INSPIRING GROWTH: Alternative ways to take your business to the next level
Event Information
Description
For SMEs in Scotland, the transformation from an early-stage to a mature and successful business can be extremely challenging.
With traditional debt and equity funding difficult to access for young companies, alternative finance - usually sourced through crowdfunding platforms - is increasingly being used to drive forward businesses with high-growth ambitions. One of the broader challenges is matching businesses with investors to plug gaps in both the supply and demand of finance to support SME growth.
Agenda
9:00: Welcome and Introduction by the Chair
Laura Gordon, Vistage International and Corporate Connections International
Session 1 - Overview
9:05: The Scottish economy and the importance of SMEs: an overview plus Q&A
Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work
9:30: - Inspiration and perspiration: two paths to business success
Petra Wetzel, Founder and Managing Director, WEST Brewery
9:55: Innovative funding solutions for SMEs: How alternative finance is challenging traditional funding solutions
Stuart Lunn, CEO, Lending Crowd
10:15: Supporting small businesses in Scotland through alternative finance
Derek Shaw, Investment Director, Scottish Investment Bank
10:30: Moving to the next level: what you need to scale up and grow
Paula Skinner, Partner, Haprper Macleod
10:50: Q&A with last four speakers
11:10: Coffee
Session 2 - Different paths to growth
11:40: Taking one step at a time to tech success
Leah Hutcheon, Founder and Chief Executive, Appointedd
11:55: E-commerce as a driver of global growth
Emil Stickland, Thrive Digital
12:10: Exporting skills and knowledge
Angela Morrison, amiExecutive
12:25: The five pillars of making your own luck
Brian Smillie, Beezer
12:40: Q&A with last four speakers, plus Lucy-Rose Walker, Chief Entrepreneuring Officer, Entrepreneurial Spark
1:00: Summary and close
Fees include refreshments before and during the event followed by a networking lunch and access to post-conference reports.
For more information please email conferences@scotsman.com or give the team a call on
0131 311 7233.
