The Sotavento Angels fund brings early stage investment to Algarve
Sotavento Angels is the first angel fund in the Algarve. With local Algarvian investors, with backgrounds from Portugal, Ireland, France, Holland and Dubai, we back early-stage founders in Southern Portugal.
The fund, growing to a size of €2 million, aims to invest in 12- 15 companies. Our investors tickets are 100K over a period of 4 years - minimum ticket size is 25K euro. our investments are between 50K to 150K euro. Our fund, SotaVento Angels, focuses on early-stage startups — helping founders grow from the South of Portugal towards Seed Investment.
COMING H2/2026
Sotavento is buidling a fund of funds - to faciltate growth from the start to exit. We build our fund along the entrepreneurial journey - started with Angel investment and now planning on a pre-VC fund for the next steps.
Sotavento pre-VC is the natural next step for startups ready to grow—without rushing into the VC treadmill. Building on the success of Sotavento Angels, this new fund backs founders with €200K–€500K tickets, helping them scale deliberately and sustainably. We believe in Seed Strapping—equipping high-potential startups with capital, strategic support, and time to reach real product-market fit before engaging institutional investors (if ever). Our pre-VC model is designed for entrepreneurs who want to grow on their terms—with committed partners who understand the long game.
Our portfolio
ExpressTec is an innovative biotech spin‑off from the University of the Algarve, developing RNA and AI‑based diagnostics to improve precision oncology. Its flagship expressPIK test identifies key cancer mutations to guide targeted therapies, empowering clinicians with fast, accurate insights that enhance treatment decisions and patient outcomes worldwide.
GrandCarob crafts 100% natural, plant‑based products from handpicked Algarve carob, including drinks and granolas with no artificial additives or added sugars. Born from University of the Algarve research, its offerings celebrate clean, vegan nutrition and authentic taste while elevating a regional superfood for broader European markets.
Leadership
Sotavento Angels is led by Mark P. Haaksman | LinkedIn and Wouter Heijnen | LinkedIn. Together with our community of investors, they ensure every decision is made collaboratively and transparently. Both foster the Algarvian eco-system and leverage opportunities throughout the Sotavento network.
Wouter Heijnen
Wouter is Fund Leader with the focus on venture scouting.
An engaged community builder with a good understanding of the impact of technology in relation to society and business.
Mark Haaksman
Mark is Fund Leader with the focus on investor relations.
With a strong background in business development and digital transformation, Mark brings critical skills in business modeling and tech-driven growth.
