The Fundraising Journey: Seed and Series A

The Mayor’s International Business Programme, together with our partners KPMG, Taylor Wessing and Wilson Sonsini, are inviting you to an in-depth discussion on fundraising, covering the fundraising landscape in 2020 for companies who are looking to raise Seed or Series A funding.

The event will cover topics such as:

• What does fundraising look like in 2020

• What should you keep in mind when preparing to raise funds

• The dos and don’ts of fundraising

• The US perspective

• Learnings from the frontline

• What are investors looking for?

High-level Agenda:

• 2.50pm: Session opens
• 3.00pm: Welcome & Introductions
• 3.05pm: Fundraising Discussion and Panel Q&A
• 3.50pm: Fireside Chat with Addionics
• 4.00pm: Meet the Investors

The 'Meet the Investors' session will include reverse pitching by investors to the attending companies, and smaller group discussions in breakout rooms. We will be joined by investors from:

• Downing Ventures
• Outward VC
• Beringea
• Notion Capital

About the Speakers:

Stacy Kim, Wilson Sonsini: Stacy Kim is a leading American cross-border technology lawyer, strategic business advisor, and a co-founding partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati's London office. Leveraging her unique experience as a trusted advisor to high-growth U.S., U.K. and other European companies and as an in-house advisor at a fast paced U.S. technology company, Stacy uses her legal insight, business acumen, professional network, and industry expertise to resolve problems before they arise. She has a particular focus supporting companies with their fundraising, corporate reorganization, and commercial expansion.

Alexandra Richardson, Taylor Wessing: Alexandra specialises in M&A and venture capital transactions, primarily in intellectual property-rich industries. She advises institutional, corporate, and individual investors and the companies they invest in on a wide range of corporate matters, from startup through to exit. This includes venture capital and growth capital investments, debt financings, and M&A. Alexandra primarily works with clients from the technology, media & communicators sector, including software, fintech, digital media and digital health companies, often on an international basis.

Daniel Waters, KPMG: Dan is Head of IT Services Sector Coverage at KPMG - Corporate Finance M&A, TMT and has over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and M&A, helping companies secure investment to fund their growth, as well as closing M&A transactions. He has covered the TMT sector across his career and now leads our M&A IT Services sector.

Dr. Farid Tariq PhD, Addionics: Dr. Farid Tariq is Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer of Addionics, and specialises in smart structures that can be created for energy solutions incorporating software and hardware. Focuses on business innovation through technology deployment.Previously worked at Imperial College London under the Dean’s group for Energy. Developed 3D imaging methodology for energy applications. Previously worked with Shell Global Solutions to apply his 3D imaging to improve catalysts. Also worked in Alstom in Power-Generation using advanced Gas-Turbine engines and with Boeing on their 787 Dreamliner undercarriage.

About our Partners:

KPMG: Our Emerging Giants team is dedicated to helping ambitious Startups and Scaleups grow. We exist to meet and build relationships with ambitious and innovative businesses and over the past five years we have met thousands of them. We take the time to understand growth plans and in return provide industry insight, specialist advice and make introductions to contacts in the Startup and Scaleup ecosystem.

Taylor Wessing: Taylor Wessing is a global law firm that serves the world's most innovative people and businesses. Deeply embedded within our sectors, we work closely together with our clients to crack complex problems, enabling ideas and aspirations to thrive. Our venture capital team is recognised as one of the strongest in Europe, advising clients across all stages of their lifecycle from "cradle to liquidity". We see all sides of the investment dialogue enabling us to understand and focus on the commercial drivers and drive efficiency in managing transactions.

Wilson Sonsini: Wilson Sonsini’s U.S. expansion practice assists start-ups, scale-ups, and other high-growth companies through their U.S. life cycle—U.S. launch, expansion, fundraising, partnerships, M&A, and IPO—and helps facilitate access to our global network of capital providers, corporates, and advisors. The team includes attorneys who have provided advice on U.S. matters to hundreds of non-U.S. start-up and growth-stage technology companies, including clients based in the U.K., Canada, Israel, other EMEA countries; South and Central America; and Greater Asia.