Coventry Investment Readiness Workshop
2nd May 2024 09:00 to 12:30 Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Coventry Free
Join this informative, expert-led workshop, which will help to demystify the world of business finance and enable attendees to identify funding routes for their business.
This free workshop provides the opportunity to access a wealth of knowledge and advice from experts and it is open to startups, early-years high growth SMEs, and scaleups whose business is registered in Coventry.
Topics covered include:
- Debt finance
- Asset finance
- Finding and applying for grants
- Equity & Venture Capital
- Angel Investors & Crowdfunding
- Pitch Decks
About the programme
C&W Business Solutions, which is part of the CW Growth Hub Group are delivering the Investment Readiness programme, on behalf of the West Midlands Combined Authority and Business Growth West Midlands, which aims to improve the opportunity of gaining external investment for start-ups, early years high growth SMEs and scaleups.
The programme is delivered in two phases:
- Phase 1 provides SMEs with a holistic overview of the funding landscape and enables them to understand the world of business finance and identify what routes to funding may be available to their business
- Phase 2 is available to those who complete the information and advice workshops and are eligible to progress, and will include mentoring, 1:1 expert support, access to specialist online tools, and developing pitch decks.
Please note, only economically active businesses based in Coventry are eligible to attend this workshop. If your business is not based in Coventry please email us at investmentreadiness@cwgrowthhub.co.uk for further advice.
To find out more about the programme, please complete an expression of interest form here >
Location: Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Coventry
Butts
Earlsdon
Coventry
Coventry
CV1 3GG
Event Speakers
David Owen
Loans Officer at COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE REINVESTMENT TRUST LTD
David Owen is Loans Officer at CWRT. David is a part qualified accountant who joined CWRT in May 2020. He has over 36 years’ experience in the financial industry, having worked for a large international bank, where he had various roles including that of Relationship Manager. David is well versed in a range of areas such as credit risk, underwriting, security appraisal and quality assurance.
David Hope
Business Development Manager at Coventry City Council
David leads CCC’s Economic Strategy & Funding Team, and leads the Authority’s work in economic policy and strategy, which includes working with local, regional and national business support partners in designing business support programmes for the Coventry & Warwickshire economy. After an initial career in economic research and consultancy, he was responsible for leading the EU Structural Funds Technical Assistance function in Coventry & Warwickshire, and also managed the CW Innovation Programme. More recently, he has been working with WMCA and fellow West Midlands Local Authorities in the design and roll-out of activities for the Local Business Priority of UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and major projects and programmes through other regional and national funding streams to deliver the WM Plan for Growth.
Ian McFarlane-Toms
Business Ready Programme Manager at Business Ready, University Of Warwick Science Park Limited
With over 40 years’ experience, both in Corporate and SME organisations, Ian has held senior management posts in sales, marketing, operations and finance; he is a generalist, with a speciality in finance as a qualified Management Accountant. Ian is a professionally trained business adviser and has been focussed on supporting SME ventures, from concept, to start-up, through to scale-up, since he returned to the UK in 2005. With a track record of success in business turnaround, business development, change management and M&A, his passion is working with SME businesses to help them to be more successful. Ian has been an investor since 2009 and holds NED positions in a number of organisations.
Rupert Lyle
Investment Director: Midven (part of Future Planet Capital) at Midven
35 years' experience as a VC/PE/Turnaround Director (with 3i, Barclays Ventures, and others), entrepreneur, angel, non-exec and mentor. This gives Rupert a unique perspective on how to tell an equity story, align multiple stakeholders, and execute on the plan to create value.
Andy Green
Deputy Fund Principal at Frontier Development Capital
Andy has extensive experience working with SME clients with turnover in region of £2m-£25m across many sectors. He has 24 years’ experience working at NatWest in corporate and commercial banking roles ultimately as Relationship Director. Andy has primarily worked across the West Midlands region although he has worked on manufacturing funds with a national reach.
Marie Kelly
Investment Manager at Frontier Development Capital
Marie joined the team to work on the £24m National Tooling Loan Fund. She has over 30 years’ experience of banking and financial services industry, starting her career with HSBC then moving to Bank of Scotland Corporate working with the lead director on a portfolio of large corporate clients with turnover in excess of £25m. She then moved to Bank of Scotland Private Banking, leading the Birmingham office credit team then progressing to lead the Regional Credit team covering various geographical areas.
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