YSYS & Innovate UK presents the FoundersDoor Investor Lounge
YSYS are excited to announce that we have joined forces with Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, to bring you what will be an incredible bridge between diverse founders and some of the most forward-thinking VCs in the UK and Europe.
When we get talented people with a shared mission and value system in the same room, magic happens, but we need to keep ensuring that the room is accessible to all regardless of race, gender, location or socio-economic background.
That’s why we’re excited to host the first edition of FoundersDoor Investor Lounge on 10th November 2020 10am-2pm; a half day event, packed with panel talks, pitch workshops and office hours with investors, all for diverse founders.
This is not a PR event!
We are optimistic about the current drive for diversity and inclusion practices from the startup ecosystem, however, we need tangible actions and steps and not just lip service. Bottom-line, founders from underrepresented backgrounds need access to capital and introduction to VCs with a genuine desire to build a pipeline and actively invest in them.
How are we contributing to the solution?
Access is everything, which is why we have taken the following measures:
- Actively promoting the event to our diverse networks and channels
- Making the event virtual to limit barriers to entry
- Starting the day with panel talks and workshops so that all attendees will acquire skills and insights that will make them more investment ready moving forward
- Partnering with VCs with a proven desire to change the state of affairs.
FoundersDoor Investor Lounge Agenda
Panel Talk
Alternative Routes to Fundraising: There is more than one way to meet your fundraising goals and we will be joined by amazing guests representing grant provision, venture capital, angel investment and the founder’s perspective, for a fantastic panel discussion on the different investment routes you can take and how to know which one is best for your startup. Register
Workshop
Perfecting Your Pitch Workshop: Pitch decks are super important, and whilst they won’t guarantee you investment, they are one of the first things a potential investor will look at before deciding whether to have further discussions. In this workshop, our industry-expert will be teaching founders the fundamentals on how to craft the perfect pitch deck, and learn about how to succeed in the four types of pitching: elevator, email, profile and in-person. Register
Office Hour
Whilst accessibility is important, in-depth and relevant conversations are also key. From 1pm-2pm, we will also be curating intimate break out sessions for investors to connect with a small number of startups that are most thesis and industry vertical aligned. Apply here
We are excited to have great investor partners participating, covering a wide spectrum of industry verticals:
Atomico — is an international investment firm that focuses on helping disruptive technology companies scale globally. It partners with technology founders at Series A and beyond with a particular focus on Europe. Atomico are also a lead #YSYS2023 partner.
bp ventures — is a venture capital firm that identifies and invests in private, high-growth and game-changing technology companies, accelerating innovation across the entire energy spectrum. #bpVentures are also #YSYS2023 partner.
Salesforce Ventures — is Salesforce’s strategic venture arm focused on creating the world’s largest ecosystem of enterprise cloud companies. Since 2009, they have formed partnerships and helped accelerate the growth of over 400 technology startups, including globally known companies such as Dropbox and DocuSign
Forward Partners — is a venture fund meets startup studio that invests capital, craft and capability from day zero through Series A.
Cornerstone Partners — is an angel investment network focused on investing in businesses owned and run by black and diverse founders. With this focus they aim to increase diversity in business and remove barriers to funding for individuals from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the UK business market today.
How to register…
Register to attend FoundersDoor Investor Lounge here.
If you also want to put yourself forward for an office hour and be paired with one of our investor partners please **complete this form** with your details, as well as a pitch deck or short video submission describing your startup.
Please note that although we cannot guarantee everyone a spot on the office hours, we encourage you to enjoy the morning webinars and we will keep you informed of future programmes and events with YSYS.
If you need any support with your registration or application, please reach out to kwaku@thsisysys.com
We look forward to meeting you!
