150 science and technology founders and senior management from start-ups, spin-outs, and SMEs in Oxfordshire gathered at Oxford University’s prestigious Natural History Museum for the Exit Right 2024 funding matrix event held on 3 October.
Hosted by The Oxford Trust, Oxford Innovation Space, and Barclays Eagle Labs, the evening provided local businesses with valuable insights on how to best secure investment through Oxfordshire's funding matrix.
The Exit Right 2024 event featured a distinguished panel of funding and investment experts. With a full lecture hall, attendees were provided with knowledge and resources on funding to help their ventures grow and thrive.
Jim Wilkinson, chief financial officer from Oxford Science Enterprises, a billion-pound investment company, shared his insights alongside Rebecca Todd of Longwall Ventures, an Oxford-based investment firm.
The panel was further enhanced by Richard Cooper from Oxford Innovation Finance, Emily Syed who represented Parkwalk Advisors, the leading growth EIS fund manager and Sakura Holloway from Future Planet Capital, an impact-led venture capital firm.
Donmienne Leung from AbbVie, the pharmaceutical and development company, discussed corporate venturing, while Mohammad Sadiq from Active Needle, the precision needle targeting company, provided valuable insights as to how they secured funding for their medical device company and the power of networking.
Sarah Haywood, managing director of Advanced Oxford, the research and advocacy organisation that supports Oxfordshire’s innovation and economic growth, opened the evening with a preview of their latest investment landscape report and ways in which the investment base can grow, diversify and support the county’s innovation companies and entrepreneurs.
The panellists were challenged with several questions on funding start-ups and spin outs: What makes a blockbuster proposition? What are the main reasons for a funding rejection? How should a company find the perfect investor for them? This sparked a lively debate between panellists and a Q&A session from the floor.
The panel session was followed by a networking session with drinks and canapes in the magnificent Main Court where company founders and directors could follow up with alternative funders which included Barclays Demo Directory, Innovate UK Business Growth, and British Business Bank.
Nicki Campling, director of innovation & operations, The Oxford Trust said: “This was our third Exit Right event which this year brought together the impressive line-up of experts which made the event a valuable learning experience for all attendees. The Oxford Trust and our partners are committed to supporting innovation across our region. We hope this event has given start-ups and spinouts an insight into attracting funding, a key requirement for any fledgling business, and will help more businesses to thrive, scale and make a lasting impact. We had a fantastic response to the event and look forward to Exit Right 2025!”
University of Oxford entrepreneur, Netzahualcoyotl Hrenan-dez-Cruz, who is developing the ‘ultrablanket’ to automate the scanning process said: “I learned a lot from the panellists at the Exit Right event this evening. They were really insightful about how to select an investor, how best to present your idea and how important it is to be resilient as funding a start-up is not a straightforward process. It was helpful for a company at the very early stages like mine.”
Exit Right 2024 was proudly sponsored by Freeths, Bidwells, and Richardsons.
Malin Svanberg Larsson, partner, Freeths added: “We were thrilled with the turnout and the level of engagement from our attendees. The event was designed to equip business owners and investors with the tools and insights they need to make informed decisions about their growth and exit strategies. We believe the discussions and connections made here will have a lasting impact on the success of their ventures.”