Programme of free webinars to help innovative businesses get investment ready

A series of free investment readiness webinars, starting later this month, will provide expert advice for budding entrepreneurs and investors to prepare for investment.

The Space to Grow programme, organised by the University of Essex, aims to support business growth by providing practical advice through online events and one-to-one sessions tailored to specific needs.

The next series of events kicks off on Tuesday 20 April with a session looking at the dos and don’ts of making a successful pitch for funding from potential investors.

John Stenhouse, Business Support Manager at the University’s Knowledge Gateway, said: ”We have deliberately made this the first session of this series because it will provide perfectly-timed advice for those wanting to take part in our pitching event on 25 May

“We have at least £160,000 available, but for businesses to win a share of the funding they will have to persuade the judges their innovative idea is worth investing in. Those not quite ready to make a pitch can also benefit from this event, as they’ll be able to watch it live on Zoom and see for themselves which pitches are successful.”

To take part in the pitching event, which is supported by Barclays Eagle Labs, businesses need to be registered with the Angels@Essex platform – which matches potential investors with businesses looking for funding – by 11 May.

The Space to Grow series of events runs until 29 June and includes sessions on finding the right investor, on the benefits of business loans, tax advice and a session on intellectual property, during which legal and industry experts will provide advice on protecting your innovation.

Essex has been designated a University Enterprise Zone and receives Government funding to support new innovative businesses. The focus is to increase business success and job creation by providing budding entrepreneurs with advice and practical support through webinars and one-to-one support from the UEZ team. This is paired with access to funding through the Angels@Essex platform.

More information about the free sessions is available online or email: uez@essex.ac.uk