Manchester on Tuesday 28th March 2017
Took place on 28th March at the prestigious Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.
There are twelve $1 billion tech businesses in the North and investment in Northern tech companies is at a 10-year high, but in order to capitalise on the opportunities around high-potential small businesses in the North – particularly the fast-growing tech sector – visibility of capital needs to improve. These sentiments were expressed at the UK Business Angels Association’s (UKBAA) Northern Investment Summit this week at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, which was attended by over 250 leading players in the early-stage investment community including angel investors, venture capital firms and high-growth entrepreneurs.
The Northern Powerhouse funds were identified as a significant opportunity to bring more capital to the regions’ entrepreneurs, but alongside this public funding there needs to be a long-term supply of private sector investment. The key will be enabling better connectivity – joining up the public and the private sector on the supply side with entrepreneurial support services and high-potential small businesses on the demand side.
Hugh Campbell, managing partner of GP Bullhound, underlined the importance of building more communities of local investors – particularly people who have been successful entrepreneurs and would like to use their money and experience to back the new generation of growth businesses. Keith Morgan, CEO of the British Business Bank, added:
“There is a lack of awareness of what angel investment is available in the North. But the opportunity is there for the taking. There is great potential available for investment in the North.”
more on the UKBAA website here
