Business Growth, Advice for Small Sized Business, How to Sell Your Business, Tips to Grow Your Business: Pembridge Partners

West Midlands companies say hello to digital dragons

Digital companies across the West Midlands came face to face with a group of specialist investors as they entered the Digital Den - a unique event which took place at the Hello Business Conference at the ICC, Birmingham. 

The process of entering the Digital Den started with companies attending a day-long, specially tailored workshop that took place at Zellig, based in the Custard Factory, Digbeth.

The participants then went face to face with investors from companies including Octopus Ventures, Advantage Business Angels and MMC Ventures Ltd at a live pitching session during the two day Hello Business conference.

Games invest 2010 to offer investment opportunities for UK indie games developers

Screen Yorkshire and Game Republic are hosting Games Invest 2010, a games investor event, as part of the Eurogamer Expo on October 1st in London. Games Invest 2010 is an opportunity for small-to-medium-sized games companies in the UK to find out more about games investment, and also have an opportunity to network and pitch informally and formally to investors. 

Pembridge provides ‘investor readiness’ for first Northwest Vision & Media Fast Company Programme

Pembridge Partners, has been selected by Northwest Vision and Media as their partner for the launch of the first ‘Fast Company Programme’.  This new 18-week long initiative is designed to help digital companies in the North West become ‘investor ready’ and thus be in a position to accelerate their business growth through external funding.

 

The first Fast Company Programme launches on 2^nd November and is open to all digital and creative companies.  Venture capitalists, banks and other private sector funding organisations will also be present at the event.  Every company will enter details into an online performance metrics/business analysis system (known as MyMahout, and jointly developed by Pembridge).  This system not only provides the company with feedback in real time but produces an individual, bespoke evaluation of the business.  

The initial group of applicant companies will be filtered down to the ten showing the greatest growth potential.  Following a two hour business plan review with Northwest Vision and Media and Pembridge, the list will be further refined to about six.  These companies will be given a ‘crash course’ in investor readiness by consultants from Pembridge, in preparation for their presentations to a panel of VCs and banks in March 2010. 

Although the first Fast Programme is a pilot, it is intended that it should become an integral part of the North West’s digital and creative industries scene. 

As part of the agreement with Northwest Vision and Media, Pembridge will also establish a local PemBRIDGE CLUB, the first such venture outside London.  This Club will provide a regular venue for digital companies in the North West to network, meet with potential investors and discuss, in an informal environment, the challenges and opportunities for their industry. 

Register your place for the launch event at http://investor-readiness.eventbrite.com

London-based, and looking to raise £10,000 or more?

On first glance, I mistook Access to Finance (A2F) as the London Development Agency’s version of Santa Claus, writes Adele Barlow.

“Money, money, money… all the things I could do, if I had a little money…” ABBA lyrics went through my head as I browsed the new online portal for Access to Finance.

As I began to read the text, I quickly realized how wrong my Santa analogy was. First of all, Santa analogies generally do not belong in finance territory - the purpose of an investment is a return (Santa never asks for presents himself, as far as I know).  A2F is a programme that helps you to prepare the presentation of your business to lenders, and makes introductions to lenders for feasible propositions.

Those eligible for funding are any new London-based start-up businesses looking to raise £10,000 or more, or existing business employing less than 250.

There is a confidential and impartial review of your business with a dedicated business advisor, as well as a minimum of three days of business support towards the development of a high quality and viable business plan.

There are also local events exploring the different types of business finance available as well as introductory workshops run by experienced business advisors.

This is the opportunity to have an experienced outsider, fluent in investor-speak, examine your business and prepare you for investment pitches. While the programme is highly subsidised, a £200 contribution fee is required to access this programme.

Further information can be gained from visiting the A2F website.

Calling London Entrepreneurs and creative businesses

Investors have their own language and way of thinking – and if you want them on your side, you first need to get inside their heads, writes Adele Barlow

What most entrepreneurs (including myself) seem to underestimate is how naked the investment process actually is. Sure, it takes a bit of education and a lot of preparation, but raising finance is not a dark art. There are no real mysteries to raising capital – the rules are open knowledge and one-day workshops like g2i put them out on full display for anyone who wants to learn them.

The g2i Investment Readiness Programme teaches you who to approach, how to do it, and what investors’ needs are. Developed and delivered by g2i’s experienced fundraising team, it gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to put on an investor’s hat and see through their eyes:

•    Determine whether venture capital is a viable source of funding for your business
•    Understand the investor perspective
•    Understand the tools needed to raise capital
•    Hone your elevator pitch
•    Understand company valuations and financial forecasting
•    Know what to expect from the due diligence process
•    Understand investment structures

The next workshop will be held from 9am – 6pm on Monday, 9 November 2009, and is available through invitation only. There is limited capacity and registrations will be taken on a first come first serve basis, so please register early.

To register or to find out more information about the g2i Investment Readiness Programme, please contact Rebecca Watson at rebecca.watson@pembridge.net

Growing value in creative businesses

 

Coming from the commercial sector nine years ago, I was amazed to discover just how many quangos had sprung up across the UK aiming to support creative business. Falling public funding is squeezing them out, but that presents UK Higher Education Institutions with a new opportunity, writes Hugh Mason

Tait and colleagues share funding insights for Games, MMO & Virtual Worlds

London, England -- Pembridge Associate Partner Andy Tait shared  his front-line experience of early stage private funding earlier today at the Funding & Investment Summit for Casual Online Games, MMOs & Virtual Worlds.

Pembridge, Merrill Lynch and Pitmans ask: "To Sell or Not To Sell?"

London, England -- "The time to sell is when wild horses couldn't tear you away!" That was a key message when Pembridge, Merrill Lynch and Pitmans brought a group of business owners together today for breakfast. Pembridge Partner Hugh Mason led the discussion and here picks up on the themes that emerged.

Pembridge helps to shape Scotland’s Creative Future

Edinburgh, Scotland - Pembridge Partner Hugh Mason delivered a ‘provocation’ presentation today to an invited audience at the Scottish Parliament. His key message was that there were great opportunities for Scotland as it shapes its Creative Industries policy, but also risks if the objectives of the exercise were not clear.

Pembridge to present Investing for Impact at Creative Clusters 2007

London, England - Pembridge Partner Hugh Mason has been invited to share an investor's perspective on the vital ingredients needed for success at the Creative Clusters conference to be held this year in the UK capital. Creative Clusters 2007 takes place between Friday 9th and Wednesday 14th November, in locations across London.