The initiative is designed to broaden participation in angel investing and ultimately increase the flow of capital to underrepresented business founders, who are often overlooked despite their potential.

The programme will provide specialist financial and non-financial support for operational growth and development, including up to £400,000 of grant funding per syndicate over a 4-year programme period.

The funds will be used to help diversity-focused angel syndicates recruit, train and activate investors; strengthen their operations; and build sustainable long-term models. It will focus primarily on tackling underrepresentation among women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds in angel investing.

Angel investing plays a critical role in backing early-stage businesses, but participation remains less diverse than the wider UK population.

Women currently make up around 14% of UK angel investors, according to the Investing in Women Code Annual Report 2025, while UKBAA estimates that around 11% are from black and ethnic minority backgrounds.

UKBAA will act as strategic programme partner, providing specialist support to help syndicates develop the structures, processes and capabilities needed to operate and run effectively, while helping the opportunity reach relevant syndicates through its established national network.

Public IO, through the Angel Investing School, will provide Train-the-Trainer support, helping syndicates build investor education capability and confidence among newer angels.

Susan Nightingale, Senior Director, Local Growth Team at the British Business Bank said: “We want to work with ambitious angel syndicates, whether emerging or established, that share our passion for tackling evidenced disparities in angel investing.

“Through the Diverse Angel Syndicate programme, we want to support and accelerate that change, helping syndicates attract and activate a broader range of investors while building the professional foundations they need to grow.

“Ultimately, our ambition is to see diverse syndicates develop into commercially viable, self-sustaining organisations that continue to bring new investors into the market and unlock more capital for entrepreneurs across the UK.”

Jenny Tooth OBE, Executive Chair of UK Business Angels Association, said: “Building a more diverse angel investment ecosystem across the UK is vital and we need to enable many more women and those from wider diverse backgrounds with the capacity to invest to become part of angel investment syndicates.”