The first ScaleUp Conference last week received overwhelmingly positive feedback with a distinguished panel of speakers providing their insights on the UK tech market; sharing their personal journeys in growing; taking their businesses public and exiting.
ScaleUp Group’s Executive Chairman, John O’Connell opened with an overview of Series A fundraising criteria and our key role in getting the best deal in the least amount of Entrepreneur’s time.
Adam Hale, serial entrepreneur and investor, explained that ‘Success through recession’, is by focusing even more on customers and staff in tough times.
TechMarketView’s Managing Director Tola Sargeant pre-announced their analysis of the top players in the UK, pointing out that only 1 in the top 10 has a UK-based HQ now – the complete reversal of the landscape a few years back.
Silverpeak’s Managing Partner, Paddy MccGwire reported on the current state of the growth funding market for European tech companies, both bedazzling and reassuring attendees with their most recent stats on funding and M&A.
Then we heard of the successful growth journeys of three of our Clients – Clare Elford, CEO and Co-Founder of Clue, Matthew Elson CEO and Co-Founder of Evotix and David Griffiths CEO and Founder of Fiscaltec, who talked about how they got started and why, and when they chose to raise their first institutional capital and how working with ScaleUp Group, helping them considerably, including their participation in our CEO Forum.
There were three very different perspectives on being a small-cap listed business- £100m market cap being considered the minimum to justify the ongoing costs and reporting obligations. Richard Jeffery, CEO and Co-Founder of ActiveOps who observed he was still able to keep control of his business because of it; Neal Gandhi, ex-CEO and co-founder of TPXImpact on their buy and build strategy, which, from raising only £6m, went from a market cap of £30m up to £250m and from Paul Watts CEO on the challenge of re-structuring Rosslyn.
Last but not least, Founder and former CEO of CloudTrade, David Cocks shared his experience of selling his business, on his retirement, following John O’Connell’s convincing him to go for it by raising cash three years previously – with another SUG Partner, Paddy MccGwire of Silverpeak being their advisors in the Sale.
Presentation slides are available on request.