Investor Engagement Masterclass
A Masterclass from an acceleration programme that has helped founders raise £56 Mln
This masterclass was developed as the final module of the Activate Foundation Programme which has helped over 70 founders in the last 2 years raise £56 Mln.
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The Activate Programme has been designed to help startups build solid foundations for launching a successful business, starting from your story and purpose, through understanding your market, creating compelling value propositions and business models, financial modelling and developing a clear go-to-market strategy.
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We have released this as a stand-alone masterclass as many startups have already done substantial work on the key elements noted above, but for almost all the startups we have spoken to over many years, engaging investors through a compelling pitch deck and raising funds is the number one challenge.
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Sound familiar? If so, this is for you!
Engage with investors and raise money with confidence
The Activate Programme gave us some really solid skills and connections that were extremely useful in getting us funded”
(Rob Pasco - Founder of Plend, who raised £40+ Mln )
Why this masterclass is important
Becoming investor ready is critical for most startups. Attracting investment means the difference between being able to move forward effectively or returning to the “day job.” But it’s not easy. It requires passion, preparation – lots of preparation – and persistence, as well as clear communications.
Your story, purpose, vision and team will be critical to engage potential investors and get them to delve deeper into your business. Clarity around the market opportunity, the value proposition to customers, the business model and your secret sauce is equally important as you improve your pitch and start to engage with investors.
Attracting investment though is not a one-way street – just like investors, you have choices about who you want to involve as early stage investors, and the terms of the deal you want to make.
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In this masterclass we explore the key components of improving your pitch and becoming investor ready – whether right now or a little further in the future.
Where this masterclass fits in the overall process of becoming investor ready
This masterclass is focused on ensuring you are as ready as possible for the next steps in your startup journey, whether starting to engage with investors or preparing to move forward with more work on your product and/or market.
Let’s be clear, you may well have gaps in your customer/market research and testing or in your assumptions, so you may have more work to do before it makes sense to start seeking out investment.
However, it is important that you gear further work to this end and incorporate all you have done to date into crafting a more compelling pitch and clear next steps.
What this masterclass covers
We will explore:
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Investors: Attracting smart money versus money
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Crafting compelling communications and materials
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Key preparations before engaging investors
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Engaging with investors
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Next steps
Your mentors
Who are we to teach you how to engage with investors?
Greg Rice
Investment
An expert in startups, Greg has spent much of his career in Silicon Valley and leading companies to successful IPOs. He is an established and highly regarded Director, Advisor and Non-Executive Board Member.
Tracey Keys
Strategy
Previously Head of Corporate Planning at the BBC, Tracey has over 30 years of experience as a consultant, educator and manager, and has seen her work published by the likes of The McKinsey Quarterly, The Economist, and Harvard Business School Publishing.
Expect to spend roughly 8 hours on the masterclass as follows:
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1-2 hours preparation of pre-work
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4-6 hours on watching the presentations, reviewing slides and doing the exercises including updating your pitch deck
Expect to spend roughly 8 hours on the masterclass as follows:
-
1-2 hours preparation of pre-work
-
4-6 hours on watching the presentations, reviewing slides and doing the exercises including updating your pitch deck
Expect to spend roughly 8 hours on the masterclass as follows:
-
1-2 hours preparation of pre-work
-
4-6 hours on watching the presentations, reviewing slides and doing the exercises including updating your pitch deck
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“I thought I was ready to launch but going through the accelerator programme and having high quality mentors made me reevaluate the direction of my business and focus in more detail. It has been the most valuable course I have done in the two years since setting up!”
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Sarah Cudmore - Founder - Homegrown Learning
Time requirements & Guarantee
Expect to spend roughly 8 hours on the masterclass as follows:
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1-2 hours preparation of pre-work
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4-6 hours on watching the presentations, reviewing slides and doing the exercises including updating your pitch deck
Guarantee & Accessibility
​After completing the masterclass, watching all the videos and doing the exercises, if you haven’t found our masterclass helpful, we'll offer a refund.
Also, if price is a genuine barrier then get in touch so we can give you access at a discounted price