Angels Way: Community-Driven Business Angel Fund Makes the First Investment
The Portuguese startup ecosystem has reached a significant milestone with Granter AI becoming the first company backed by Angels Way, a pioneering business angel fund built entirely on community participation. With a €50,000 investment, this marks the beginning of a new chapter in early-stage funding, one where access to capital is democratized and collective decision-making drives investment.
Granter AI, based in Lisbon, uses artificial intelligence to streamline access to European public funding. Its digital platform helps companies, particularly SMEs, navigate and optimize applications for major funding programs such as Portugal 2030, the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), Horizon Europe, and the European Innovation Council (EIC). Unlike traditional consultancy firms, Granter AI’s technology-driven approach dramatically lowers costs and reduces bureaucratic friction. Clients report spending half or even one-third of typical consultancy fees when using the platform. With over 2,000 companies already served, Granter AI is proving to be a vital tool in unlocking non-dilutive funding in a complex and often inaccessible landscape.
The decision to invest in Granter AI was both strategic and symbolic for Angels Way. As the fund’s inaugural investment, it reflects the mission to empower small investors, each contributing as little as €1,200, to become active participants in early-stage startup funding. Managed by OW Ventures, the fund brings together 436 investors who democratically reviewed and voted on 38 startup pitches. Granter AI stood out for its clear impact, scalable technology, and alignment with the fund’s values.
“Angels Way is about democratizing investment in pre-seed startups,” said Tocha, executive partner at Olisipo Way. “Granter AI is doing the same for access to public funding. The alignment of values couldn’t be clearer.” This partnership is about more than capital, it’s about removing barriers, whether to investment or to public grant opportunities.
With the new funding, Granter AI plans to expand its team, enhance its AI capabilities, and further automate the grant-writing process. These developments will allow the startup to scale its services to reach more businesses across Portugal and the broader European Union. The goal is clear: to become the go-to solution for founders and business owners seeking clarity and efficiency in a traditionally complex funding environment.
This investment represents a win across the board. For startups, it demonstrates that new funding models like Angels Way can offer crucial early-stage support outside traditional venture routes. For investors, it proves that meaningful involvement in startup backing doesn’t require deep pockets—just a commitment to engage, evaluate, and vote. And for the broader ecosystem, it signals a shift toward more inclusive, transparent, and participatory innovation funding at its earliest and most critical stages.