In this episode, we sit down with Chris Ellis, Scale-Up Director at Innovate UK Business Growth, to unpack what it really takes to scale a tech business.

Key Insights:

• Defining Scale-Up: Chris emphasises that a scale-up is more than just a growing business; it’s one that has a product in the market and is pushing towards a million in annual recurring revenue.

• The Importance of Internationalisation: Chris highlights that scaling should involve looking beyond local markets. He stresses the need for UK businesses to tap into international markets and collaborate with global partners.

• Understanding the Funding Landscape: The conversation touches on the funding gap that exists for scale-ups, particularly in comparison to their US counterparts. Chris points out, “Some businesses need a much longer runway,” and discusses the importance of understanding the capitalisation journey.

• Governance and Culture: Chris shares insights on the dynamics within scale-up companies, noting that strong governance and a healthy culture are crucial.

Whether you're a founder or investor, this episode is packed with practical advice on moving from startup to scale-up.

Produced by Cambridge TV, edited by Kate O'Connor.

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From a single day to an entire week, Cambridge Wide Open Week (CWOW) is back and bigger than ever! With just six weeks to go until CWOW, we caught up with creator, Prashant Shah.

CWOW offers a glimpse behind the scenes of Cambridge’s pioneering life sciences companies. The event also welcomes visitors from outside Cambridge, around the country, and across the world who are curious to see what’s going on ‘inside’ Cambridge.

What to expect: A week-long agenda packed with talks, masterclasses, and open doors across the city.

Monday’s Venture Tour brings together companies from pre-seed into Series A and Series B, spotlighted by: Amadeus Capital, Cambridge Innovation Capital, Cambridge Angels, Cambridge Enterprise, Accelerate@Babraham, BioSpark, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, o2h Ventures, and Meltwind Advisory LLP.

Wednesday’s Wide Open Day keeps the energy rolling with some new venues joining returning favourites: Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge Judge Business School, Allia, Cambridge Science Park, West Hub, and more.

And yes, we finally unpack the difference between biotech and techbio, and why Cambridge is leading the global charge in this space.

Register: cambridgewideopenweek.com

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Faye and James sit down with Martin Rigby, co-founder of ET Capital, for a must-listen conversation that challenges the traditional venture capital playbook.

Martin shares insights from his research, revealing that a diversified investment strategy in Cambridge tech deals since the mid-1990s has consistently outperformed traditional stock market benchmarks like the FTSE 100.

Key highlights include:

🚀ET Capital's Journey

Martin recounts his journey from a venture capital firm to establishing ET Capital, which has managed nine funds since its inception in 1993. The firm has successfully backed notable companies, including those in life sciences and low carbon technologies.

🚀 A new kind of fund

ET Capital is shaking things up with a fund designed to open doors, making high-growth Cambridge startups accessible to investors beyond the typical angel networks.

🚀 Backing the ecosystem

From partnering with Cambridge Enterprise to Deep Tech Labs, Martin shares how collaboration is key to unlocking the region’s startup potential.

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.