UK BizSpark Summit
Event Info
Description
Use invite code: 7BFBB5 to register.
We’d like to invite you to an all day event we are planning on Monday 28th September at our London event space, 100 Victoria Street, SW1E 5JE.
The aim of this event is to bring together the BizSpark community to provide access to key industry players and information to enable you to grow your business. There will be several content themes to anchor the day - funding, technology & operations and sales & marketing - but the main emphasis of the day will be on networking, sharing experiences and connecting with like-minded people.
To kick-start the event, we have James Caan sharing his thoughts on entrepreneurship and the importance of people in the success of a business. James has been building and selling businesses for twenty years and is now best known as one of the all powerful investors in BBC's Dragons' Den. Next up are two excellent entrepreneurs, Richard Moross from Moo and Jerome Touze from WAYN, who will share their stories on building their businesses. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to quiz them on the pitfalls to avoid and the stepping stones for success. In addition, we have scheduled a panel session with senior executives from large corporates to advise you on how to best engage with them.
The agenda has been built in consultation with BizSpark Network Partners, who will be actively involved in the day. However, to make this event really relevant to you, we are keen to get your input on the topics you’d most like to see covered in the afternoon workshops. Please refer to the workshop options at the bottom of this page and then state your preferences on your registration page. Please register now to avoid disappointment as places are limited.*
Finally, we are devoting the last session of the day to a quick fire session where companies pitch their business idea to the BizSpark event audience and get feedback. Prizes will be offered to the best pitches. To be considered for a three minute slot, please provide us with a description of your company on the registration form. We will confirm whether you have been selected ten days prior to the event. You will have the opportunity to complete the following information during registration.
1. When were you founded?
2. Number of employees
3. Company description (Describe in 50-100 words what your company does.)
4. If you could do one thing in 2009 what would it be? (in 50 words or less)
*Please note, priority registration will be given to BizSpark companies. However if you are interested in registering in BizSpark, then you are most welcome to attend and get to know our Community before you register to the Programme.
Current Agenda
09:00
Arrival & Registration
09:30
Welcome and Keynote
10:00
Keynote – James Caan
10:45
Refreshments and Networking
11:15
Case Study 1 - Richard Moross,
11:45
Case Study 2 - Jerome Touze - WAYN
12:15
Panel – Engaging with Large Corporates to Drive Business Success.
Panellists include senior executives from large corporates, plus early stage entrepreneurs. Panellists to be confirmed.
13:00
Lunch
Afternoon - 3 workshop streams repeated for 2 hours ; Sales and Marketing, Technology/Operations, Funding/Finance (options below so please choose what you’d like to see on the day!)
14:00
Workshop Sessions I
15:00
Workshop Sessions II
16:00
Refreshments and Networking
16:30
BizSpark Pitch Sessions - General event - Moderated by Mike Butcher, Editor, TechCruch Europe
17:30
1-2-1’s and demos
18:30
Networking Evening Event
20:00
Close
WORKSHOP OPTIONS
Sales and marketing: Researching your idea
It all starts with the idea. But how can you research whether there’s a market for your idea? And how can you ensure you’re customer-centric without becoming reactive and losing focus. This workshop will help startups understand how to research and evaluate their products and services and make key decisions based on data rather than assumptions. How to test with real people and use metrics to gauge performance.
Sales and marketing: The perfect pitch
You’re in an elevator with your dream investor or your ideal client. Serendipity defined. But you now have 11 floors to pitch your company. Would you be ready? Making the complex simple and compelling for a non-technical audience is an essential skill for any entrepreneur. Communicating ideas and concepts in a persuasive manner is essential and requires thought, preparation and practice.
Finance and funding: The top ten tips for raising capital
Startups can secure funding from a range of sources. What’s right for your company can depend on a variety of factors and the source you choose determines how you raise the money as well as how you pay it back. Our panel of experts from the fields of business banking, angel investment and venture capital will give their tips on the best ways to approach them to get their attention and then sign on the dotted line.
Technology and operations: The impact of the cloud
Cloud computing is transforming the way consumers and businesses use and buy software. We’ll explore how start-ups can better engineer their products to take advantage of the widespread adoption of public and private clouds, drilling down into key issues like PCI security compliance. BizSpark members will share their experiences of the risks and rewards.
Technology and operations: Fragile to Agile
This workshop is designed to help you figure out whether Agile development methodologies are right for your business. Separating the misguided talk from the basic principles, our experts will demonstrate how the adoption of Agile can make development more predictable, enjoyable and efficient. See how a little investment in agile practices early on can reap huge rewards at a later stage.
Technology and operations: Building the right team
You've got a world-beating idea, a working alpha and a big dream. What happens when your product goes stellar? This workshop discusses what you need to look for when building a team that will take you through the growth, the pain and (hopefully) that big exit. We’ll discuss key issues like finding the best talent, the benefits and perks that reel people in, maintaining a healthy culture as you grow, and what to do when people decide to leave.
Registration Options
Event ID: 1032424580
Register by Phone 0870 166 6670 ref: BizSpark
Notice: Registration for this event is handled by a website that is external to Microsoft. The data handling practices and privacy statement may vary from that of Microsoft.
