Britain’s Got Startups, the event series which provides start-up and scale-up businesses with access to local, regional, national and international investments of up to £10m, has announced it will extend the program to run through 2024 following the success of its launch in 2023.
Eligible to all limited companies based in the North of England and seeking funding between £150k and £10m, the pilot, which took place in Leeds in June 2023, attracted 84 applications that resulted in 16 business pitches and 40 investor follow-ups. With 8 term sheets offered, a total of £1.5m was secured.
The second event series, which took place in Manchester, attracted 117 applications that resulted in 24 shortlisted semi-finalists, 12 business pitches and 50 investor follow-ups.
Having reviewed and considered each of the start-up and scale-up propositions, five term sheets were offered in just two weeks with more in the pipeline.
The Britain’s Got Startups event series is sponsored by Abstract Tech, Vestd and Novus Capital.
Managing Director of Novus Capital and Britain’s Got Startups event organiser, Jenson Brook, comments: “The pilot and North of England series were a real test and measure for us. We were aware of the demand for investment to be redirected to innovative, scalable businesses outside of London and the South of England, we just had to provide the platform to make it happen.
“Based on the funding that has already been secured as a direct result of Britain’s Got Startups, we want to extend the event series and open up the opportunities to more start-up and scale-up businesses that have a strong proposition and route to market.
“We have big ambitions with this program and know that using it as a platform to introduce the right businesses, investors and partners, we can super-charge the possibilities and success of some of the most entrepreneurial businessmen and women in the country.”
The first rounds of 2024 are scheduled to commence in March 2024 before a grand finale invites all successful candidates from across the series to present their business propositions to international investors in London in July.
