Coutts Forum for Entrepreneurs - The Next Big Thing in conjunction with Envestors

On Wednesday 14th November, Coutts & Co hosted a Coutts Forum for Entrepreneurs – The Next Big Thing event in conjunction with Envestors Private Investor Club. Over 150 guests attended this 'Dragon's Den' style event.

Envestors Private Investor Club is a network of around 300 private individuals looking to invest between £20,000 and £2m in early-stage unquoted businesses. The evening provided an opportunity for six screened companies looking to raise finance to pitch to the room of investors. Each company was given a strict eight minute time limit in which to present their company, followed by a two minute question and answer session. The presenters discussed the growth potential of their company; the current competition in the market; their exit strategy; their management team and the specifics of their offer to investors. 

Companies ranged from an online fantasy football provider and a developer of online PC video games systems, to the producer of a natural sports drink and a company providing an innovative phone that can help advise on medical treatments.

Irene Wolstenholme, a Coutts senior tax specialist, gave a short presentation on the tax benefits on offer to angel investors, in particular the government’s Enterprise Investment Scheme that provides a range of tax reliefs for investors.

The presentations were followed by a networking session where the entrepreneurs were able to meet the investors and discuss their propositions in the hope of attracting a suitable investor.

The event forms part of Coutts' ongoing commitment to provide platforms for entrepreneurs to network with like-minded individuals and discuss their own business ventures and the challenges and achievements associated with them.