Industry & Business

John Phelan, National Director, Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN)

HBAN, the all-island organisation responsible for the promotion of business angel investment, today announces the appointment of John Phelan as National Director. A successful entrepreneur, John will use his own experience to lead one of Ireland’s most influential and successful start-up support bodies; enabling early-stage enterprises to access funds and valuable expertise from business angels and angel syndicates.

There are currently seven angel syndicates operating under the HBAN umbrella, ranging in industry expertise from technology, to food, to MedTech. HBAN also promotes individual angel investment and last year, the syndicates and individual angels invested €10.8 million in 50 companies. The investments leveraged further funding from other sources and in total, HBAN facilitated approximately €22 million in investment last year. In his new role, John aims to double that amount by 2020 by increasing the number of angels and syndicates – allowing HBAN to support a more diverse range of start-ups.

As well as appealing to exited founders and successful Irish-based businesspeople, John will also encourage expat entrepreneurs to join HBAN angel syndicates. Their overseas experience will help start-ups access strategic international markets and the knowledge required to tap into those markets.

Speaking about his appointment, John said: “Ireland’s start-up community is incredibly dynamic, interesting and fast-moving. I look forward to taking on the role of National Director of HBAN at such an exciting time and continuing my 10-year involvement in Ireland’s start-up scene.

“I set up my first company almost 20 years ago and I know the challenges entrepreneurs face on a daily basis. Business angel investment offers entrepreneurs both the funding and expertise they need to succeed and I want to give more companies the opportunity to access that. I am currently engaging with Irish expat businesspeople based in Singapore, New York, Portugal and Canada. They will help take HBAN to a whole new level by offering small Irish businesses funds and, critically, access to key international markets.”

Prior to his appointment as National Director of HBAN, John was a business and venture consultant for Dublin BIC and the Halo Business Angel Partnership (HBAP), which has now merged with HBAN.  He has 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, having set up his first company, Giant Film Productions, in 1997 in London. He went on to establish a further two companies in Ireland. John has an MBA from University College Dublin. He is also Independent Chair of Animation Ireland an industry, which employs over 1,000 and €100 million in revenues.