Annual pitch event to take place in Central London on March 28, bringing together leading investors and innovators from across the green technology sector
BusinessGreen has today announced the launch of the fourth annual BusinessGreen Technology and Investment Forum and is calling on leading green technology firms and investors to register to take part in the popular event.
Hosted in partnership with Investment Week and Innovate UK, and supported by Clean Growth UK, this year's Forum will see around 15 leading green and clean technology firms present to an audience of top green investors.
The pitch session will be preceded by an opening keynote from Jeremy Leggett, founder and a director of Solarcentury, as well as one of the UK's most respected clean energy experts. The keynote will also be followed by a panel discussion on the investment challenges and opportunities presented by green technologies featuring some of the UK's leading sustainability-focused investors.
The event will take place at Prince Philip House in Westminster, home of the Royal Academy of Engineering, on the morning of Thursday 28 March.
Building on the success of previous years - which have seen some of the most exciting green technology firms in the UK pitch for, and ultimately secure, investment - BusinessGreen is once again asking interested companies to apply to deliver a four minute presentation to investors at the event. Investors are similarly advised to register their interest in attending in order to secure their place.
"Over the past four years the BusinessGreen Technology and Investment Forum has become a fixture in the calendar for many of the UK's top green investors and aspiring clean tech start-ups," said BusinessGreen editor-in-chief James Murray. "The event not only provides invaluable food for thought for this crucial community, it also provides investors and entrepreneurs with a unique networking opportunity. Many of the companies that have pitched at the Forum in the past have reported that they made invaluable contacts and even secured investment as a result, while many of the investors have said they typically come across exciting firms for the first time.
"This year's Forum promises to be our best yet and we would urge all green entrepreneurs and investors to get involved."
The event is free to attend, thanks in large part to the support of our sponsors: Innovate UK and Clean Growth UK.
Innovate UK is the innovation agency that as part of the government-backed UK Research and Innovation unit provides a range of funding and support services for innovative projects and companies.
"At Innovate UK we support companies with exciting business ideas and the ambition to grow and scale them," said Christian Inglis senior innovation lead in the agency's clean growth and infrastructure team. "While we provide funding to support these growing businesses we understand that the journey to successful commercialisation has a number of steps and can be complex at times to know where to step next.
"We're proud to be supporting the BusinessGreen Technology and Investment Forum as it creates an environment of investment expertise and innovative businesses, giving the opportunity for companies to talk through where they are looking to get too and find the support they need to get there."
The soon to be launched Clean Growth UK initiative is a national university-led business network that seeks to catalyse clean and green business innovation and growth.
Zoe Osmond, director at Clean Growth UK, said the group was committed to "helping businesses get to the next level with access to university R&D expertise and facilities, business commercialisation advice and coaching, investor pitch preparation support and investor introductions".
"Clean Growth UK is delivered across the UK through its three regional hubs: the University of Brighton's Green Growth Platform, the University of Portsmouth's Greentech South and Liverpool John Moores University," she added. "We're delighted to sponsor the BusinessGreen Technology and Investment Forum as it's such an effective way for clean and green innovators to meet investors active in this area."
The deadline for submissions from companies hoping to pitch at the forum is Friday 22nd of February. Successful applicants will be notified by the start of March.
Investors interested in attending the forum can register to secure their place at any time before the event, although places are limited and will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
