Investor Circle
Building better relationships between founders and investors.
That's the mission behind Canopy Community and the Investor Circle podcast.
We believe great founders can come from anywhere.
But too often, investment feels confusing, inaccessible or reserved for people with the right networks, introductions or experience.
We're here to change that.
In each episode, host Stewart Noakes sits down with angel investors, venture capitalists, family offices, fund managers and leaders from across the startup ecosystem to explore what really happens behind investment decisions.
Together they uncover the conversations that rarely happen in public.
- What makes an investor believe in a founder?
- Why do some startups raise funding while others don't?
- How do experienced investors assess opportunity, risk and character?
- What does a great investment relationship actually look like?
These aren't pitch competitions. They're honest conversations about trust.
Every guest brings a different perspective. Some have built and exited companies before becoming investors. Others manage funds, support founders or shape the wider investment ecosystem.
Each conversation reveals how experience, judgement and empathy influence every investment decision.
Our hope is simple.
One conversation at a time, we want founders to better understand investors, and investors to better understand founders.
Because raising investment isn't simply about finding capital.
It's about building confidence. Building credibility. And building relationships that can last for many years.
Whether you're validating your MVP, finding customers, preparing your first funding round, investing through SEIS, launching your own fund or simply curious about how early-stage investing really works, Investor Circle shares practical lessons from people who have built businesses, invested their own money and experienced both sides of the table.
The conversations go beyond term sheets and valuations.
They explore integrity, due diligence, storytelling, resilience, customer validation, exits, AI, governance, failure, and the decisions that shape successful companies long before the investment is made.
Produced by Canopy Community, one of Europe's leading startup communities, Investor Circle is part of a bigger mission:
To leverage entrepreneurship as a tool for social mobility by making investment more transparent, more relatable and more accessible to the next generation of founders and investors.
Because every investment starts long before money changes hands.
It starts with curiosity.
It grows through trust.
And sometimes, one conversation is all it takes for a founder to find belief, or for an investor to discover the person they've been looking for all along.
🎙️ Follow Investor Circle for new episodes as they drop.
🌱 Learn more about Canopy Community: https://www.canopy.community/
👋 Connect with Stewart Noakes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewartnoakes/
📺 Watch every episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@canopycommunity617
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Episodes
14 episodes
Seed Funding Without The Headache
We sit down with Michael McDowell from Seed Legals to talk about making early-stage fundraising faster, cleaner, and less mentally draining for founders and funds. We dig into Northern Ireland’s startup ecosystem, the reality of SEIS and EIS ro...
Are You VC-able? Hard Truths About Startup Funding
Oli from Fuel Ventures unpacks the firm's investment strategy across their pre-seed and seed funds, sharing his personal "Venture Playbook" that guides their decision-making process. He reveals counterintuitive insights about founder profiles a...
Why Women Approach Investing Differently Than Men
Cintia, CEO of Core Angels, shares insights into how angel investing communities can democratize early-stage investing while providing powerful frameworks for investment decisions.• Core Angels operates 14 angel funds where investors po...
What Makes B2B SaaS Startups Irresistible to Investors
Marwa shares her unique perspective as both a former founder and current investment analyst at Hatch VC, providing insider insights into what early-stage investors truly look for in B2B SaaS startups.• Hatch VC backs B2B SaaS startups a...
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Why Building Trust Matters More Than Money in Energy Investing
Renato shares his journey as an investor in the clean energy space, bringing his unique perspective from corporate venture capital, pan-European investment, and angel investing experiences.• Background in engineering with over 10 years ...
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Why Your Investor Relationships Matter More Than Your Pitch Deck
Drew Ellis joins us from South Devon to share his entrepreneurial journey from designing iconic album covers for stars like Radiohead and Pink Floyd to running Eye to Eye Capital, a funding firm focused on projects aligned with the UN's Sustain...
Why Southwest Tech Startups Need More Angels
Ben Cooper, co-founder of Angel Investors Bristol and director of Tech Southwest, shares insights on building the largest angel investment network in Southwest England and redirecting capital to support regional tech innovation.• Angel ...
Startup Success: Spotting the Right Investments with SFC Capital
Want to demystify the world of early-stage investments? Promise no more: this episode unpacks the labyrinth of SEIS and EIS tax relief and early-stage tech investment as we sit with Ed, an Investment Manager at SFC Capital. A fund that's not af...
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EP06 - Unveiling the Mechanisms of Angel Funding with Rui Falcao of Core Angels
EP06 - Unveiling the Mechanisms of Angel Funding with Rui Falcao of Core Angels Ever wondered how angel funds operate and what part they play in startup investments? We're peeling back the layers on just that with our guest, Rui Fa...
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EP05 - Demystifying SPAC Investing with Securities Expert Julia Aryeh
EP05 - Demystifying SPAC Investing with Securities Expert Julia AreyhJoin us as we traverse the intricate world of Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) with Julia Areyh, a skilled securities attorney. Julia breaks down the comp...
EP04 - The New Wave of Investment: A Conversation with Ollie from Resonance
EP04 - The New Wave of Investment: A Conversation with Ollie from ResonanceAre you ready to challenge traditional investment models and make a genuine difference? This episode is a must-listen, as we welcome Ollie from Resonance, a trai...
EP03 - Empowering Entrepreneurs: Insights from Henrique at Draper Startup House
EP03 - Empowering Entrepreneurs: Insights from Henrique at Draper Startup HouseImagine stepping into a space where hospitality, education, and investment all come together to nurture creative minds. That's exactly what Henrique, from Dr...
EP02 - Investing Beyond Profits: Mohammed Al Rasbi's Perspective
EP02 - Investing Beyond Profits: Mohammed Al Rasbi's PerspectivePicture a world where investment decisions are driven not just by money but by a deep commitment to founders and their visions. That's the world Mohammed Al Rasbi, founder ...
EP01 - Exploring the Future of Work and Venture Capital with Greg Moran from Evergreen Mountain Equity Partners
EP01 - Exploring the Future of Work and Venture Capital with Greg from Evergreen Mountain Equity PartnersReady to uncover how the future of work is set to change the face of business? We're thrilled to have Greg, a founder of Evergreen ...
