The Oxford Trust
The Oxford Trust attend UK Technology Innovation and Growth Forum
Last week members of The Oxford Trust Innovation team attended the UK Technology Innovation and Growth Forum organised by Library House. The two-day event had many panels with speakers from such diverse backgrounds as Clean Technology, Venture Capital, UK and European Universities, IBM, GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever, Microsoft, BBC, Reuters, Google, Bebo, Motorola, UKTI, AIM, future media, regenerative medicine, a myriad of inspiring entrepreneurs and the minister for science and innovation. The likelihood of getting all these people together outside London is extremely rare, making the two-days evermore rewarding.
The days were interspersed with healthy opportunity to network with all of the aforementioned. The forum was an ideal meeting ground for embryonic, small and medium businesses from all sectors of media, science and high tech to participate and interact with entrepreneurs of innovation. Indeed Doug Richards, chairman of Library House and celebrity of cult TV programme, 'Dragon's Den' chaired the entire event.
Many of the panel discussions had a venture capital emphasis, with topics like clean technology market opportunities, growing IP from University, venturesome consumption, filling the investment readiness gap, venture capital in the UK, don't be afraid of the big bad wolf - sophisticated partnering, crossing the Atlantic chasm, where next for AIM, the changing face of media and making money from emerging manufacturing industries.
The important messages delivered by these key figures of innovation were simple. If you are a young business seeking funding, NETWORK! Talk to everyone and anyone, all the time, be persistent and don't be disheartened by an unanswered email from a potential funder. Go to network meetings, mentoring workshops, conferences, breakfasts and lunches, place yourself in close proximity to the people you need to influence and connect with, and if you aren't sure who these people are, find networks and organisations who can advise you where to begin. Apparently, big deals are made over strollers in Silicon Valley, one aspect of valley culture we might do well to remember.
Are you a science enterprise or high tech company? If you haven't already, why not join The Oxford Trust and Library House for starters?