The Tech City Launchpad campaign aimed to stimulate digital and creative industries in London's Tech City area by providing £2 million in matching funds to 20 selected companies. Over 200 companies applied through video applications and pitching events, with finalists meeting investors. The campaign used an interactive website and video profiles to promote companies. It generated significant media coverage and engaged networks of venture capitalists and angels. Insights from successful applicants showed the campaign effectively connected early-stage companies to funding and collaboration opportunities.

1. Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review v2.1
Huw Jones, Technology Strategy Board
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

2. Campaign Mission &
Outcomes
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

3. Campaign Mission
• Stimulate the digital and creative
industries centred in the ‘Tech City’ area of
London & enable these companies to
move faster towards commercial success.
• Develop a creative and engaging
acquisition campaign that will acquire the
best of the UK’s companies interested in
growing within the ‘Tech City’ area
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

4. Campaign Outcomes
• 20 companies selected for funding – each receiving a slice of £2m in match-
funding
• Round 3 event
– Final 40 pitching – 2 mins each
– 254 registrants, 214 attendees; inc 145 vc/angel or funding
intermediaries
– Creation of final 40 company director (online and hardcopy)
– Creation of ‘meet me’ boards
– Creation of post-event networking ‘sticky world’
• Media outcomes
• Round 2 – paper based down select process – final 40, and top 20 identified
• Round 1 – Video application stage – 221 applications. All viewable/rateable
on _connect https://connect.innovateuk.org/web/tech-city-launchpad-
1/overview
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

5. Campaign Insights:
creative and performance
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

6. Campaign Launch Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAWpiffDX
2I&feature=related
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

7. Campaign Website on _connect
https://connect.innovateuk.org/web/tech-city-launchpad-1
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

8. Example applicant videos
• Video uploaded to
YouTube
• Embed code used on
_connect website
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

9. Round 3 – Funders’ Workshop event
“Meet me”
“Fund me” –
40, 8 and 2
min project
pitches to
audience Project directory – “read about me”
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

10. Customer perspectives
“Despite the (at times) gruelling process, we'd recommend the Technology Strategy
Board for anyone looking to get some government backing for their projects. Now
it's time for us to chase those leads and secure the rest of the match funding.
Fingers crossed!” Dagmara from Clearer Partners
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

11. Profile directory – print
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

12. Post-event collaboration
http://stickyworld.com/
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

13. Profile directory –
online collaboration space
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

14. Example media coverage
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

15. Campaign web traffic insight
Deadline for videos to be uploaded Funders’ Workshop Event
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

16. Who’s referring site traffic?
Entrance Sources: /web/tech-city-launchpad-1
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

17. Where did you hear about?
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

18. Applicant demographics
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

19. Example Company
Pitch Slides – 8 minutes
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

20. FundingOptions
Price comparison in small business lending
Conrad Ford
Conrad@FundingOptions.com
+44(0)7740707235
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

21. About me Clearlybusiness
PBT £m
17
Currently an interim executive with a firm
12
whose technology is seen here.
Previously COO of Clearlybusiness,
(Deloitte ‘Fast 500 EMEA’ member). 7
Built the UK’s leading credit 4
management service by client numbers.
1
Chartered Management Accountant
(CIMA); ~10 years in financial services. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

22. Small business lending is a substantial
market: ~£800m p.a. in interest GP alone
No. Term
500k
Loans
(Illustrative only)
Average
£80k
Loan Size
Net Interest
~£800m
GP
Addressable
Interest GP ~£200m
2% Annually
Margin
Average
~4 yrs
Term
Sources: BBA & BoE (2011)
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

23. It’s also notably uncompetitive: 4x more likely
to get a term loan from main bank than a rival
Tendency to use main bank for financing needs, %
Term loans
100%
With
75%
another
bank
50% 98%
80% 80%
25% 47% With main
24% bank
0%
Overdrafts Credit cards for Commercial Invoice Leasing & hire-
business loans & Finance & purchase
purposes mortgages Stock finance
Source: Warwick Business School (2009)
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

24. Two notable advantages for the small
businesses’ main bank
Access to client bank account
data, the primary decision tool
Local relationship with client
via the branch network
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

25. Ability to generate financials (including
bank data) from accounting software
Data extracted directly from small business accounting software (e.g. Sage or QuickBooks)
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

26. Accountants are a nationwide
channel, more trusted than banks
Most trusted source of support & advice Nationwide launch partner identified
•Hundreds of their accountant clients
surveyed on FundingOptions.
No •50% of survey respondents would like to
Advice Account
-ant or take part in a FundingOptions trial.
Auditor
Bank
Manage
Other r
Source: Warwick Business School (2009)
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

27. High-level proposition flow
1 2 3
“The precise
“Quotes from a range of “Quotes from all finance
information required by
leading finance providers in a standard
finance providers for
providers ... get the very format... easily review
them to ...quote with
best terms” them with my clients”
confidence”
IMPORT ADD PLAN & CHOOSE (TRACK COMPARE PROGRESS
ADVISOR
FINANCIALS CONTEXT LENDERS STATUS) QUOTES WITH QUOTE
ACCEPT (5 WORKING DAYS) PROVIDE FULFIL
LENDERS
REQUEST QUOTE QUOTE
REFERRAL SUCCESS FEE
AS A % OF LOAN VALUE
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

28. Illustrative financial profile & external factors
0% share 2% share <5% share
(Note: Money-
Supermarket
P/E = ~50x)
“Skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been”
SageOne & Yodlee ‘Rainbow’ Account
QB Online APIs & ‘Verde’ Portability
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

29. How I intend to deliver, & where I am now
DELIVERY PLANS CURRENT STATUS
• Phase I “Prove Concept” Area Status
– Low cash burn & lead times.
– ~£400k seed funding. Infrastructure Managed sub-lease agreed
Team 3 at launch, 2 in holding
• Phase II “Grow Quickly”
– Spend to maximise growth. Platform MoU in place
– ‘Series A’-scale funding. Distribution Launch partner agreed
Investment ~£300k raised (including TSB)
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

30. Why FundingOptions, & what am I seeking?
Why invest in FundingOptions? What am I seeking?
• Attractive target market • Investors/mentors with:-
– Large high margin market – Domain knowledge.
– Tech & regulatory ‘tailwind’ – Industry contacts.
• Decent chance of execution – Valuable hands-on skills.
– Defined revenue model
– Known platform & distribution
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

31. Resources & citations
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review

32. Resources and citations
• Tech hub winners –Clearer partners:Framblast
– http://www.techhub.com/magazine/read/techhub-residents-win-techcity-launchpad_183.html
• Tech hub winners – Contentment: Padify
• http://blog.getcontentment.com/2011/08/11/announcement-weve-been-awarded-tech-city-
launchpad-funding/
• Tech City Launchpad doubled to £2 million
• http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/news/business-news/1640238/tech-city-launchpad-
doubled-to-2-million.thtml
• Innovative digital businesses in London’s Tech City given opportunity to pitch to leading
investors
• http://www.techcityuk.com/2011/08/news-innovative-digital-businesses-in-
london%E2%80%99s-tech-city-given-opportunity-to-pitch-to-leading-investors/
• Technology Strategy Board plans series of launchpad investment events to boost UK’s tech
start-ups
• http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240105331/Technology-Strategy-Board-plans-
series-of-launchpad-investment-events-to-boost-UKs-tech-start-ups
• Tech City: Britain’s answer to Silicon Valley
• http://ukbusinessblog.co.uk/?p=816
Tech City Launchpad
Campaign Review