Methodology
How BackerIQ identifies, scores, and ranks UK angel investors using public Companies House data.
Data Sources
All BackerIQ data comes from the Companies House Public Data API. We use four primary data endpoints:
Advanced Company Search
Discover companies by SIC code, incorporation date, and status. Seeds our database with technology, biotech, fintech, cleantech, and e-commerce companies.
Officer Appointments
Maps individuals to every company they direct. Reveals serial directors — our proxy for angel investors who take board seats.
Persons with Significant Control
Identifies shareholders with 25%+ ownership, confirming genuine investment rather than just advisory roles.
Filing History & SH01 Forms
SH01 share allotment filings provide evidence of capital investment — new shares issued means new money in.
Processing Pipeline
Advanced search discovers companies by SIC code and date range.
For each company, fetch all directors and PSCs.
For directors of 2+ companies, fetch their full appointment history across all companies. This reveals the complete portfolio.
Classify companies by sector from SIC codes. Optionally fetch websites and descriptions.
Apply the scoring algorithm to every officer with 2+ directorships. Assign tiers.
Scoring Algorithm
Each investor receives a BackerIQ score from 0 to 1, computed as a weighted sum of five factors:
| Factor | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio Size | 30% | Logarithmic scale of total companies directed. More companies = higher signal of serial investing. |
| Success Rate | 25% | Proportion of portfolio companies still active. Higher active rate indicates better deal selection. |
| Multi-Round Signal | 20% | Evidence of follow-on investment through additional SH01 share allotments in the same company. |
| Recency | 15% | Half-life decay from most recent appointment. Investors active in the last 2 years score highest. |
| Sector Focus | 10% | Concentration in specific sectors via SIC codes. Focused investors tend to add more value. |
Investor Tiers
Limitations
- •Companies House shows directorships, not all investments. Angels who invest without taking board seats are invisible to this methodology.
- •Corporate formation agents (directors of hundreds of shell companies) are filtered out using appointment count thresholds, but some may still appear.
- •SH01 filing data coverage varies — older filings may not be digitally available. This affects the multi-round signal weight.
- •BackerIQ is not financial advice. Scores indicate investment activity patterns, not investment returns or quality.
See the methodology in action
Search scored investor profiles and explore the data yourself.