Getting Investment Ready with Innovate UK Business Growth team

Raising investment can feel confusing, time-consuming and, at times, disillusioning. This Createch Frontiers Business Clinic cuts through the noise to help creative and createch businesses understand what investability really means and whether investment is the right route for them right now.

Led by the Innovate UK Business Growth team at Coventry, this practical and honest session will explore the realities of the UK investment landscape and what investors are actually looking for. You will gain clarity on how to prepare, where to focus your time, and how to approach investors with confidence and efficiency.

This session is for Creative and createch founders exploring investment for the first time, and Founders preparing to speak to investors and refine their pitch

This will be a grounded and honest discussion designed to help you manage expectations, avoid common pitfalls and build a credible path to funding.

Key takeaways

By the end of the session, you will:

• Understand the reality of investment and how it works in practice
• Be clear on whether debt, equity or alternative funding is right for your business
• Know what investors expect and how to prepare for those conversations
• Have a clearer, sharper 30-second elevator pitch
• Understand the key components of investment readiness, and where your gaps are

What we will cover

• An introduction to the UK investment landscape: what funding pots are really out there
• Debt funding vs equity funding - what they are, when they make sense and the trade-offs
• What investors look for when assessing “investability”
• How to build and leverage an effective investment network
• Refining your 30-second elevator pitch
• The investment readiness checklist: what you need in place before you raise
• Discussion on the Investor Partnership initiative
• What the Innovate UKs Innovation Loan programme is and how you can access

About the facilitators

Ashreen Seethal is an experienced Senior Innovation and Growth Specialist for Innovate UK, accelerating the trajectory of SMEs from high-growth to scale-up and internationalisation. In this role, she has secured over £9m worth of grant funding and investment for businesses, led the development of Innovate UK’s national investment readiness programme, and delivered three Global Business Innovation Programmes with the Netherlands, Norway, and Germany.

Her previous roles include Head of Investment Opportunities for a disruptive FCA-regulated fintech company, where she led on deal origination, due diligence, and business analysis. Ashreen has also had an extensive career in Economic Development, facilitating innovation, growth, and productivity of businesses, influencing local and national policy drivers for employment and skills, and strengthening UK trade links with China and Germany. She is passionate about inclusive innovation, sustainability, and female entrepreneurship and leadership.

Gaynor Matthews is an experienced entrepreneur, innovation growth specialist, and business adviser with over 25 years of experience supporting startups and scale-ups. She has co-founded and led companies, driven investment strategy, and helped early-stage businesses refine their operations and attract funding. Gaynor has served as an Innovation Growth Specialist with Innovate UK Business Growth (Innovate UK EDGE Midlands) and previously as a Business Growth Adviser, where she provided practical guidance to entrepreneurs on growth, grants and strategic development. She is also a director of several companies, including myNexus and Counter Culture Group and is passionate about creating a more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem

Sam Larke is an entrepreneur, startup mentor, and early-stage investor passionate about emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. He has started and grown his own businesses, learning from both successes and setbacks and has supported countless other founders on their entrepreneurial journeys. In 2020, Sam made his first tech startup investment and continues to engage with and advise high-growth ventures. He works closely with the UK startup ecosystem through advisory roles, mentoring in accelerator programmes, and fostering connections between founders and investors. Sam’s blend of real-world business experience and forward-looking tech interest fuels his commitment to helping the next generation of innovators succeed.

What Is CreaTech Frontiers?

CreaTech Frontiers is a 5-year £7.2 million project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) establishing a West Midlands CreaTech ecosystem by funding collaborative R&D, supporting business innovation and developing skills and talent. More details: https://createchfrontiers.com/