NICOLA MILLS
Founder & Director
Sunny Balcony
Launching Impactiv Backing Bold Founders with Capital, Capability and Community
This year, one of the most exciting and meaningful milestones in my business journey has come to life: the official launch of Impactiv—our angel investing arm created to back early-stage founders with more than just capital.
The idea behind Impactiv has been with me for years. After mentoring and working alongside dozens of incredible entrepreneurs—both within the Sunny Balcony group and beyond—I kept coming back to the same thought: What if we could offer the kind of support that removes the usual roadblocks and amplifies what founders do best?
What if early-stage founders had not just a cheque—but access to real-world experience, operational insight, and a values-aligned community of people who’ve walked the same path?
So, we built it. And the timing couldn’t be better.
“‘Yes, if…’ is where the real leadership happens.”
From Idea to Action
Impactiv is built on the same belief system that’s guided everything we do at Sunny Balcony: people-first, growth-smart, and impact-always.
It’s also a natural evolution of our Supported Start-Up model—an approach we’ve refined and proven over time. A shining example of that model in action is Jen and Kate.
Jen Manuel and Kate Downing first joined the group in a job-share arrangement as Marketing Directors—a bold move in itself that speaks volumes about how we value flexibility and high-performance leadership at the same time. Together, they built a marketing department that could serve the entire Sunny Balcony group and our partner
group CABER. They shaped it into a strategic function that could flex across industries, brands, and business stages.
But they didn’t stop there.
Soon after, Jen and Kate stepped into a new challenge—as Joint General Managers of FundFindrs, one of our portfolio ventures. And they didn’t just manage—they led like founders. They embraced every element of the Supported Start-Up model: taking ownership, building the team, testing new markets, and staying laser-focused on impact. They grew FundFindrs into a standout brand and a commercial success.
Now, they’re stepping into the next chapter—partnering with me to lead and grow Impactiv.
Their experience—of building within the group, acting like founders, and growing a business from the ground up—is exactly what makes them the perfect co-pilots for this next phase. They’ve lived it. And now, they’re here to help others do the same.
Why Impactiv?
We created Impactiv to provide more than funding. We offer:
🔹 Capital – for early-stage ventures with real potential
🔹 Capability – operational and strategic support grounded in experience
🔹 Community – a values-led network of advisors, operators and founders
We’re sector-agnostic but people-specific. We look for founders who are ambitious, grounded, and willing to do the work. If we can’t add strategic value, we don’t invest. But if we can—we go all in.
What’s Next
We’ve made our first investment and we are looking for our next.
Impactiv isn’t about volume—it’s about values. It’s about impact that scales. And with Jen and Kate now alongside me, driving this forward with clarity, energy and empathy, I know we’re building something special.
This isn’t just a new business. It’s a new way to back people the way they deserve to be backed.
— Nicola Mills