Lizzie Francis’ Post

A successful #ScaleUp needs : Talent, Access to Markets, #Growth Capital … ScaleUp Group is delighted to partner with UK’s leading technology focused VCTs to accelerate the sustained #growth of UK Tech #ScaleUps. So providing the UK Government confirms Rt Hon Rachel Reeves ) this is good news for:- ✅ UK #ScaleUps looking to become #GlobalChampions ✅ Tech sector Job Opportunities ✅ Communities that house Scaleup employees Story via Tara O'Connor at Financial Times The European Commission approved the 10 year extension for VCTs and EIS' The schemes were due to expire in April 2025 but will now be safe for the next decade. Chris Lewis, Chair Venture Capital Trust Association (VCTA) said: “This a very good day for the UK’s VCT community.” He said the association will be speaking to the UK government to confirm the full details of the extension. “We are delighted that the response from the European Commission was informed by not only the VCTA’s own research, but also by a body of research from other associations across the industry.” Stuart Veale, Beringea - manager of the ProVen VCTs, welcomed the “step forward” for the industry. “For almost three decades, VCTs have demonstrated their capacity to create jobs, fuel innovation, and drive shareholder returns. “Securing these benefits for another decade has, therefore, been an industry priority for several years, and we look forward to working with the Treasury to finalise the extension as swiftly as possible.” Richard Stone executive of the The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) said “VCTs have many advantages for investors, including good long-term performance and their investee companies create jobs and social benefits for local communities.” https://lnkd.in/ey4DTabX

Taking a class with Professor Alex Lawrence, PhD at Weber State University this semester has been a great experience so far. During a recent one-on-one, I noticed "The Four Steps to the Epiphany: Successful Strategies for Products that Win" on his bookshelf, which reminded me of the book that inspired my desire to start a straight razor company with Jordan Gwyther - "The Lean Startup." photo credit David Lawrence One of the key takeaways from the book is that startups are designed to create new products and services under conditions of extreme uncertainty. Being lean means turning ideas into products, measuring how customers respond, and then learning whether to pivot or persevere. The book highlights that planning and forecasting are only accurate when based on a long, stable operating history and a relatively static environment - something that startups lack. The book also emphasizes the importance of asking and listening, building a minimum viable product to test assumptions, and collecting empirical data from real customers. Once aligned with a superior strategy, our product development efforts became more productive, not because we were working harder, but because we were working smarter, aligned with our customers' real needs. "turn ideas into products, measure how customers respond, and then learn whether to pivot or persevere. All successful startup processes should be geared to accelerate that feedback loop." "validated learning is backed up by empirical data collected from real customers." “Just Do It” school of startups. This school believes that if management is the problem, chaos is the answer. Unfortunately, as I can attest firsthand, this doesn’t work either." Ultimately, the book teaches us that becoming good at the "boring stuff" - measuring progress, setting up milestones, and prioritizing work - can lead to great things. #TheLeanStartup #StartupLessons #Entrepreneurship #ProductDevelopment #CustomerFeedback #ValidationLearning #WeberStateUniversity

#GradSchoolLife + #StartUpLife: Doing overdue homework & applying for a #hackathon, #application due at midnight, instead of driving an hour each way from Cookeville to Nashville to listen to this band after giving a keynote to undergrads. I had stayed the whole day to network and immerse in Tenn Tech culture. The trade off was then not immersing in the music or nightlife culture of Tennessee. You can’t do it all. I chose more time with the students. Since selling my car when I moved to #NYC it was only my second time driving since then (in ~5 years). I still am perfectly confident on the roads but doing too much and burning the candle on both ends had given me a slight migraine. Driving at night with bright lights from cars is a known trigger. I had to be sensible (as annoying and frustrating as it is to be sensible). Stayed in and ordered Cajun while trying to get my #systemsdynamics model to work on clunky, non-intuitive software that Massachusetts Institute of Technology and MIT Sloan School of Management professors love to use. Renting the car? Wow. An ordeal. The counter, in a far corner, was not visible, so I waited on hold to get customer service and was misdirected to go directly to the lot. After walking in several wrong directions, and tripping over a curb and falling very in gracefully with all my luggage, was told at the lot to go back to the terminal and find the counter. Then, despite the promise otherwise, the car I got both lacked phone charging and navigation and was told to go back to the terminal again. At that point I gave up because with the flight delay and this inefficiency, I was already two hours late for dinner with the dean. I made it through the hour drive without my phone, used for navigation, dying. The mild headache that I had started with in Boston got worse, but still was manageable. (I had thought to just Uber but was uncertain how reliable that would be in a small college town in Tennessee. Plus, when I looked up the cost of Nashville to Cookeville Uber, it was >$150 each way.) Life is full of FOMO. I also missed out on the #startup and #entrepreneurship mixer at Harvard Innovation Labs last night and Japan Night by the MIT Sloan Fellows MBA Program cohort. Until I find a way to clone myself, these things will happen. Luckily, now am well rested enough to hike to some nearby waterfalls. Had hoped to get to the Smokey Mountains but that too is not realistic for this trip, with 3-4 hour drives each way and a flight tonight. Tomorrow is booked up with class group meetings for assignments. #GradStudentLife I might be a city gal but do love to get into nature. “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.” -John Muir https://lnkd.in/eUswVz6s

Praxis claims to be creating 'tech-powered, values-driven cities of the future'. But is there any substance behind the buzzwords? Click the link below to read the full article by Joseph Bullmore.

To all entrepreneurs: Check out our useful templates for startups / SMEs and join us in our online seminar to get further guidance ahead of the AGM season.

Our next Harbour Angels meeting is happening at our Sydney City campus on Elizabeth Street on Tuesday 9 April. If you're an angel investor or a startup wanting to get an insider view of what happens in these meetings make sure you register below: https://lnkd.in/g_suUkXZ #angelinvestor #investment #startup #entrepreneur #funding

Another busy week draws to a close and, with a General Election in the offing, we think that what happens to the UK’s SMEs and high-growth businesses will be far more crucial to the UK economy. So, as we play our part, here's a snapshot of some of the great things that have been happening across the Vala portfolio:   Datatecnics CEO Suhayl Zulfiquar answered questions from Jack Lomas of the Future Engineering Club's podcast about the state of UK's #waterinfrastructure, whether we need more sensors in networks and where the water sector should strive to be by #PR29. Check out the full interview here!  https://lnkd.in/eR9nNVYW   Arksen shared more incredible footage of an Arksen 85 Explorer vessel, this time from the perspective of the designers, Humphreys Yacht Design. They discuss the challenges around creating a go-anywhere #yacht that is comfortable and safe whilst still being incredibly efficient. This is well worth a watch. https://lnkd.in/eMsPbAN7   FuturePlus announced its latest partnership, this time with CorpCare, to enhance #sustainability offerings in the Caribbean. Fantastic news for all involved. It was also covered in Startups Magazine. You can read the full article by following the link in this post. https://lnkd.in/eNVZGrDB   pirkx has been out and about again, this time at the Fast Growth Icons London 2024 evening. Looks like a brilliant event celebrating the growth and innovation shown by so many amazing businesses - https://lnkd.in/ePykY438   RAD Propulsion announced that Adam Mills from Flow Marine Ltd has joined its sales team. With his successful background in business development within the #marine sector, he's a fantastic addition to the team. https://lnkd.in/eisAcryk   And finally, John Oliver was representing Vala at the well-organised Vision Independent Financial Planning Ltd conference at the fascinating Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Lots of great conversations and excellent to be working with the advisers at Vision IFP.   That's all for this week folks! Hopefully the wet weather has passed and you all enjoy some sunshine and rest over the long bank holiday weekend.   Team Vala   #sustainableinvestments #venturecapital #EIS #portfolionews  

Do you like SPACE? Do you want to become and ENGINEER? Are you an aspiring ENTREPRENEUR? Does SPACE EXPLORATION pique your interest? If any of these apply to you, you might be interested in the Space Entrepreneur Summer Academy (SESA)! A 3-week summer program meant to introduce high school students to the basics of space exploration development and entrepreneurship! Follow us for more information and future updates!

Do you shake your head when you pass the location you missed out on? Oh man, you never forget. Kind of like a classic car you came across that was the deal you didn't realize, but you checked back and its SOLD. Later that week, you see it at the car show with the new owner. Ugh!!! #startups #businessopportunity #selfstorage #franchiseopportunities #investmentopportuntiies #selfstoragefranchise #storageauthority #realestatedevelopment #franchise #retirementplanning #residualincome #selfstoragedevelopment #retirement #money https://lnkd.in/gPWKuQtW

In a way, CTP and CTPSci are/is already a '#global phenomenon' (https://t.co/DdGZDmJ58D) and has an adjusted #TAM and #PMF demanded by millions to fit. Many #startups cannot say this of themselves at inception phase and #preseed. CTP's going '#mainstream' will be an event unto itself. #deeptech #deeptechstartups #UFOtruth #UAPtruth #UFOs/#UAPs are #CTPcraft