Dorset Business Angels Network Limited (DBAN) provide quality, private equity investment opportunities to local High Net Worth (HNW) and Sophisticated Investors (SI). And help early-stage businesses find equity capital (especially southern England, our local area). We do this by bringing our investors and entrepreneurs together to accelerate the growth of early-stage businesses. We are a private limited company by guarantee, funded from investment commissions. We're part of UKBAA and proud of our high profile - Sponsors and Partners.
Meet the Directors
Has been Chairman of DBAN since 2014.
He is an experienced entrepreneur, mentor, M&A specialist, investor and NED. He has started, built, grown and exited several high tech and telecoms businesses and now chairs numerous company boards. Don has an MBA from INSEAD and a top first engineering degree from Bristol University and is an ex-strategy consultant. He built his own group up to over 200 staff and £50M revenues before semi-retiring in 2011.
Don is passionate about helping others to be successful and always looks for win-win negotiations and creative deal structures.
Phone: 07971 194034
Became Vice Chair and a Director of Dorset Business Angels in 2014.
After spending the early years of his career with two “Blue-Chips”, Frank bought an ailing electronics display business in 1978 which grew quickly to become a ‘tier-one’ supplier to military and civil OEM customers. By 2005, the group had grown into 5 companies, supplying the automotive, marine, avionic, military and IT markets. After exiting the business in 2009 he became an Angel Investor, Mentor and Management Consultant.
Frank studied physics and engineering at university, he joined Rolls-Royce as a management trainee in 1964. In 1970, he moved into the FMCG industry where he held several project management positions.
Frank has spent the last 10 years helping start-up and early revenue companies refine their Business Plan and restructure their day-to-day operations, sometimes taking a full time position as interim CEO and facilitating scale up finance.
Has been a Director of DBAN since 2017.
He helps with the Screening process with potential businesses looking for investment and also encourages HNW individuals to look closely at becoming an Angel.
He has been an Entrepreneur all of his life, having started, grown and sold a number of businesses in many different fields. He is also an experienced Mentor, Coach and Advisor. With over 45 years of practical experience, Max is proud of having studied at the University of Life and has been there and done that and learnt from his own mistakes. Max has also invested in a number of businesses and also sits on the Board of some and is passionate about helping other Entrepreneurs to better develop themselves and become more successful.
Is one of the founder directors of DBAN.
He is very often the first point of contact for queries as our Managing Director. He is an experienced entrepreneur, company director, ex-PLC director – at Abbey Life and Alcatel Neopost – and was an international marketer at Pitney Bowes plc. and is a Fellow of CIM, IDM and Trustee at DCF.
Peter helped steer DBAN to win UKBAA’s best new angel network in our first year. His marketing consultancy has helped market, fund, start and grow businesses across all sectors. He is a marketing guru. He started door to door selling after university, and moved up to plc marketing director, before pitching to fund his own business.
Phone: 01305 247202
Currently a Partner at TC Group - Accountants and Tax Advisers. A fellow of the ACCA, Statutory Auditor and licensed probate practitioner with the ICAEW. James advises in the taxation of small and medium-sized family businesses and financial reporting and assurance assignments with a variety of organisations. James had an early career in the design industry before moving into finance to better understand how business works.
Passionate about strategic awareness and finance offerings for SME's James became a founder and finance director with Dorset Business Angels. James also reviews compliance matters for DBAN.
Phone: 07507 838306
Meet our Ambassadors
Mike Bradley is a Board-Level Milestone-Maker who helps founders, boards, and investors accelerate growth, secure funding, and achieve value-defining milestones in the AI-ce Age.
With 30+ years’ leadership experience across strategy, partnerships, commercial growth, and international markets, he has supported EmergeUps, ScaleUps, and global technology and traditional ventures to sharpen strategy, strengthen execution, and deliver measurable traction.
Mike works closely with CEOs and leadership teams to turn their ambitions into executable plans; aligning people, priorities, and performance to drive investor confidence, market momentum, and commercial impact. He brings clarity, pace, and practical execution discipline, ensuring that strategic intent becomes visible, repeatable, value-moving results.
Trusted by founders, boards, and investors, Mike is known for commercial focus, strategic insight, and board-level execution that shifts the needle on growth, funding, and enterprise value.
Phone: 07775 802345
Email: mike.bradley@dorsetbusinessangels.co.uk
Ambassador, qualified accountant Stephen Royffe FCCA, served as Dorset Business Angels Director from 2013 to 2024.
His involvement with Angel investing began in 2009, following a distinguished international career in financial and business transformation spanning over thirty years.
Re-focusing on the core objectives of investors, has investigated underperforming investee companies, devising strategic recovery plans. In roles as Chair and Investor Director, he brings gravitas and sound judgement to boardrooms.
For investors and growth funds, has extensive experience of evaluating investment proposals, with excellent contacts for organisations raising £250,000 to £1 million investment.
More recently, at The FSE Group, he supported companies seeking equity investment from the government’s £400 million South West Investment Fund (SWIF).
Phone: 07974 768277
Email: s.royffe@btopenworld.com
As a strategic renovation coach and active UK property investor, Valeria brings over a decade of real estate experience and a multidisciplinary background spanning psychology, interior design and the film industry.
As a Dorset Business Angels Ambassador, she is passionate about strengthening the pipeline of investment-ready opportunities and increasing female representation in both angel investing and entrepreneurship. She actively supports female founders preparing for investment and encourages more women to step forward as angel investors.
Valeria brings a strong commercial, strategic and market-led perspective to the investment community, helping contribute to a more diverse and opportunity-rich deal flow across the region.
Phone: 07881 636587
Email: valeria.romano@dorsetbusinessangels.co.uk
Chris brings over 30 years of international experience in IT, outsourcing and global business transformation across financial services, government, utilities and retail. He has advised boards on complex, highly regulated transactions and held senior roles at ISG, Barclays, PwC and American Express, leading large-scale global IT and business process outsourcing and service integration programmes.
Since retiring in 2014, Chris has focused on volunteering, mentoring and investing. He mentors and invests in technology start-ups emerging from Southampton University’s FutureWorlds accelerator and other university innovation programmes, helping founders move from early innovation to commercial growth. He also volunteers with Young Enterprise, serves on Age UK’s national Services Board advising on new service development, and supports Dorset Business Angels in strengthening the region’s pipeline of investment-ready businesses.
Selecting Business Presentation Pitchers
The business plans introduced are from our investor network, from another Angel network, from local banks, local accountants or legal firms or advisors. Investment values may range from £50k/£250k upwards, however, this is only a guideline. Investors may usually have a portfolio of ten or more investments to maximise opportunities and manage risk, investing with others into the businesses. A lead investor may act as a sponsor, often initiating the due diligence. And although our ambitions for Dorset are big, the investments individuals make can be smaller than you think (£5-10K). Other key points include:
- Valuation and amount needed.
- Stage of business – pre or post revenues
- The market they are addressing
- What’s the problem the business is solving?
- Is there any IP?
- Is the team able to implement the plan?
- Do I know this industry/market?
- Can Angels add value post-deal?
Post event follow-up for Investors can include
- Meeting with the team on their site
- NDA and detailed business plans
- Negotiating valuation
- Agreeing investment team and amount to invest
- Due diligence
- Investment legal documents
- Completion of investment
Investment and beyond for Investors can include:
- Investor meetings, if not legal directors.
- Mentoring of the management team.
- EIS and SEIS certificates, getting your cash back.
- Reviewing reports.
- Help with raising further funding/exit.
- Give as much or as little of your time.
- Build a private investment portfolio.
- Satisfaction, enjoyment from involvement in the business
UK Business Angels Association
Dorset Business Angels Network Limited are registered members of the UK Business Angels Association UKBAA, the national trade association representing angel and early-stage investment in the UK. The membership benefits include:
- Access deal flow, regular exchange between investors and those engaged in the angel finance market
- Access to Government(s), key opinion and decision-makers
- Raising awareness and promoting angel investment
- Promoting good practice and establishing industry standards
- As a resource of information, expertise, market intelligence, key trends for both investors, entrepreneurs and their advisers.
- DBAN then passes all this both directly and via events to its members. Join now to enjoy these benefits.
Find out more on our Investors page.
Sponsors and Partners
Dorset Business Angels Network Limited has high-profile supporters we are proud to partner with, who can also help in the investment and entrepreneurial journey, they are:
- RATHBONES Incorporating Investec Wealth and Investment specialises in helping clients navigate life’s journey through financial planning and investment management services
- TC Group leading business services firm specialising in wide a range of accountancy and tax services
- Ellis Jones Solicitors, leading independent law firm
- BCP Council's Economic Development Team are a strategic partner
- FSE Group Funding Scaleup Enterprises
Due Diligence
Proposals will have been reviewed by our screening committee.
All prospective investors can work together on this.
Tax Incentives
EIS and SEIS tax incentives may be available on investments and will be provided where possible.
Social and Networking
Angel networks are an excellent source of business networking.
Commercial Collaboration, Mentoring and Training
To assist companies raising money, investors and reduce risk, Dorset Business Angels has already initiated collaboration across a wide range of commercial and business groups including further education, the major banks, local accountancy groups and strategic partners.
Women; Investors and Entrepreneurs
Through our investment pitch events, Dorset Business Angels (DBA) helps presenters raise equity capital from our investment members. This brings our Investors and Entrepreneurs together to accelerate the growth of early-stage businesses.
High Net Worth Individual
These are Investors that are deemed to be able to look after themselves in terms of understanding investment opportunities.
Before 2005 Investors would have to register with the FSA (now the FCA) and have proven that they are suitable to receive investment offers. Not necessarily suitable in that they were reputable, but that they had experience in evaluating investments, or could afford a potential loss.
Since then Investors are able to self-certify that they are both knowledgeable and that they understand the risks involved. In doing so you are actually giving away some protection, since there will be no redress from the FCA and you will have positioned yourself as knowing what you are doing in any court case. All DBAN members are required to self-certify.
Sophisticated Investor
At least one of the following should apply:
A) You are working, or have worked in the two years before the date you self-certify, in a professional capacity in the private equity sector, or in providing finance for small and medium enterprises
B) You are currently, or have been in the two years before the date you self-certify, a director of a company with an annual turnover of at least £1 million.
C) Made two or more investments in an unlisted company, in the last two years.
D) A member of a network or syndicate of business angels and have been so for at least the last six months before the date you self-certify
So why would you self-certify?
Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 investors must "self-certify" by meeting simple criteria as "high net worth" or "sophisticated" investors. Therefore, any investor should read and sign the documentation linked below, either a High Net Worth Investor Certificate or a Sophisticated Investor Certificate, as is appropriate.
Many business angel networks and people with opportunities are only allowed to approach or discuss investment with investors who have self-certified. Often that is a condition that must be met before any information on investment opportunities are given.
You should only self-certify as a high-net worth individual if at least one of the following applies:
- You had, during the financial year immediately preceding the date you self-certify, an annual income to the value of £100,000 or more
- You held, throughout the financial year immediately preceding the date you self-certify, net assets to the value of £250,000 or more (excluding certain types of assets)
- You will also have to acknowledge that you have given up certain rights
Normally the self-certification forms have a section where you say you understand that you can receive financial promotions that may not have been approved by the FCA and that you know you can lose property/money from such investments.
Self-Certify Forms
We also wish to point out that companies or individuals seeking investment through the Dorset Business Angels Network Limited must ensure that the information presented to potential investors is neither inaccurate or misleading. They are, accordingly, similarly advised to seek guidance from someone authorised under the Act.
If you have any questions, please contact us by email or James Paget our Finance Director will help on tel: 0330 088 7111.
