The Reverse Pitch 2024 - Investors in the Spotlight

There is a long-term imbalance between VCs and tech founders…. now it’s your chance to turn the tables, as three investors pitch to a room of fundraising founders to discuss the deal process and life after investment.

This is your opportunity to get to know the 3 investors from YFM, Par Equity & Lifted Ventures, who could work best for you and what they are looking for. Meet and learn from founder, George Fairhall, who has been through the funding process and how capital helped WAC scale.

What to expect:

• Each investor will be given 3 minutes to introduce themselves, their expertise and focus

• Experienced founder, George Fairhall, and Corporate Finance Advisor Ben Taylor from KPMG, will give share their experiences of raising capital and the current market.

• Q&A from the floor - the chance to question the panel

• Networking afterwards with food and drinks

The reverse pitch starts with short presentations by invited investors from YFM, Par Equity and Lifted Ventures. After every pitch, there will be a two-minute Q&A from the host. The event ends with audience questions and the chance to hear from founders who have already been on the fundraising journey, followed by networking. The aim of the event is to clarify the process of fundraising in Yorkshire, explain the funding landscape and connect entrepreneurs into the Yorkshire investor community, as well as give investors the opportunity to demystify their processes and explain what they typically look for in making investment decisions.

Meet the Panel:

• Stuart Clarke - Festival Director at Leeds Digital Festival and Founder of UK Tech Week, a non executive director of a number of start ups and determined to help raise the profile of the North's tech sector.

• Jonathan Marlow – Portfolio Director at YFM, a tech investor with 40 years track record in Yorkshire, providing £2m to £6m Series A investment.

• Helen Oldham, Co Founder of Lifted Ventures. Lifted exists to increase the flow of early stage capital to female founders and promote the significant business benefits of backing women.

• Giles Moore - Regional Development Manager at Par Equity, working with key stakeholders and start ups throughout Yorkshire and the North with the challenges they currently face.

• Carl Bergholtz - Director at Natwest's Venture & Growth Finance Team. Focused on supporting high growth, scale-up stage tech businesses with innovative debt financing solutions.

• George Fairhall - the Founder and CEO of WAC, has secured £1,000,000 in pre-seed funding as a non-revenue B2C start-up.

• Brendan Fatchett - is a highly experienced digital entrepreneur who has created, managed and supported five business to private equity/trade exits over the last six years.

• Ben Taylor - Head of TMT M&A Yorkshire at KPMG, helping technology businesses raise funds in the region over the last 15 years.