Seed, Series A & Beyond

Andrew Moore was pleased to host dinner and discussion for Chair/NEDs on ‘Seed, Series A & Beyond’ in partnership with Silicon Valley Bank and Taylor Vinters.

It was clear from the evening’s discussion that there are concerns surrounding the availability of liquidity. Certainly, the opportunity to use AIM no longer seems to be a viable alternative for the UK’s early stage tech sector. Perhaps the sweet spot for entry has changed to reflect a slightly more mature business type.

Private Equity continues to provide an alternative route for those with profitable growth, but it is the Series A to C companies that see the greatest challenge in securing funding to accelerate. There is a lot of money available but not from the traditional sources.  You need to look far and wide and at what price?

It was interesting to note that views as to the role of a Founder / CEO post-investment appear to differ widely. For the majority, the strength of the team continues to be one of the key factors in deciding on investment. For others, however, there seemed to be little patience for those who fail to meet the demands of new investors and are unable to drive growth as quickly as expected.

Attendance at Leadership Series events is invitation.  If you are interested in finding out more about future events, please contact Helen Poole or Kerry Linsey at Bailey Fisher.