Charlotte Van Reyk

Thanks to The Quoted Companies Alliance(QCA) who invited me as a guest on their Growth Capital Podcast recently to discuss the interesting topic of ‘Public or Private?’. James Ashton, Ray Anderson and I discussed timings for founders to go public and how the stock market could increase its appeal so that more entrepreneurs take the plunge. I emphasised the need to give people the confidence to succeed, whether public or private. I also shared some of my personal experience about how we’ve successfully helped smaller companies to scale and grow, setting growth agendas for 6–7 years and working with them towards entering the public market. In this episode we covered key topics such as: · funding gaps, venture capital and how we could use the UK tax system to incentivise businesses · what motivates companies to turn to overseas investment · long-term planning and what the components of the journey to success look like · why some companies would rather stay private than going public – and the benefits of doing that, such as taxation. It was great to hear the thoughts of Ray Anderson; he has more than 30 years’ experience in starting, growing and selling businesses, and is executive chair and founder of Bango. Listen here https://lnkd.in/eseWiqrK #GrowthCapital #PublicVsPrivate #Entrepreneurship

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Great webinar with FT Live on the Global M&A Outlook in the EMEA Region. There is a feel of the optimism in EMEA’s M&A landscape, with private equity leading the charge and valuations on the rise. Geopolitical certaintly, growth agenda, and interest rates certainly will provide confidence in the market, therefore, the future is looking really good. #wheredealsaremade #privateequity #mergers

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Can we harness the full potential of digital transformation by building trust? In the latest issue of Orient Magazine, Daisy R., Vice President Operations of EVYD Technology, tells us that trust is key to driving digital transformation. Daisy, who is also chair of the Chamber’s tech committee, stresses the importance of getting regulation, cybersecurity, digital literacy, and ethical AI right. These are critical foundations for building a trustworthy digital future in Singapore and across Asia. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/3M6gioI #DigitalTransformation #Cybersecurity #AI #DigitalLiteracy #OrientMagazine

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Very proud to see the WVC:E dream team - Anisah Osman Britton MBE & Rachel Drapper - alongside long time friend and rockstar Ekaterina Gianelli on stage at TechBBQ discussing "Fixing the Talent Exodus in VC". Key Takeaways: 💰Impact of Consolidation on Culture and Talent: The ongoing consolidation in the VC industry is reshaping company culture, affecting morale, and influencing talent. 🚀Emerging Managers Aren’t Diversifying VC: Despite the rise of emerging managers, the industry remains largely homogenous, with many new managers still coming from the same traditional, non-diverse backgrounds. ⚠️Perceptions of Diversity as High Risk: Many in the VC industry continue to view diverse hires, investments, and business models as "high risk," "too time-consuming," or "too costly," perpetuating a cycle of exclusion. 🚼 Parental Leave Inequality: Inequities in parental leave policies are disproportionately affecting women in venture, creating additional barriers to progression. But there are funds, investors, LPs and organisations (like us!) that are trying to change this!

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"Funding Collapse sends investment in start-ups to six year low" The Times today covering the shocking stats that VenturePath uncovered, with our partner Beauhurst. Great quotes from supporters Michael Moore CEO, BVCA and Julian David CEO, techUK. * UK VC funding at Series A is -44% from last year, and worsening * Q3 24 is down a staggering 57% from Q2, itself down from Q1 * 9 in 10 seed funded startups cannot access Series A VC funding, the next 'rung on the funding ladder' * Just 32 future scaleup companies across the whole of the UK were able to access their first VC funding round in Q3...a 6 year low * Half a billion less capital is going in to UK scaleups at Series A, than just 2 years ago! As the UK scaleup funding gap widens, we are losing ground against other countries, at both startup stage (a position the UK worked hard to achieve, since 2011), and for scaleup support. OECD data: 13th in the world for scaleup support, and that's before Series A funding access dried up. I get that its confusing. Another report (BBB, Nations & Regions) released this week spoke of positive trends in private investment, stating "The data for Q2 2024 shows that investment value has continued to grow". Great, I love to see optimistic data. But under analysis that bundles venture with private equity (later stage), where a few megadeals skew the numbers. Otherwise the exact opposite is true. Our independent research here, for the UK ScaleUp Investment Mission, is laser beam focussed on Series A. The funding round where companies move from the c.1m startups launched each year, through the 2,179 that access seed funding, into the rarefied category of being recognised as future scaleups, attracting Series A funding (£2-10m). The UK venture landscape is currently funding just 248 pa of these companies, and declining. We've been sharing this urgent call for support with the new Government since the day after the election. I've personally met with several Ministers, and spoke to all the relevant Government departments. I will shamelessly repeat loudly what is at stake. UK scaleup funding at Series A has nearly halved in a year, and continues to decline steeply, more than halving in the last quarter. VenturePath developed The UK ScaleUp Investment Mission to convene the scaleup support ecosystem and £7bn of funders to help address this problem, to improve nationwide access to VC investment, and create more venture-backed successes. We have clear support, clear recommendations to reverse this decline in UK scaleup investment, and have made a clear ask of Government for participation in this, to ensure immediate action is taken to create the conditions for success for UK scaleups, ensuring the focus on growth isn't undermined by lack of capital, or equitable access to it. Government decision makers, we'd love your interest, to progress to action. HM Treasury: Rt Hon Rachel Reeves Spencer Livermore James Murray & CC Poppy Gustafsson (welcome to the debate).

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6 huge wins from 2024 at BoardOutlook 1. London office opens, we win a big chunk of the FTSE100 in year 1 🏆 🇬🇧 2. Major client wins in US, HK, Dubai increase our global presence 🇦🇪🇭🇰🇺🇸 3. Incredible partner set - many of the world’s most trusted global consulting brands 🤝 4. AICD partnership launches 🚀 5. Big product innovation - AI changes everything, new intuitive reporting 🤖 6. Team growth - from 10 to 25 in four cities across the world 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️🙋

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If there is one thing we have access to, it is off-market deal flow... ... by virtue of our member's access to 35,000+ boardrooms. They advise a significant number of private companies who are hiring non-executives to help formulate strategic plans (In our annual survey, 85% reported that they were hired for "exit planning"). Later this week, we launch VNXD DealDirect - a platform integration to help our chairs and non-executives connect with M&A Advisers as well as buyers (including Family Office, PE and Trade). Here is another sneak preview of the platform coming together (it is not the finished article, but you certainly get the idea!) Interested? DM me. #Virtualnonexecs #Offmarket #DealFlow #VNXDDealDirect

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In a thought piece for CFA UK, Main Set Founder and Managing Partner Ioto Iotov explores diversity (or the lack thereof) in the VC Industry. He draws on the research from Sophie Calder-Wang and Paul Gompers at Harvard Business School, Diversity VC, Elizabeth Edwards, Jonathan Hollis from Mountside Ventures, Stonewall and the British Business Bank. Find the link to the report in the comments. #investing #CFA #diversity #responsibleinvesting

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"There's a lot of investment going in the area - and we can utilise that to drive further opportunities - and further investment." Here's the highlights from the Insider Media Private Equity roundtable last week - where our Strategy & Data Director Rowan Grobler spoke about how investment is driven by relationships and narrative. We've uploaded the full video over on our recently published Private Equity page on our website - take a look: https://lnkd.in/eUjWPEjv #privateequity #insider #dealmakers #transactions

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🌱 Looking to Connect with Leading VCs and Early-Stage Investors? 🌱 At Virtualnonexecs, we don;t only work with PE firms - we are also proud to be working with some of the UK’s most active early-stage investors to help them find the top board advisors and chairs who can drive impact. If you're a non-executive or chair looking to connect with the heart of the startup ecosystem, take note of the names below. Here are 10 of the UK's most active early-stage investors and the incredible numbers that back them: 1. Octopus Ventures - Backed 100+ startups, with a portfolio value of over £1.3 billion. 2. Seedcamp - Over 400 startups funded, including unicorns like Revolut and TransferWise 3. LocalGlobe - Invested in 300+ startups across deep tech and fintech. 4. Playfair - Early backer of companies like Stripe and Anduril. 5. Passion Capital - Early investor in Monzo Bank, managing £100M+ in assets. 6. Ascension - Over 100 startups backed with a focus on social impact and fintech. 7. Frontline Ventures - Backed 80+ startups across Europe with a key focus on B2B. 8. MMC Ventures - £500M+ under management, supporting 60+ innovative growth companies. 9. Balderton Capital - Invested in 220+ startups with notable exits like THG. 10. Entrepreneur First - 500+ startups built, including companies now worth over $10 billion collectively. ✅ To join Virtualnonexecs: https://lnkd.in/eXBj687 ✅ If you are a VC or company looking to hire: https://lnkd.in/d3na7CEC #NonExecutiveDirectors #Chairs #VentureCapital #Startups #Virtualnonexecs #BoardRoles #Leadership #BusinessGrowth

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Very much looking forward to joining the discussion and sharing the importance of embedded finance within our products. Embedded finance has the potential to revolutionise customer experience across a number of verticals, offering unparalleled convenience to keep up with evolving consumer expectations. #FTTEmFin #FintechTalents #embeddedfinance

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On the 20th of Nov, 🌵Dan Archer and I will host a Founders Round Table dinner in London. Our main topics of discussion will be profitable growth going into 2025 and building a healthy pipeline through marketing. Dan, we will provide some context around his growth survey data. If you are reviewing your agency's growth strategy for next year and would like to have a conversation with us and fellow agency founders over dinner, follow the link below to book your spot. We look forward to seeing you there. https://lnkd.in/eUagwQR3 #agencyfounders #agencyleadership #agencylife #agencyowners #profitability #cactus

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A few reflections on last week's Budget, from me, and a bunch of our fabulous FieldHouse Associates' clients. https://lnkd.in/exrefrpt #tech #innovation #investment #venturecapital #startups #scaleups #regulation #government #PR #publicaffairs #consultancy

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Election Insight: With the #UKGeneralElection imminent, we've dissected the tech pledges of the 3 main parties. It's clear: businesses crave robust tech regulation, AI support, and a global stance on tech opportunities and risks. https://lnkd.in/dRycRruR

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🇬🇧 Founders: Ready to protect what you’ve built? 💡 If you’re heading into a funding round or planning your next big move, your valuation can make or break your equity position. On 27th November at The Ministry Borough, London, we’re running a one-hour session on the strategies that help founders attract investors - while keeping control in their own hands. 🕒 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM 🔗 Grab your free ticket here: https://hubs.li/Q02W8rJn0 No fluff, just real insights for founders who want to grow without losing their edge. See you there? 😀

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CCLA Investment Management today publishes its annual Find it, Fix it, Prevent it report outlining progress made by investors to combat modern slavery in company supply chains. Since its launch in 2019, the Find it, Fix it, Prevent it collaboration has become a unique and influential coalition of investors using their leverage to help companies find, fix, and prevent modern slavery in their supply chains. 

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Matt Penneycard, Founding Partner at Ada Ventures shared his views with UKTN on the talent incentives Government must embrace to create scale-up Britain 👇 Head to the comments to read the article on UKTN and let us know your thoughts👇 As the UK continues to solidify its position as a fertile ground for start-ups, it's imperative that we shift our focus from simply incubating these businesses to empowering them to scale up and thrive on UK soil. The success of our start-ups should not be characterised by relocation or acquisition by overseas entities, but rather by sustained growth, public listings, and profitability right here at home. To achieve this, it is crucial for the new Government to introduce measures that incentivise founders to stay and build their businesses in the UK. This includes creating a growth-friendly fiscal environment by expanding tax incentives for high-growth businesses and improving the accessibility of Research and Development (R&D) tax credits. We must ensure that founders are not only encouraged to start their businesses in the UK but also to see them through to successful exits within the country. Attracting global talent is also pivotal to nurturing a strong scale-up market. I propose the introduction of a 'Scaling Talent Visa' targeted at top-tier C-suite professionals with experience scaling unicorns, inviting them to bring their expertise to the UK. This initiative sends a clear message that the UK values the tech market and is eager to host the world's best entrepreneurial minds. Furthermore, revamping investment structures, such as expanding and extending the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme and addressing the capital gap for mid-sized funds, is essential to fuelling the pipeline of innovative start-ups and preventing them from seeking investment overseas. Ultimately, the UK needs to champion an entrepreneurial culture without limits, one that celebrates high-growth entrepreneurship and encourages founders to aim higher without having to look further afield. It's time for the Government to lead the charge in fostering an environment where start-ups not only survive but thrive, ultimately contributing to the growth and success of the UK economy. Let's create a "scale-up Britain" that truly supports and retains its high-growth businesses. #ScaleUpUK #Entrepreneurship #TechEcosystem

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A masterclass in private markets. A guest who has seen it all joined the latest Alt Goes Mainstream podcast. We welcomed HgT Chairman of the Board Jim Strang to the show and school was in session. Jim is a deeply experienced private equity professional who has been part of the industry as a GP, LP, investor, consultant, and now a teacher, board member, and advisor to a number of firms, including most recently as MD & Chairman EMEA Hamilton Lane and now as an advisor to CVC Capital Partners, Bain & Company, Pictet Group Alternative Advisors. Jim and I had a fascinating conversation about the evolution of private markets and what the future holds for large and small funds alike, as well as LPs. We discussed: * The step function changes that take private markets from $15T to $30T of AUM. * Why traditional asset managers may struggle to replicate the capabilities of alternative asset managers in private markets. * The importance of partnerships having a clear ambition and alignment if they want to build a scaled platform. * The challenges that managers in the middle face as large platforms and specialist managers are the differentiated firms in the eyes of LPs. * Why GPs need to find innovative solutions to address the needs of different types of investors. * Why building a strong brand is crucial to success in the wealth channel. Thanks Jim for sharing your wisdom and experience on private markets. We also welcome our new sponsor to Alt Goes Mainstream. We are thrilled to announce Ultimus Fund Solutions as podcast sponsor. This episode is brought to you by Ultimus Fund Solutions, a leading full-service fund administrator for asset managers in private and public markets. As private markets continue to move into the mainstream, the industry requires infrastructure solutions that help funds and investors keep pace. To assist with these challenging opportunities, more and more fund sponsors and asset managers are turning to Ultimus, a leading service provider that blends high tech and high touch in unique and customized fund administration and middle office solutions for a diverse and growing universe of over 450 clients and 1,800 funds, representing $500 billion assets under administration, all handled by a team of over 1,000 professionals. https://lnkd.in/eJ_enGzQ

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Some exciting news: our board advisor, Martin D. Adams, will be speaking at the Tech Nation Founders Forum in the UK this week, on the 12th September. This event is specifically focused on the Future Fifty; it includes 150 leaders of growing late-stage ventures to IPO and beyond. Martin D. Adams will be imparting his wisdom on one of the most talked about areas within business: Artificial Intelligence. He'll share his view on the anticipated advancements within AI and discuss how start-ups and scale-ups can effectively invest in this transformative technology. The UK tech industry employs over 3 million people, with a combined market value of $1 trillion. Much of that value is created by companies who have been through the Future Fifty. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/d-Rdp3j #AI #tech #futurefifty #transformation #investment

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