Ella Markham

🤝 Making Start-Up X Corporate Partnerships Work at London Tech Week The advantages for both are clear. How about building win-win relationships? Takeaways for corporates: - Resources are mismatched: 30 meetings with a startup can kill it - Processes can exclude startups: 3 year supplier onboarding isn’t going to work - Consider publishing requirements: what does good infosec look like? Takeaways for startups: - Know what you want and align early: it might not be available or could unlock earlier when known - Expect hurdles: corporates are under constraints and you will be too e.g. infosec - Understand timescales before starting: be realistic - is this right for you? Thank you for the insights Sahar Meghani, Nichola Bates, Maya Noël, and Ant Barker! Cambridge Future Tech #deeptech #venturebuilding

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Political change is almost here but what does the future hold for UK startups? No one knows for sure, but startups must be a crucial part of any new government's agenda. Thankfully, Dom Hallas and the team at the Startup Coalition have produced a comprehensive Startup Manifesto to guide our new leaders on what needs to be done. With the UK ranking third globally for VC investment, our AI sector valued at £72bn and our ClimateTech sector worth over £26bn, there’s plenty to suggest we're on the right path. But there's so much more to address – across talent, funding, regulation, and innovation. 📈 So that British startups can remain competitive at the forefront of the global tech revolution. 🌍 Have a read of the full manifesto below and do your bit to promote it, so that whoever is in charge on Friday hears about it too. 📢

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I've been humbled many times on my journey in creating CS-X.io, but marketing is one of the things I've found most difficult. I truly never appreciated how much of a skill it is and how difficult it is to master. Shout out to all your marketing folks who make it look easy, when it really isn't! P.S - I'd love some feedback on the stuff I'm posting, I'm doing this entire thing on my own and haven't found a good way of knowing if I'm pointing in the right direction! #customersuccess #saas #marketing #csp

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Moving a music tech startup from a tropical island to the UK nearly 12 months ago was no small feat. But as a firm believer in things happening for a reason, sometimes our instincts lead to informed decisions if we're curious enough to lead from life experience. There truly is a difference between founders who have gone through hell and back with receipts and photo montages to prove it. From growing a startup on a mountain with plantain trees in the back garden, frequent power outages during important calls. Frequent water outages while raising 2 young daughters with very little to live on. All because quitting is not an option, definitely hits different. Maintaining a vision for the music industry with the tech you know without a shadow of a doubt will improve things for creators, is not for the faint of heart. This life isn't easy by any means. I don't recommend it for those who expect everything quickly and easily without literal sacrifice of your mind, body and health. But to those who stand and lean in to the challenge and storms with your eyes on the prize, with an assurance that's indescribable, you are being built up and prepared for something not many will be able to withstand. This comes after years of failure, years of heartache and pain. It comes from years of disappointment and being the underdog. For those built differently, this is where we thrive and emerge out of the rubble with a different type of energy. An energy that attracts and brings assurance to anyone around you. It takes extreme pressure and stress to come out on the other side. But if you can manage to keep going that extra mile, by the time you look back, you've already out walked and outpaced anyone who told you to stop. We've only just begun, and I got my second wind. #founderlife #ceo #entrepreneur #motivation #motivated

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The UK is struggling to scale businesses beyond the start-up phase. Despite our strong start-up culture, the drop in funding to a six-year low is a clear signal that we’re not doing enough to support the next stage of growth. If we want to drive innovation and future-proof our economy, we urgently need to inject substantial new capital into scale-up companies or we’ll lose the next generation of UK-born success stories. Interested - how can we (mainly government) fix it? 🔊 https://lnkd.in/dfUcV8M6

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Welcome to the Scale with Strive podcast, the place where you come to listen to some of the world’s most influential leaders of the SaaS industry. 🚀    Today, we're please to share another exclusive clip from our episode with Jeremey Donovan from Insight Partners.     Incase you missed it, the episode was hosted by Adam Richardson and some of his key takeaways from the conversation were:    💡Breaking down RevOps – What is it? How does it help your business? Why is it important?    💡How to know if you are ready to make your first RevOps hire.    💡What skillsets to look for when making that hire.       🎥 Watch the full episode on our website: https://lnkd.in/e8s7XTxY  🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/e8AfD7ts  🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/ePkMUe3B  Let’s Dive In!  #saassales #revops #heysalespeople #scalewithstrive #podcasts     

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Only 7 days left to, depending on your drive: - Support Jointflows, - Get your hands on some discounted early-days shares of Jointflows. This is how we are currently getting VC intros 🤯: Jointflows allows sales teams to control, accelerate, and win non-linear sales cycles: a $233 billion problem/opportunity just in B2B SaaS. Hockey-stick ARR growth, highly sticky, generating money from expansions, and operating profitably. https://lnkd.in/eQTnKAqE Required legal disclaimer:𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩-𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

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This week we closed a Series A funding round at TALA! And today Sky News called it breaking news 🗣🪐🤯😅 https://lnkd.in/gkNv7bAH I can’t quite believe it’s been three years since starting our first funding round, and in that time since we started the last round TALA has grown tenfold & stayed profitable every single year in an incredibly tough market. As a team we’ve innovated, gone boldly into whole new products, made lots and lots of mistakes (!!) and invested countless hours into making sure we’re never complacent for our customers - and I could not be prouder of us. I got a bit emotional looking back at our previous round’s pitch deck where we reached every single promise we set and over delivered for our shareholders too which I’m really proud of. And let me tell you, because I think it’s important to be transparent, funding rounds are gruelling! It’s taken us 7 months to get this closed, and it’s so far from just signing on the dotted line. When it comes to due diligence there is never a stone in the business unturned, you have to be constantly hitting new targets whilst running the business alongside which is actually the worst thing in the world to be completely honest 😂 It’s like you’re driving down a motorway but also building the car at the same time and also having to make sure the people in the car are doing okay and maybe also feeling car sick. That being said, I will never take this moment for granted. We’re a female-founded business with a female CEO and majority female leadership positions, in a country where just 2% of VC funding in the UK goes to female-founded businesses—so I don't underestimate how statistically almost impossible it is to reach this stage of funding, let alone a business lifecycle. This is a HUGE moment for the team, and we’ll be celebrating in the office this week 🪩 but it also goes so far beyond me. This is a huge thank you to anyone who’s ever interracted with, bought from, worn or talked about TALA. I take the responsibility to build you your ideal clothing company very very seriously, and I’m so honoured to have the opportunity 🤍 Haven’t tried TALA yet? I guess now’s the time to see why we’re rated above all competitors on TrustPilot + why our customers come back for more month after month: wearetala.com

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HR Tech leaders in London, got any plans on 3rd October? 👀 If you're not attending StackOne's SuperConnect launch, then register before it's too late SuperConnect is the premier community event for founders, investors, and operators in HR and People Tech, and it's launching with a bang at a gorgeous Old Street venue This is the place to be if you’re looking to connect with the brightest minds in the industry, make meaningful connections, and discover the latest innovations in HR Tech Whether you're a founder, an investor, or an operator, this event is designed to help you find that connection that can change your business for good 📅 Date: October 3rd, starting with 5:30pm 📍 Location: Old Street, London 🍸 What to expect: 🤝 Networking with top HR Tech founders and leading investors 💬 Inspiring conversations and insights from industry innovators 🍸 An evening of canapés, drinks, and exciting opportunities And yes, food and drinks are on StackOne! 🥂 Don't miss out—save your spot and be part of the inaugural event Link to register in the comments below 👇 #venturecapital #startups #technology #innovation #hrtech #peopletech #futureofwork #entrerpreneurs #entrepreneurship

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Check out these great tips on scaling your #coworking business from Rupert Dean of x+why . Thanks to GCUC UK for giving us the opportunity to

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💼 When it comes to budgets, we love to stay local! Despite the perception that startup success needs intercontinental glitter, Project Brains stands as a testament to the thriving potential of the UK startup scene. Across a global community of thousands, local love fuels our progress - nowhere more so than in matters of budget! 🎩 Hats off to QuickFile Cloud Accounting It is the go-to tool for UK small businesses and freelancers looking to take control of their finances. Quickfile showcases how UK B2B SaaS can empower individuals and businesses alike, playing a pivotal role in the success of Project Brains Future of Work community. 💻💪 And to learn about Future of Finance for SMEs and startups, follow the link below 🕸️🕸️ #Quickfile #Finance #SaaS #FutureOfWork

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A shocking stat came out of this episode. Only 2% of VC funding in the UK goes to female founded businesses! How can we do better? https://lnkd.in/eWjcC6RB

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SOCIAL MEDIA FOR RAISING INVESTMENT I’m getting more and more Founders get in touch to ask how we’ve raised money. It’s tough out there at pre-seed, so I had a look through our 80 investors this morning to look at how we’d got them. All of our investors are individuals. There are 80 of them and all of the deals we’ve done so far have been done directly between us and the investor. 78 of the investors came as a direct result of social media. That’s not to say they all engaged directly on social media, but often a potential investor would get in touch on LinkedIn and then bring three or four others with them. Most have been through LinkedIn, and about 50% are first time investors. We made the investment as accessible as possible, with subscriptions from £2,500 and SEIS/EIS and explaining that to people were game changers for us. Another thing we did was just to tell the story and then just tell people we were raising. We haven’t DM’d potential investors, they have come to us. I think that’s been really key for us. Tell the story and let interested people come to you. We’ve had 4 potential investors contact us through LinkedIn in the last week alone. We have worked hard to build a community too, where investors get the benefit of getting to know each other, to do other deals. We call it the Patch Founders Club. We’ve raised £800k this way. Just £500k to go. Anyone else have other tips?

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Tomorrow at 2 pm I'll be joining Kate Clarke - ACA and Myles Arnott to talk about the role of metrics in driving strategic success. So, whether you're a #SaaS founder, established CEO or Managing Director looking to elevate the performance of your business, join us for actionable insights and a lively discussion! Details in the comment below. #strategy #flywheel #metrics

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Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending Boxseat’s Live EIS Investment Pitch Event in Manchester. Hosted by Roger Wade of Boxfund VC, we got to listen to pitches from 3 leading startups with a purpose: • Maeving (Will Stirrup): Hands down the best looking EV I’ve ever seen. Maeving’s motorcycles promote clean commuting with sleek 1950s design flare, inspired by the likes of BSA and Triumph Motorcycles Limited. Most importantly however, this is a sustainable business operating with strong unit economics, right here in the UK. 🏍️ • Nuud | Plastic Free Gum (Keir Carnie): Plastic free chewing gum which tastes and lasts just like regular gum, and which decomposes at the same pace as a banana. Did you know that most pieces of chewing gum contain more plastic than an entire drinking straw? The health & environmental benefits plus the quality of the product, have converted me into a proud Nuudist. ♻️ • Reboxed® (Phil Kemish): Last but by no means least, it was great to hear the latest update from Phil at Reboxed. Through their ‘circularity as a service’ proposition, they’re extending the life of connected devices, providing consumers with an affordable, sustainable and trusted alternative to new. I’ve known Phil and Matt since Reboxed was just getting started, and I love what they're doing. 📱 Besides the pitches, we also got to hear from leading entrepreneurs and investors, such as Roger Wade, Tom Bloxham (Urban Splash) and Kevin Shone (Artorius). It’s always important for entrepreneurs to get perspective from experts in fundraising. Running a business and raising capital are a different ball games, and getting steer from some of the best in the business is invaluable. 2hrs very well spent! Thank you to the organisers and to everyone who participated for putting on a great event 🙌🏼 #growth #capital #funding #entrepreneurship #learning #investors #founders #development #fundraising #scale #automotive #circularity #products #services

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Calling fellow startup founders based in or around London... this is a great event that we (adeus) have attended a few times. It's not your typical start up pitch event. It's the opportunity to intro your business to a really friendly room of business people who are open to sharing ideas and providing advice to founders early in their journeys. ___ Join VOCASOs next MIC NIGHT event in London, near London Bridge on Tuesday 5th November from 6pm. Up to 15 founders each do a 1-minute elevator pitch to our member community of seasoned executives, sharing their company's tale and toughest business hurdle ahead. It's not a pitch for money but an opportunity to gain the insights desired for that next stage of growth. A great chance to connect with potential perfect match mentors or advisors within the community who have the expertise or connections you relish. Spaces are limited. Learn more about the event and RSVP or add your name to wait list here: https://lnkd.in/e3iRy9Uf     VOCASO, a fee-free community of founders and advisors. An ecosystem that brings its members, all senior executives aspiring to become Mentors, Advisors and NEDs together with growth companies seeking wisdom and door opening connections to drive growth. VOCASO kick-starts board careers today to impact the economy of tomorrow.

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Sliding into the weekend! 🛝 As fun as it might look going down this slide, weekends for a start-up founders (and their partners!) don’t always mean “switching off.” Building a business from the ground up is an adventure — full of highs, lows, and every twist in between. 🎢🎢 Being the partner of a founder often means standing by someone who’s endlessly striving, endlessly thinking, and rarely able to truly disconnect. Growing something from nothing requires a level of grit, sacrifice, and commitment that touches everyone close to the business. There are moments of pride and fulfilment, but there’s also the isolation and, at times, loneliness — the things that often don’t make it to social media. So here’s a shoutout to my amazing partner & team for lightening the load, keeping spirits high, and making the daily battle just a bit easier. 🛠️💪 You guys bring both skill and heart, and without you, none of this would be possible. If you’re on the same ship, here are a few things I’ve learned so far: Set micro-milestones. Celebrate small wins; they add up and keep motivation alive. 👏👏 Lean on your people. Whether it’s your team, friends, or mentors, don’t hesitate to ask for help and vent when needed. 📢🔊 Kirk Evans and I's 0700 calls daily certainly help! 💙 Make moments for self-care. Even if it’s just 10 minutes, finding a way to mentally step away can make a world of difference. Embrace imperfection. Not everything will go to plan — and that’s okay. Progress over perfection. To all founders and their partners out there — hang in there! It’s a wild ride, but we’re in it together. Here’s to the journey, the struggle, and the amazing people that make it all worthwhile. #StartUpLife #FounderJourney #SlidingIntoTheWeekend #Entrepreneurship #Teamwork #WeekendThoughts #BuildingFromNothing

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🎤 Speaking across London Tech Week: Unlocking Funding & Growth Strategies Excited for the week ahead and speaking on stage during London Tech Week. Here’s a snapshot of where I’ll be and what I’ll be discussing: Tues 11th : I’ll be joining the UK Government Department for Business and Trade panel across Venture Capital and Angel Investing. For a full day event, we’ll dive into the UK investment landscape with a room full of global scale-up entrepreneurs. I'll be sharing strategies for navigating the current investment climate, scaling your business from UK and securing the right type of funding. I look forward to sharing the stage alongside Saul Klein OBE and Natalie Black CBE, spotlighting the UK as a global innovation hub. Weds 12th: I’ll be at Scotland House London with Foras to discuss early-stage fundraising and the investment landscape. Joining me will be Melanie Hayes from Bethnal Green Ventures, Daniel Sawko from shipshape.vc, and Patrycja Maksymowicz from sclr labs/Raising the Bar (RTB LDN), with Phin Mpofu-Masamba II Events are fully booked, and eager to meet everyone who can make it. After finishing London Tech Week, I'll be on the road for events and travel across 🇩🇪, 🇨🇭, and 🇫🇷. Look forward to meeting many of you, and conversations with founders and investors across tech ecosystem. #investment #tech #londontechweek #growth #scaling #scaleups

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It amazes me how little our Start Up eco-system focuses on the basics when it comes to raising capital. Below Sam Simpson touches on the 'super power' all Start Up Founders have when building Tech or Support Services that help ANY business launch a solution for ANYONE. The narrative that needs to change in Society is about RISK. I have recently debated with UK Pension Lawyer Jade Murray about HIGH RISK Assets being held across various DC Pension products. Back in May 2010 I watched the faces of two FSA Associate Directors change, as I explained my vision for the 3PPS Framework is to provide access to the upside potential of 'HIGH RISK' Illiquid Assets, without adding a single penny of extra risk to mass retail savers. It is fascinating to hear all the pathetic excuses of 'experts' why they don't advertise the success rate of their advisory services at meeting the unmet needs of 9 in 10 workers in the UK, across 2m+ SMEs. Jeremy Hunt said recently that SMEs employ 27m workers out of 32m. Every single one of them have been blocked from accessing the potential upside from 'HIGH RISK' Assets, despite Statutory & Regulatory Laws being quite clear that ANYONE is eligible to participate. Sam has highlighted the basic tax relief advantages, which are 50% (SEIS), 40% (HRT & IHT), 30% (EIS), 25% (BRT), 22% (Loss Relief) or 20% (CGT) tax relief benefits are available depending on an individual's own tax circumstances. The biggest supporters of Start Ups (40%) in the UK are Friends and Family. The second biggest (30%) is the Taxpayer (everyone), via various initiatives. The remaining 30% are professional investors e.g. Angels, VC, PE. Until the Mansion House Reform, which I have been arguing for since 2004, UK DC Workplace Pension Providers have given virtually ZERO F*CKS about supporting innovation and homegrown SME talent. Pension La La Land has been happy selling 5 ⭐️ 'low cost' products, which I predicted in 2010 to the FSA, would continue to fail 9 in 10 workers. The AE chickens have come home to roost, despite all the 5 ⭐️ awards being handed out like confetti, the average shortfall has grown from £200k to £250k (25% worse). The consumer cost to repair Pension La La Land's non-compliance with COBS19.1 over the last decade is an eyewatering £600bn 😱 What does this mean for 45m DC Workplace Pension pot owners? It means that to catch up after 10yrs of #Pensionwashing you will need to pay between 4x to 10x more contributions every payday, than those who secured additional risk free funding. Restitution Funding is the only affordable option for 45m DC Workplace Pension pot owners. If you are reading this, you will have been impacted one way or another. I passionately believe the Start Up eco-system can help millions of affected workers get back on track. If you would like to know more about recovering £60,000+ of lost retirement benefits, please don't hesitate to reach out. #RestitutionFunding #BUOM #TheCherubsAreComing 👼