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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Investor Circle
EP05 - Demystifying SPAC Investing with Securities Expert Julia Aryeh
This episode is only available to subscribers.
Investor Circle +
Get access to our entire back catalogueEP05 - Demystifying SPAC Investing with Securities Expert Julia Areyh
Join us as we traverse the intricate world of Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) with Julia Areyh, a skilled securities attorney. Julia breaks down the complex landscape of these shell companies, which have become a preferred and cost-effective route for companies desiring to enter the US markets. Get an insider's perspective on the SPAC merger process and understand how investing in these entities guarantees a minimum return.
Our conversation then shifts gears to focus on the SPAC process and the redemption intricacies, which have a considerable impact on the public company’s value. Julia underscores the significance of having current accounting information for companies planning their entrance into the US market via a SPAC. She also sheds light on the advantages of becoming a public company.
The episode concludes on an inspirational note as Julia shares her journey of returning to the legal field after a hiatus and her experience with the dynamic SPAC landscape. She underscores the necessity of being open to opportunities and refraining from self-imposed limitations. Drawing on her vast experience, Julia offers practical advice to first-time founders looking for funding - take measured steps, utilize resources smartly, and explore various funding options beyond SPAC acquisitions. Tune in for priceless insights from Julia's vast experience in the field.
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Virtual Incubation for new and emerging Founders. Zero to One.
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Find and connect with angel investors in the UK Founded by Rob Cossins
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Business banking from Revolut
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Note: you can also watch these episodes on youtube.com/@canopycommunity617
