Suss Ventures, Sussex Innovation’s new investment-matching service, has confirmed a full calendar of investment pitch days and quarterly investor conferences for 2020 and 2021. The schedule will bring together the South East’s most scaleable companies and active investors to supercharge fast-growing businesses, despite COVID- 19’s threat to the economy.

The investment brokerage, conceived by Laurence Grant, Sussex Innovation’s new Head of Investment Projects, has been borne out of the South East’s lack of infrastructure to source investment for ambitious and fast- growing companies. To prevent prolific talent and progressive companies from making an exodus to London, Suss Ventures’ vows to become the home of investment for purpose and profit- driven founders within the South East region and beyond.

Since its inception in November 2019, Suss Ventures has successfully screened over 500 companies; engaged 50 active investors; contracted 30 qualifying investment opportunities; and hosted four successful events and online conferences to match

fundraisers with investors. To date, a total of £37m in private investments has been identified for companies who are successful in their pitches to the Suss Ventures Investor Network.

On the most recent pitch event, Bill Morrow, the Founder of Angel’s Den, Europe and Asia’s largest angel network, said “I have to say, I attend a lot of these events, and I found it absolutely stunning. The curation of

the deals was really great. There was a huge mix of different companies. Each one of the businesses had real merit and gave me a lot of food for thought.”

“One of the great things about Suss Ventures is that it’s based in Croydon and Sussex. The areas are so under- represented in the entrepreneurial scene. There are a lot of incredibly good companies here who don’t get the opportunity to meet with investors, and so I’m very pleased to be playing a very small part in Suss Ventures.”

Kicking off on September 24th, and every quarter thereafter, Suss Ventures will be inviting a total of 15 fundraisers to a virtual pitch event via Zoom. A selection of hand-picked private and institutional investors will make up the audience, with a pitch and Q&A slot allocated for each scale-up enterprise. Introductions between investors and founders will follow successful pitches on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants from both the private and academic sectors are welcome, and Sussex Innovation is willing to support all registered entrants

with business support, funding, and consultancy wherever possible. The investment brokerage benefits from an experienced team of 37-staff members at Sussex Innovation who offer in-depth research, graduate support, and bespoke consultancy to qualifying companies.

Nick Begley, CEO of Psychological Technologies, a company which has successfully raised over £1.5m in investment, stated “Suss Ventures has provided a great opportunity to meet investors and pitch. It’s been a great experience and Laurence has been very efficient. The whole process has been streamlined and is very easy, and I can highly recommend working with them.”

As well as welcoming new investment opportunities, Suss Ventures is also inviting first-time and experienced investors to the Suss Ventures Investor Network. As an investor-lead enterprise, Suss Ventures bases its investment scouting efforts on the common criteria of its members. At present, the network of more than 50 investors has shown a preference towards revenue-generating Seed and Pre-Series A companies in the B2B and SaaS sectors, with a broader interest in companies that can prove a demand and traction in their chosen market.

Each quarter, the Suss Ventures Investor Network and its partners are brought together, either virtually or in

person, to network with other investors and professionals, review the overall progress of Suss Ventures, put forward co-investment opportunities, and most importantly, get to know the existing investmentopportunitiescontractedby the Suss Ventures team.

Full information on the investor conferences and pitch events is available upon request from Suss Ventures’ Founder Laurence Grant, or Account Manager Jamila Campbell– Allen.

WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?

If you are an innovator seeking finance to grow, or a private or professional investor looking for new investment opportunities in the South East, contact Suss Ventures to arrange an exploratory meeting. The Sussex Innovation network comprises an active portfolio of more than 200 innovative technologies, products and services in a wide variety of sectors.

To get involved, complete our member forms at sussventures.sinc.co.uk Email laurence.grant@sinc.co.uk or jamila.campbell@sinc.co.uk