How to Access Business Finance - Accelerate Your SME's Success
Are you ready to take your business to the next level but find you are facing hurdles in accessing the right funding? Join us for an engaging half-day event designed to level the playing field and make finance accessible to all businesses.
This event brings together key players in the business and the finance ecosystem to empower entrepreneurs, business leaders, and underserved founders with the tools, insights, and connections to secure the financing they need.
This event is about more than funding, it’s about creating equity, driving meaningful change, and equipping businesses with the resources they need to thrive. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this is your chance to be inspired, informed, and empowered.
Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock your potential.
This event is open to SMEs especially those from underserved groups such as women and ethnic minorities. So, whether you are an entrepreneur in the early stages of starting a business, a start-up finding its feet or a bit more established and looking to scale up, this is the place to be!
Why Attend?
- Interactive Panels - Explore funding journeys, alternative finance options, and the latest initiatives from banks and venture capitalists.
- Learn from the Experts - Attend panel discussions with representatives from leading banks, venture capital firms, and alternative funding providers who are reshaping the finance ecosystem.
- Dive into Real Conversations - Hear first-hand from business leaders and entrepreneurs as they share their experiences navigating the funding landscape - the wins, the challenges, and what they wish they’d known sooner.
- Engage with Key Stakeholders - Be part of lively discussions that tackle the big questions: What are the pain points for underserved founders? How can the system be improved?
- Tailored Advice and Tips - Discover actionable insights on preparing for funding applications, avoiding common pitfalls, and finding the right financial partner for your business.
- Networking that Matters - Build valuable connections with like-minded entrepreneurs, finance professionals, and industry leaders in a collaborative and supportive environment.
Who Should Attend? Entrepreneurs, small business owners, minority founders, and anyone passionate about breaking barriers in business finance.
PRICE GUIDE (EXC VAT)
Free for LCCI members, Community Network and Non-members
Our Speakers and Agenda
1.30pm-2.00pm Registration, Refreshments, Networking
Location: MG14
2.00pm-2.10pm Opening Remarks
Chair: Patrick Angell, Business Development Director, LCCI
2.10pm-2.15pm Welcome - University of Westminster
Speaker: Dr Mazia Yassim, Associate Head, External Relations, Westminster Business School
2.15pm-2.55pm The Access to Finance Journey Panel Discussion
Summary: This discussion will explore how to think as a business leader, avoid potential pitfalls, and how to prepare your business to embark on the journey for accessing funding. Panellists will also touch upon the peculiar challenges faced by underserved founders and how to tackle them head on. Our panel will also highlight available offerings available from the government and other potential sources for SMEs to secure funding.
Chair: Patrick Angell, Business Development Director, LCCI
Panellists:
David Woods, Senior Manager, UK Network – London, British Business Bank
Leo Castellanos, Innovation & Growth Specialist, Innovate UK
Scott Willis, Director, Ferrock LTD
2.55pm-3.25pm Refreshment Break and Networking
3.25pm-4.05pm Funding from Banks and Other Underexplored Sources Panel Discussion
Summary: This session will present finance as an ecosystem for businesses. Our panel will provide information on the different sources of finance and how best to access them. This discussion will enable businesses to think more broadly about funding and how to set themselves up for success by hearing directly from the banking sector as well as other less known or utilised sources of funding. It will give businesses a preview of the landscape of funding providers, how they relate to each other and what funding is suitable for businesses at the particular stage they are at.
Chair: Patrick Angell, Business Development Director, LCCI
Panellists:
Demi Ariyo, Managing Director & Head of Funding, Lendoe
Kala Desai, Head of Funds, London, The FSE Group
Nat Olaiya, Partner, Funding-Gap
4.05pm-4.25pm Pitch and Learn
Summary: This session will enable two businesses to present a 3-minute pitch for evaluation and get feedback in real time from a panel of judges. It is an opportunity for the selected business to get experience in presenting their business idea and pitch for funding, get quality feedback that can help them develop in order to secure investment, and get publicity for their business in a room of businesses.
Just put your business card in the pitching jar on the registration desk when you arrive to be in with a chance to pitch your business to our panel in the presence of event attendees and to win a prize.
Chair: Patrick Angell, Business Development Director, LCCI
Judges:
Arinna Osiyan, Partner, Accelerate Funding
Altaf Jasnaik, CEO, Managemend Limited
Dr Doru-Cristian Coretchi, Founder, Winnovart
4.25pm-4.45pm Masterclass - How to Secure Funding
Summary: This presentation will look at recent trends in private capital markets before moving on to look at bootstrapping, crowdfunding and other types of funding available to SME businesses which have not been explored in the sessions.
David will give recommendations on the best ways to approach investors, how to pitch to them and what should be included in an ideal slide deck.
Speaker: David B Horne, Founder & CEO, Add then Multiply Limited
4.45pm-4.55pm Closing Remarks
Chair: Patrick Angell, Business Development Director, LCCI
5.00pm Close of Event
Location
This event will take place at University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS