Plans are afoot to sign up 75 new “business angels” this year to invest in fast-growing Irish start-ups.

The Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN), a joint initiative of InterTradeIreland and Enterprise Ireland, is looking to convince more investors to join its programme and in doing so, make an additional €15 million in funds available for fledgling companies.

“We want to deliver a quality flow of pre-qualified, high-potential investments to our business angels and for the eco-system to function at its maximum capacity,” said John Phelan, national director of HBAN.

Invested

Some €90 million has been invested in Irish start-ups associated with HBAN since 2007 with start-ups such as salon software company Phorest, medical devices firm Ostoform, craft brewery Wicklow Wolf and fintech Payslip, among those to receive backing in recent years.

HBAN intends to start its “recruitment drive” for new business angels at a one-day conference to be held at the Powerscourt Hotel in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow next month.

Among the speakers lined up to appear at the event are AMCS co-founder and chief executive Jimmy Martin, former BT Young Scientist of the Year and Forbes “30 under 30” listee, Shane Curran, and Marianne Hudson, a serial investor and executive director of Angel Capital Association, reportedly the world’s leading association for angel investors.