Every week The Sunday Times talk to a business angel investor, one of the early-stage investors who collectively inject £1.5bn a year into British start‑up companies. This week they featured our very own Olivia Sibony, Head of Impact at Angel Investment Network’s new impact-focused platform, Seedtribe.
Here’s the piece as printed in The Times:
Olivia Sibony runs SeedTribe, an online platform that connects investors who want to back ethical businesses with entrepreneurs looking for funding. It is part of Angel Investment Network, which has about 1.1m members.
SeedTribe raised £2m last year and is currently working on companies including gaming developer, Playmob, and 28 Well Hung, a “carbon-beneficial” steak and chips chain.
Sibony, 38, co-founded Grub Club, helping London diners find culinary experiences. Two years ago, it was sold and rebranded Eatwith.
Star investment
Playmob can be integrated into a company’s website to engage users with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. Dove [soap] uses it, reaching more than 4m people in three months. It is profit-driven, but at the same time doing good.
Common misconceptions
People think we don’t want to make a profit. If you don’t have any money in your bank account, you’re not going to be able to make an impact.
Mission-focused
Impact has to be embedded in the business. If you create a medical device that helps scan for early signs of skin cancer, the more devices you have the more impact you’ll have.
What I learnt
Building your own business teaches you what to do — and what not to do. I try to think of the next three things I need to do, rather than getting overwhelmed with 100 things at one time.
I wish I saw more…
Diversity among investors. That’s not just for the sake of diversity, which is important, but because we are missing out on so many potentially incredible businesses.
I wish I saw fewer…
Disposable cups and bottles all over the place. There is so much scope for creative entrepreneurship here. We can turn this growing and entirely needless problem into an opportunity.
Next disrupted industry
Housing. There’s a growing crisis — and great potential to do something that is financially viable that enables fewer people to be homeless.
You can read the original piece published in The Sunday Times here
