Emma Abbasi’s app offering expert support for expectant mums has subscribers as far afield as the US – and it was an introduction provided by Liverpool-based Gateway Angels that has provided the catalyst for her early success.
Becoming an entrepreneur can put you in a lonely place, something Emma Abbasi from Liverpool knows only too well.
In October 2024 Emma’s Dearbump app went live for the first time. For a £10 a month fee, Dearbump offers a digital lifeline for mums before, during and after childbirth with almost instant access to real-life midwives.
Thanks to soaring popularity on Instagram, Dearbump’s subscriber base is growing fast with customers as far afield as the US. But when she was still seeking investment for the venture, there were some tough moments.
Salvation came in the form of Michelle and Patrick Walters, two of Liverpool’s best-known business figures who were developing an interest in angel investing via Liverpool-based Gateway Angels.
Their eventual investment into Dearbump provided a crucial springboard for Dearbump’s early successes. But business angels aren’t just about the money – mentoring and support in the lowest moments are also critical.
“I remember at one point feeling really isolated – that no one had my back,” Emma says. “When I reached out to Michelle and Patrick it made me feel there were people on my side. I actually cried when I came off the phone. It was such a sense of relief.”
Emma’s inspiration for Dearbump came from her own traumatic experience of becoming a mum for the first time. Her pregnancy with her first son, Charlie, was a difficult one.
The birth itself required an emergency caesarean section which later resulted in a postpartum bleed and blood transfusion.
The first few weeks saw more struggles and when she eventually returned to work she felt people’s perceptions of her had changed and that her work wasn’t valued.
Emma’s son Jesse arrived four years later, and that pregnancy also brought its challenges. Emma felt mums needed more support and so, along with her second child, the idea for Dearbump was born.
It went live at the Slush’D start-up conference in Liverpool in October 2024. But it was back in 2021 when Emma was first introduced to Gateway Angels, a division of well established SME funding specialist MSIF.
“I was literally working from a small bedroom and I had no idea there was this whole community out there offering this kind of support,” Emma said.
It was in the spring of 2021, when the UK was still dealing with the fallout from COVID, Emma was invited to pitch to potential angel investors in an online event organised by Gateway Angels.
Angel investors are typically individuals who invest their own capital for early-stage businesses or start-ups, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity.
It was through this event that Emma met Michelle and Patrick. Michelle is a former lawyer turned business consultant and a well-known face on the Liverpool business scene.
Patrick is a former Peel Ports executive who also now operates in the consultancy and coaching space and, as well as a growing interest in angel investing, the couple also produce a popular podcast.
“We saw a range of pitches, but Emma just stood out to me,” said Michelle.
“I am always going to be drawn to female founders. Investing in female-led businesses is a values driven decision for me. I’ve been there myself as a female business leader while raising a young child.
“And Dearbump was a simple and innovative product with potential to make real impact. When we chatted to Emma about her thoughts on how to grow the business, I was drawn to that too. But that didn’t mean we were just going to hand over money.”
Michelle and Patrick stayed in regular contact with Emma for around six months before taking the decision to invest. Not directly, but through a crowdfunding platform called Seedrs.
“That gave us a bit of distance, reduced the risk and kept the relationship professional,” explained Michelle.
She described their initial investment as a modest one, but it proved to be a catalyst to attract other investors. And that, says Michelle, is at the heart of angel investing: “It’s all about attracting a like-minded group of individuals who believe in the founder and their business.”
She added: “I think the message from Gateway Angels is that we’re not necessarily always talking huge amounts of money.
“For a start-up anything from £500 upwards is really useful. I got a little bit when I started my first business, 20 years ago and it really made a difference. It is not just about the money, it is about someone believing in you.”
Emma explained that the introduction to Gateway Angels had been transformational for her journey. She said: “I first heard about Gateway Angels during lockdown.
“They introduced me to the whole entrepreneurial ecosystem. I met the Women’s Organisation, NatWest Accelerators, Barclays Eco Labs and I was just thrown into the community.
“I did a few accelerator programmes and learned all about crowdfunding and other types of investing and grants.
“The pitch where I met Michelle and Patrick was my first one and I only did it because it was virtual. Their guidance and mentoring gave me confidence to do more and I have now done a few since, which I have won.”
Emma is now talking to major maternity brands with a view to getting them to support Dearbump. She added: “User feedback has been amazing. Women have so many questions and you can get a response back in five minutes.
“Our Instagram has really accelerated this year too, we were named the number one maternity brand on the platform in the world. We had a meeting with Mamas and Papas and they told us everyone was talking about it.”
Michelle says she is incredibly proud of the growth Emma has already achieved, not only in terms of her business but also in confidence. She said: “Angel investing is all about investing in the person as much as in the product or service they’re promoting.
“After our initial virtual meeting we met Emma a few times face to face and have since established a great relationship. She is incredibly bright, knows what she wants to achieve and is so driven.”
Gateway Angels director Katie Nicholson said she is thrilled to see the success Dearbump is now seeing, especially with Emma being a female entrepreneur.
In May Gateway Angels joined a push by the British Business Bank to widen access to finance for diverse founders who have ambitions to start their own businesses.
“All founders face challenges when trying to start and grow a business and that is particularly true for women who are still significantly under-represented among the owners and directors of the UK’s 5m-plus SMEs,” said Katie.
“As a female entrepreneur herself, Michelle was well-placed to empathise with the particular challenges Emma was facing as a woman and a mum.
“She has proven to be an incredible mentor and I hope she continues on the path of supporting fledgling businesses.
“At Gateway Angels, not only do we want to see more female entrepreneurs secure the investment they need, we also want to encourage more women who have been successful in business to consider angel investing.
“As Michelle has pointed out, you don’t need to be incredibly wealthy to be a business angel. A relatively small investment can provide the spark that pushes an ambitious start-up forward.
“And as Dearbump has demonstrated, the experience, insight and mentoring that women in business can bring to the table can prove just as valuable as the cash investment.”