FinTech Alliance has announced its fourth annual Investment Series, “with signups now open for FinTechs and investors to take part. ”
The annual series has “included key partners like Augmentum FinTech, White & Case, Mountside Ventures, Albion VC and PwC”
The Investment Series is nationwide and hybrid “to include as many Founders as possible from around the UK.” It will “help early stage companies learn how to raise capital and meet investors Angel and VC investors will be able to find and support new, innovative FinTechs.”
Signups for FinTechs, Angel investors and VCs “are now open and will close on 31st March 2023.”
The series of events, “including masterclasses and a Pitch Day, runs from April-June 2023.”
The early-stage FinTech funding landscape is “changing.” An increasingly challenging economic climate “means that, more than ever, Founders need support in understanding all the options available to them, meeting investors, and perfecting their approach to raising.”
FinTech Alliance, the Government-backed digital ecosystem for UK FinTech, is “running an Investment Series from April-June 2023, which will support early-stage companies raising or planning to raise this year. Signups for FinTechs, Angel investors and VCs are now open.”
On the back of last year’s series, “which saw over 140 actively raising FinTechs take part, 80 leading investors from Angels, VCs, CVCs and PE helped the FinTechs to raise over £55mn.”
The series, “now in its fourth iteration, seeks to offer expert advice and insight on how to build a pitch deck, engage with investors, present your business and negotiate terms, as well as outlining all the different funding options on offer for early stage FinTechs.”
It includes community building and networking opportunities “for Founders and Investors alike, and the opportunity to create warm leads.”
Given the current fundraising climate, the 2023 Series “seeks to equip FinTech founders with practical advice around running their business whilst raising – offering access to the FinTech Alliance platform’s various Hubs including talent, regulation and community building. FinTechs on the platform will receive the latest insights, connections and mentoring opportunities.”
Those FinTechs currently “seeking investment will have the opportunity to take part in a Pitch Day in front of key investors.” Last year, the judging panel “included Augmentum, Albion VC, Insight Partners, and Blackrock.”
Previous series “have boasted hundreds of FinTechs and investors, some of which went on to raise capital or gained valuable feedback.”
Last year’s cohort said:
“The Investment Series helped us get really clear about our proposition – what are we about, what are we here for, what’s the clear elevator pitch, what’s powerful. The Investment Series is about learning who not to talk to as much as who you should be approaching. We found we needed to use Angels to bridge the gap and take the initial risk before we approach VCs.”
As noted in the update:
“If we look back at our deck from the start of the series versus now, we can see it’s completely transformed. The best feedback is we’ve just got into an incubator programme which has taken eight out of 150 applicants – they said it’s the strongest deck they’ve seen with no changes needed.”
The update further noted:
“Every time we came out of a workshop it was, right, cut this, change that… The big problem if you’re so ingrained in your own business, you’ve got no ability to step out and look at things and tell the story. Mountside Ventures was one of the most useful sessions where I found myself just scribbling notes from everything he said.”
Run by FinTech Alliance in partnership “with the Department for International Trade, the series is supported by Innovate Finance, London & Partners, Fintech North, FinTech Wales, FinTech Scotland, FinTech Northern Ireland and FinTech West – with many more partners to be announced. ”
Signups for FinTechs and investors “are now open and close on 31 March 2023.”
In joining the series, FinTechs can:
- Use the FinTech Alliance platform for the duration, including the regulated Investment Hub.
- Build their pitch deck with advice from FinTech leaders.
- Network with high profile investors.
- Learn from a series of hybrid workshops on pitching, negotiating deals and more.
Investors can:
- Use the FinTech Alliance platform to find and invest in the latest innovative UK FinTechs, including the regulated Investment Hub.
- Review pitch decks and meet founders during organised networking.
- Meet potential Limited Partners and co-investors in the FinTech ecosystem.
Phil Vidler, CEO of FinTech Alliance, said:
“Coming into 2023, there’s no denying it’s a tough environment out there for FinTechs seeking to raise. Founders not only need to be connected with the right investors, but now more than ever they need advice on the different routes they can take to raise capital, how to approach this, and what makes a resilient FinTech business. Our previous Investment Series have not only connected Founders with prospective VC and Angel investors, but also with one another so they can build a supportive community environment in these difficult times.”
He added:
“The key to joining a platform like FinTech Alliance for FinTechs looking to raise is that it brings together early-stage companies with more experienced founders, VCs, professional services, Government, regional FinTech bodies and much more to provide wraparound support at every stage of the journey. I was incredibly impressed by the Founders from the 2022 Investment Series, and it was great to see these companies raise over £55m so far.I look forward to seeing a continuation of those high calibre pitches this year.”
For more details, check here.