. The approximate sea crossing time is around 60 minutes. There is a fine selection of restaurants, cafes, pubs and old taverns.

If you are looking to set up a business in the Folkestone area, you may need some financial assistance, which is where Business Angels might be the right move for you. Angels are often from an entrepreneurial background, and are willing to invest their own capital into a business to help it achieve its growth plans. Unlike banks and other forms of lending, the Angel will invest in your company in return for a percentage share, or equity stake. On top of this they will provide you with their own industry knowledge, expertise and contacts, in order to further help your growth in the market. With this hands on approach by the investor, it is important that a good relationship is developed between you and the Business Angel, as they look to secure a good return on their investment. Individually, Angels are normally willing to invest between £75,000 and £250,000, but if they operate as part of syndicate then this figure could easily be higher.

When pitching your business idea to an Angel, it is essential to make sure that you have prepared an in depth business plan with all of your estimates and ideas laid out for them to scrutinise. Remember, it is their own hard earned cash that they are putting into the business, so they will want to see evidence that you have put the effort in. It would even help to show them that you have invested as much money as you can by yourself, to prove your commitment and work ethic.