Decoded: Angel & VC Psychology
This session opens the black box of investor psychology - how angels and VCs assess risk, evaluate founders, and make decisions that can change the trajectory of your company.
Through back-to-back fireside chats with active angels and VCs, you’ll hear firsthand how investors spot potential, what makes them lean in (or walk away), and how timing, traction, and narrative influence every decision. We’ll unpack what “investor fit” really means and how to build relationships that move beyond the transaction.
You’ll leave with:
A clear understanding of how different investors think and what drives their decisions
Practical ways to de-risk your company from an investor’s perspective
Insight into how investors evaluate founder traits, team dynamics, and storytelling
Language and frameworks to communicate your raise in a way that builds trust and credibility
A behind-the-scenes view of how deals are sourced, screened, and discussed in investment committees
By the end of this session, you’ll stop guessing what investors want - and start positioning yourself and your company to meet them where they are.
About our Speakers
Emmi Nicholl, CEO - Cambridge Angels
Emmi is CEO of the angel investment group, Cambridge Angels – some of Europe’s leading early-stage investors. The CA group provides smart capital from investors who are themselves exited entrepreneurs. Her role is to help Cambridge Angels develop its reach by building networks to attract high quality investment opportunities. She gets to talk to founders who are seeking funding and learn a lot about a huge variety of tech businesses.
James Thomas, Angel Investor
James is a full-time angel investor focused on university spin-outs and science-based start-ups, with over a decade of experience in the start-up sector across a variety of roles. A member of Cambridge Angels and former Investment Manager at Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, he has invested in and supported numerous university spinouts. Alongside investing, he advises and mentors for institutional investors and accelerator programmes.
Committed to diversity, James prioritises backing teams with founders from under-represented backgrounds - the vast majority of his portfolio includes at least one female founder. He also supports related initiatives and serves on the Board of the Cambridge Female Founders Network.
Dr. Jenny Barnett, Co-Founder & CEO - Monument Tx
Jenny brings a unique blend of commercial and scientific expertise to drive Monument’s mission to transform neuroscience through precision medicine. Previously Chief Scientific Officer at Cambridge Cognition, Jenny played a pivotal role in establishing Monument Tx as a successful spin-out, securing substantial funding to support its innovative solutions.
Jenny holds an MA in Experimental Psychology from Oxford University and a PhD in Schizophrenia Epidemiology from the University of Cambridge, followed by postdoctoral work at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. She has published over 70 papers, holds six patents, and is an honorary member of Cambridge’s Department of Psychiatry.