Our Story
Our founder, Rupa, started her journey as an investment banker with a deep curiosity for start-ups and innovation. She wanted to invest but found that the path to becoming an angel investor was unclear-crowdfunding seemed like the only option, and she had no personal network of investors to guide her.
Determined to break into the start-up ecosystem, she left banking to launch her own start-up, immersing herself in the world of founders, venture capitalists, and investors. But even after an exit in 2019, the investing landscape still felt opaque.
Then came a pivotal moment.
A start-up in Al robotics caught her eye, and she introduced them to a a friend working in venture capital who led the funding round. That same friend asked:
💡 “Would you like to write an angel cheque?”
💰 “How much? £5k alright?”
That moment changed everything. She realised that angel investing wasn’t just for the ultra-wealthy—it was possible to start small and still have a meaningful impact. That first investment exited successfully in 2024, proving the power of early-stage investing.
Building a Collaborative Angel Community
Once she got started, the momentum didn’t stop.
- Over 30 start-up investments & 7 emerging fund investments
- Built a strong network of fellow angel investors
- Learned from early mistakes & refined an investment strategy
One of the most powerful parts of this journey was discovering the collaborative nature of angel investing—the best deals and insights often came from group due diligence and shared networks.
This experience shaped what AVA (Arāya Ventures Academy) stands for today: a space where aspiring angel investors learn, collaborate, and grow together.
The Birth of the AVA Course
In 2023, a Chief Marketing Officer from a UK bank approached our founder with an idea:
💡 “Can you teach this to senior female executives?”
The opportunity was too exciting to pass up. She wrote the course and delivered the first-ever AVA course in June 2023.
🎓 Since then, AVA has trained hundreds of new angel investors across the UK and internationally-empowering both women and men to break into the world of investing.
By 2024, we took another major step forward: launching our first £25 million fund, using our founder’s angel investing track record to back even more start-ups.
As we move into 2025, we are proud to be:
- ✔️ Offering a record number of courses
- ✔️ Expanding to new international markets
- ✔️ Welcoming more top-tier instructors
Our Mission: Demystifying Angel Investing
At AVA, we believe:
- You don’t need a finance degree to be a great investor
- Lived experience is the best qualification
- Group due diligence is a great way of investing
- Investing in start-ups is extremely rewarding
Angel investing has long been seen as an exclusive club-but we are here to change that. Our courses break down myths, simplify the process, and equip you with everything you need to invest confidently.
Whether you’re a start-up enthusiast, industry expert, or seasoned professional, AVA is here to guide you on your investing journey.