Comparison
BackerIQ vs Angel Investment Network
Angel Investment Network is a marketplace where founders post pitches and investors browse. BackerIQ is a company intelligence platform where professionals research companies and directors using verified Companies House data. Here's how they compare.
Angel Investment Network
Marketplace model
Post your pitch, pay £49–99/month, and hope investors find you. Self-reported investor profiles with no verified track records.
BackerIQ
Intelligence model
Research companies and directors for free, see verified data from Companies House — director networks, capital events, and activity scoring.
| Feature | Angel Investment Network | BackerIQ |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Marketplace — investors browse pitches | Intelligence — research companies and directors |
| Price (Basic) | £49/month to list your pitch | Free — 10 searches/day, basic profiles |
| Price (Pro) | £99/month for premium listing | £29/month for unlimited search + full profiles |
| Data Source | Self-reported investor profiles | Companies House filings — verified, objective |
| Data Verification | Self-registration — anyone can list | Every profile backed by public company records |
| Director Visibility | None — investors describe themselves | Full history: every company, role, dates, sectors |
| Activity Data | Not available | Success rate, company count, activity timeline, scoring |
| Due Diligence | General angel investing marketplace | Director networks, capital events, activity scoring |
| Research Model | Investors find you (if they browse) | You research companies and directors proactively |
| Workflow | Post pitch → wait for interest | Research → identify → approach with context |
| Directors Profiled | ~10,000 registered (activity unknown) | 10,000+ directors profiled with verified activity data |
| Global Coverage | UK-focused but accepts international | UK-only (Companies House data) |
When to use which
Use AIN when...
- You want passive deal flow — investors find you
- You're happy paying £49/mo+ for marketplace exposure
- You need international investor reach (not just UK)
- You prefer a post-and-wait approach to fundraising
Use BackerIQ when...
- You need to research UK companies and their directors
- You need verified data, not self-reported bios
- You're doing company due diligence or competitive research
- You want to understand director networks and capital events
- You want free access to company intelligence
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Angel Investment Network worth it?
AIN works well as a marketplace if you want passive exposure to investors. But at £49–99/month, you're paying to be found. BackerIQ is a different tool entirely — it's a company intelligence platform for researching who backs UK companies, mapping director networks, and scoring activity from verified Companies House data. If you need due diligence rather than deal flow, BackerIQ is the better fit.
How does BackerIQ verify its data?
BackerIQ pulls from Companies House — the UK government registry where all company appointments, share allotments, and PSC records are publicly filed. This means every data point is verified by a legal filing, not self-reported.
Can I use both BackerIQ and AIN together?
Yes. They serve different purposes. Use BackerIQ for company intelligence and due diligence — researching directors, capital events, and cross-company connections. Use AIN if you're a founder looking for marketplace exposure to angel investors. Intelligence vs marketplace.
Does Angel Investment Network show company director data?
No — AIN shows self-reported investor bios and stated interests, but doesn't map director appointments across companies, show capital events, or score activity. BackerIQ profiles 10,000+ directors across 80,000+ UK companies from verified Companies House filings.
Try the intelligence-first approach
Research UK companies and directors for free. See director networks, verified capital events, and activity scoring.