The Agenda
Our team is currently liaising with a number of scale-up businesses, inviting only the best to attend a full day of showcases, networking and discussions at Greyfriars Hall, Virgin Hotel, Edinburgh on 23rd October.
Timings.
Investors and scale ups will be given the chance to connect during networking sessions throughout the day, and further discussions can continue at our drinks reception after the formal proceedings.
Agenda - 23 October, 2024
09:00 – 10:00
Registration and Networking Breakfast
10:00 – 10:15
Welcome and Introduction - Irene Graham, OBE
We are delighted to welcome Irene as the day’s Chair. A former senior banker at Standard Chartered Bank where she held both European and global managing director roles, she set up, ran and scaled several of the bank’s key client and product businesses across its corporate and institutional bank and led several global M&A activities.
She led a host of strategic work across the industry from the regulatory and business perspectives, including leading the Business Finance Taskforce set up by the CEOs of the UK banks which resulted in the creation of the BGF, the Enterprise Research Centre, the SME Finance Monitor, and Mentorsme as well as being responsible for new export and business policy initiatives including the Small Business Act, expanded UKEF products and Open Banking which Irene advised Government and industry upon. She is a Visiting Professor of Entrepreneurship at Strathclyde University and holds a variety of non-executive director and advisory roles across the creative, business and finance communities.
Irene Graham, OBE Scale Up Institute
10:15 – 10:45
In conversation with Myles Stephenson, CEO, Modulr
Myles Stephenson founded Modulr in 2015 to revolutionise inefficient payment processes. Since then, the firm successfully raised over £140m from the likes of Frog Capital, Blenheim Chalcot, PayPal Ventures, & General Atlantic. How did they do it and what where the challenges along the way – and where are they in their scaling roadmap.
Bob Hair, Moderator Regional Head, Cazenove
Myles Stephenson, CEO, Modulr
10:45 -11:15
Setting the Scene for Scale Up Investment - Market Analysis
Henry leads Beauhurst’s research and consultancy, and is an expert on equity finance and high-growth business. He has worked on briefs for clients including Barclays, Syndicate Room, Innovate UK, Smith & Williamson and the British Business Bank. Henry regularly gives presentations on finance and market trends at events around the country. In this session he will provide market analysis on the Scottish Scale up scene.
Henry Whorwood, Managing Director, Beauhurst
11:15 - 12:00
Networking Session
12:00 - 13:00
Sector Showcase - Greentech
Scotland is leading the way in green tech innovation. From energy solutions in solar, wind and wave to green ecosystem solutions across multiple sectors, Scotland punches above its weight when it comes to innovation and activity in the space. In this showcase we’ll hear from three of the leading scale-ups in the sector.
Iain Atkinson (Moderator)
Director, Renewables - Eden Scott
Mark Simmers CEO, Celtic Renewables
Andrew Bissell CEO, Sunamp
Simon Tricker CDO, Urban Tide
Robert Hokin
Managing Partner, Greenbackers Investment Capital
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch
14:00 - 15:00
Investing for Scale
In this panel session we’ll hear from several active VC investors involved with scale-up investment and take an audience Q&A.
Gillian Bowditch, Moderator Columnist & Commentator, Sunday Times
Shane Gallwey Managing Director, Guinness Ventures
Mike Reid Senior Partner, Frog Capital
Dr Natalia Blagburn Portfolio Director, Mercia Asset Management
Simon Comer Investment Director, Scottish National Investment Bank
15:00 - 15:30
Relevant for CEOs, CFOs and COO, Shane Corstorphine draws on his experience of working with scale-ups to highlight the “Three essential pillars for scaling companies”. He’ll give tangible and actionable solutions to help you scale your business as well as address questions from the audience.
The Three Pillars of Scaling
Shane Corstorphine Founder, Now Scale It
15:30 - 16:00
Coffee Break
16:00 - 16:45
The art of selling into and scaling-up with big industry customers
In this panel session we’ll hear from various companies about their scale-up experience and interaction with large corporate customers and how to scale-up these relationships
Natasha McKenzie, Moderator, CEO, Talisman Sparro
Jacqui McLaughlin CEO, Reactec
Elspeth Coates - Gibson CCO, Appointedd
16:45 - 17:15
Going Global - Fireside Chat
For companies seeking investment from big VCs they will need to go global, since investment tends to follow U.S. or global commercialization and operational expansion. So, how do they go about it without breaking the budget or making mistakes.
In this fireside chat, we’ll hear from a founder who looked to international expansion and how that move impacted the business and why the US is dominating in international investment in Scotland.
Tracey Ginn, Moderator Head of US & UK Corporate, MBM Commercial
Daniel Rodgers, President & Founder, Qikserve
17:15 - 17:30
Wrap Up
17:30 - 19:00
Drinks Reception
We invite attendees to join your colleagues to relax after a high-octane day with some drinks and nibbles in the Courtyard.
* Please note, this running order is subject to change