Accessing start-up funding – Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership

Webinar title: Accessing start-up funding in increasingly uncertain times

Organiser: Cambridge Centre for Sustainable Leadership

Event website: Watch full recording here (one hour)

Key take-aways:

The new economy will become demand-led: Since the industrial revolution, all major economies have been supply-led. But Nick Lyth, founder of the Green Angel Syndicate, says this is about to change to a demand-led model in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Cited example of new methods of food sales and delivery as a possible area for growth, as this will be a key need for society while social distancing measures remain in place. Businesses that thrive will be those agile enough to take advantage of these evolving opportunities.

Don’t forget sustainability: Relevance is key to attracting investors, says Peter Bachmann of Vala Capital. Right now every investor out there is trying to find a sustainability or ESG angle. If you’ve got this at the core of your business you’re on the right path to funding. Businesses that can crack sustainability and profitability are going to be generational winners.

Do’s and don’ts for approaching investors: When approaching an investor, always do your research, Peter says. Find an investor who you have something in common with, or one that has invested in a similar company in the past. If an investor has already done the work getting to know a sector or type of business, they are more likely to listen to your pitch. Nick says “if you can’t sell it, you can’t succeed”. It doesn’t matter what your age, background or product is, if you can’t sell it better than the competition you won’t get very far.

Webinar attended by Matt Gooding, Tech Corridor marketing manager. Follow the Tech Corridor on Twitter: @techcorridoruk

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