Funding Academy Getting you investment ready Prospectus | Summer 2020 - Shaw & Co
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Funding Academy Getting you investment ready Prospectus | Summer 2020
“Welcome to the Shaw & Co Funding Academy, an intense
yet inspiring programme designed to equip ambitious
business owners with the knowledge, capability and
confidence to help secure investment funding.
Our modular programme allows you to extend your
knowledge of the end-to-end funding process and to put
you at an advantage in front of investors.
We handpick our students based on their ambition,
willingness to learn and readiness to grow their business.
If this programme is what you need, why not apply?”
Jim Shaw
Managing Partner, Shaw & Co
Prospectus | Summer 2020
Overview
Meet the challenge Expand your horizon Make change happen Build your network
Learn to think more deeply and Understand the complexity of the Be inspired by a diverse peer Develop your network with
broadly about the funding process funding ecosystem from a group of ambitious business support, motivation and
and what investors are really comprehensive curriculum of leaders with the same goals and inspiration from your fellow
looking for. modules delivered by funding apply your new knowledge as students.
experts. soon as you leave the classroom.
5 days
Programme outline
What is it? How much will it cost me?
The Funding Academy is for ambitious business The programme fee is £2,500 (excluding VAT).
Key Programme Dates
leaders who want to improve their chances of Successful applicants will be invoiced for the full
securing funding to grow their business. cost during the on-boarding process (please see The summer 2020 programme days
terms and conditions for more details).
The core programme is designed and led by funding are scheduled as follows:
and industry experts to get you investment ready. It You will receive around 35 hours of taught material
offers an immersive learning experience that and have access to support which is split over five
develops your understanding of the investor market programme days. The full programme runs over a Day 1 – Wednesday 3rd June
and the different types of funding available. total period of twelve weeks. Day 2 – Wednesday 24th June
Through a combination of applied learning, group This format allows you to immediately apply your
Day 3 – Wednesday 8th July
work and roleplaying, you will acquire the tools and new knowledge whilst maintaining focus on Day 4 – Wednesday 29th July
confidence to flawlessly pitch your funding plans to running your business.
investors.
Day 5 – Thursday 3rd September
Prepare for your growth journey
Assignments are issued to test and apply your
understanding and will be used to perfect your own
By being part of a diverse cohort of ambitious
pitch deck.
business leaders, our learning environment gives
you the support, confidence and optimism to
achieve your growth goals.
Prospectus | Summer 2020
Entry
requirements
Ambitious founders Ready to grow Thirst for knowledge Active engagement
We only enrol business owners You should be thinking about your Some business owners think they The students who get most value
with a genuine ambition to grow growth strategy and be ready to know it all – in our experience from this programme are the
their business. secure funding within 18 months many don’t! We select those who ones who actively engage with
of programme completion. are willing to challenge and the taught content, the teaching
deepen their existing knowledge. experts and their peers.
>£1m 20% >£1m Sector
Your business must have a Your business should show at Your funding needs must exceed Our programme is open to
minimum turnover of £1m or least 20% year-on-year growth £1m. businesses from any sector.
demonstrate strong traction. over the last 3 years.
Prospectus | Summer 2020
“When seeking funding to grow their business,
many leaders lack the essential knowledge about
the funding landscape, building a pitch that meets
investors expectations, and which type of investor
to go to. We understand these challenges and
that’s why we offer the Funding Academy.
Our comprehensive programme provides you with
the knowledge, skills and confidence to get you
investment ready. Our funding experts deliver
pragmatic learning that you can apply to your
business as soon as you leave the classroom. We
look forward to welcoming you.”
Jane Lamper
Funding Academy Manager
Prospectus | Summer 2020
Programme journey
Week 0 Week 4 Weeks 5-6 Week 8
Applications open Submission Business diagnostic Cohort selection
Applications will be made via our You will need to complete an Suitable applicants will have a 1:1 Shaw & Co review submissions
website with spring, summer and application form and submit your interview to discuss their and make cohort selection.
autumn programmes. most recent pitch deck and application and funding needs.
financial statements.
Week 9 Week 12 Week 16 Week 28
Acceptance Onboarding process Programme start Investment ready!
Successful applicants will ne You will start receiving Your funding journey begins with You are now ready to apply all
notified by the Funding Academy communications about the 5 study days spread over a 12- your knowledge and seek funding
Manager. An invoice for the programme, its cohort and an week period. from investors.
programme fee will be issued for invoice for programme fees.
payment within 21 days.
Prospectus | Summer 2020
Taught modules Your study commitment
Total on campus study material
Assignments (off campus)
35 hours
8-20 hours
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
• Welcome • Welcome & recap • Welcome & recap • Welcome & recap • Welcome & recap
• Building a sustainable • Financial modelling for • Secrets of a successful
• Getting to know you • Elevator pitch
competitive advantage CEOs board
• Building a brand your • Key performance
• Pitfalls of pitching • Talent acquisition • Pitching with confidence
customers will love indicators (KPIs)
• Understanding your
• Using your model
• The funding landscape customers & their pain • Governance • Route to investment
effectively
points
• Determine your winning • Non-dilutive funding -
• Vision for success • Pitch deck build • Mock investment panel
zone Grants & tax credits
• Assignment issued • Promoting your offering • Meet a VC fireside chat • Assignment issued
• Assignment issued • Assignment issued
Prospectus | Summer 2020“It's been fantastic to be part of a
cohort of ambitious leaders who are all
at a similar stage of growth. There's
lots to learn from each other and the
content for the workshops is well
thought out. I've been impressed by
Shaw & Co's approach to add value to
the scale up ecosystem.”
Saf Nazeer
Co-Founder & CEO Helpfulpeeps
(2019 Funding Academy Programme)
Prospectus | Summer 2020Programme Welcome
Learning Modules
• Why we’re running the programme
• Programme objectives
Day 1
• Programme syllabus
• What’s in it for you
• Expectations exchange
Getting to know you
• Group exercise
Learning objectives Pitfalls of pitching
• Real life examples
Day 1 begins with programme orientation, setting expectations and running • Elevator pitches
through the syllabus. A group exercise will help you to get to know your peers
and begin making bonds. You will also be exposed to some real-life examples The funding landscape
of how not to pitch to investors. • Types of investors
• Raising investment in the current market
The Funding Landscape module introduces you to the differences between • Investor expectations
debt and equity fundraising, Seed, Series A, Series B and beyond. The module
also covers dilution and transaction considerations as well as exposing you to Vision for success
the different types of investors and their expectations. • Understanding your brand
• Building your value proposition
The afternoon focuses on the highly interactive Vision For Success module • Developing your business vision
where you will focus on defining and developing your value proposition and • Addressing the three agendas of leadership
vision statement. You will learn about the brain science behind persuasion and
how to tell your business story to investors.
Total study time 7 hours
Assignment Yes (2-4 hours)
Prospectus | Summer 2020Programme Welcome
Learning Modules
• Recap & group exercise
Day 2
Building a sustainable competitive advantage
• Brand strategy roadmap
• Situation analysis
• Leveraging brand power
• Brand strengths
Building a brand your customers will love
Learning objectives • Establishing your market bond and brand persona
Defining and articulating your market, your position in it and why your brand will Understanding your customers and their pain points
win is essential for potential investors. Day 2 focuses on strategic marketing • Market segmentation, functional and emotional
modules where you will be challenged to think differently about your own needs, who is the enemy, customer benefits ladder
business proposition.
Determine your winning zone
You will reflect on the strengths of your own business and how you can leverage • Differentiating your proposition against your
“brand power” to generate a sustainable competitive advantage. You will apply competitors
marketing models to your own business, evaluate your competitive approach and
what persona your brand should carry. Promoting your offering
• 7P’s and the marketing mix
During the day you will think deeper about your market, the customer “pain
points” you're trying to solve and the wider competitive landscape. You will be
introduced to strategic models that will help develop your own business strategy.
The day concludes by focusing on how you get your proposition to market. You Total study time 7 hours
will learn about different market models, the promotional mix and how to build
and nurture a sales pipeline. Assignment Yes (2-4 hours)
Prospectus | Summer 2020Programme Welcome & recap
Learning Modules
Financial modelling for CEOs
Day 3
• Why you must understand your financial model
• Understanding the construct of a model
• Good versus bad modelling
• How to ask your accountant the right questions
Learning objectives Key Performance Indicators
• Identifying your KPIs
Day 3 focuses on the investor’s perspective on the numbers. The modules will • Building your model from KPIs up
prepare you to withstand investor scrutiny on what’s driving your revenue, the • Benchmarking your industry
historics of your figures, your approach to forecasting, as well as robustly
demonstrating where your growth will come from. Using your model effectively
• Measuring your predictions against results
We explore what KPIs investors consider when making their investment • Early warnings and covenants
decisions. The Financial Modelling module takes a forensic look at your • What investors measure
current model and will expose you to good and bad modelling.
Non-dilutive funding - Grants & Tax credits
In the afternoon you’ll learn about non-dilutive funding options, • The non-dilutive funding landscape
understanding how this differs from and augments investment raises, and • Integrating the right approach at the right time
when is the best time to think grants and tax credits. You will gain an • Proven approaches to success
awareness of funder requirements, how to derive the most value from a
disciplined approach and ways to fundamentally improve your chance of Meet a VC
success. • This is a ‘fireside’ Q&A with a Venture Capitalist
The day concludes with an informal session with a Venture Capitalist. You will Total study time 7 hours
hear anecdotal tales of what it’s like on “the other side of the fence”. This
engaging session gives you the opportunity to ask those awkward questions Assignment Yes (2-4 hours)
that you’d never dare ask at your investment meetings.
Prospectus | Summer 2020Programme Welcome
Learning Modules
• Recap & group exercise
Day 4
Secrets of a successful board
• Why you need a board
• Who the board is for
• What does a board look like
• How you build an effective board
Talent acquisition
Learning objectives • Challenges of hiring good people
• Retention as you scale
Day 4 will introduce you to the challenges of building your board and talent • Culture as you scale
pool. The management team is a key consideration for any investor and • Quantity versus quality
articulating how you are building and managing your senior team can be the
difference between raising finance, or not. Governance
• Term sheets
You will learn best practice on growing your board including when it’s the best • Risk registers and mitigation
time to appoint a Financial Director, typical board lifespans and finding the • Employment manual & HR policies
right chemistry between board members. The Talent Acquisition module • Mitigating disputes
exposes you to the challenges of hiring good people and the differences
between using internal and external resources to acquire new talent. Pitch deck build
• Dissecting the pitch deck
The afternoon modules focus on how to protect your business from a legal
and HR perspective. You will learn what policies and terms of business need to
be in place to avoid costly legal disputes.
Total study time 7 hours
The day concludes with a forensic dissection of the pitch deck. You will be
exposed to a variety of decks and you’ll quickly understand what a good deck Assignment Yes (2-4 hours)
should look like.
Prospectus | Summer 2020Programme Welcome
Learning Modules
• Recap
Day 5
Elevator pitch
• Group exercise
Pitching with confidence
• Influencing others
• Being an effective communicator
Learning objectives Pitch practice
• Honing your pitch
Day 5 is the final day of the programme and all modules focus on the pitch. All
of the modules to this point will have helped you to hone your proposition, Route to investment
financial numbers and pitch deck. • Deal closing preparation
• Setting out your funding timetable
Pitching With Confidence introduces you to the psychology of pitching. You • Avoiding the pitfalls
will understand the science of presenting which includes how you use your
voice, body and behaviour to articulate your proposition to an investor. Mock investment panel
• Safe practice with Investment Directors / VC
The Route To Investment module expands your knowledge on the numerous • Constructive Feedback
pitfalls many business leaders encounter on their funding journeys. You will
gain the best guidance on how to avoid common mistakes, setting out your
funding timetable and how to close the deal.
The programme concludes with a highly engaging Mock Investment Panel.
You will be put under pressure in a realistic pitch situation to practice Total study time 7 hours
everything you have learned on the programme. You will receive constructive
feedback and this experience will help you to hone your pitch presentation to Assignment Yes – Investor Readiness Post-Programme
showcase your business in its best light.
Prospectus | Summer 2020“I have found the Academy workshops
incredibly valuable – providing great insight
into what investors would look for in a
growing business and what they measure to
ensure it is growing fast and profitably!
I have also found being with the Shaw & Co
team and the other business leaders
incredibly interesting and motivating. The
ideas and energy in the room are fantastic!!”
Claire Fraser
Managing Director, Crossover Technologies
(2019 Funding Academy Programme)
Prospectus | Summer 2020Your route to
Investment
Upon completion of the Funding Academy programme, Shaw & Co will
invite the businesses that are most investment ready to work with us more
formally. For those businesses, we will add our full weight of experience and
reputation behind each investment opportunity to achieve the funding you
desire.
At Shaw & Co, we pride ourselves in the curation of high-quality deals. It is
our responsibility to present to investors the businesses we feel most
confident about. We only work with business leaders who are fully
committed to the process of raising funds.
If invited, you will be offered the chance to showcase your investment
opportunity through Shaw & Co’s extensive investor network. Through our
fully advised and managed fundraising process, we offer bespoke
transaction support and deal arrangement through our network of 700+
lenders, funds, family offices and HNW networks.
Whilst there is no obligation to use our services, if you choose Shaw & Co to
support your funding journey, our standard fees will apply.
Prospectus | Summer 2020“The businesses Shaw & Co hand-picked to be part of
the Funding Academy all showed immense potential
and I was impressed by the quality of the founders and
their pitches to the panel.”
Harriet Rosethorn
Investment Manager, Puma Private Equity
Prospectus | Summer 2020Programme
support
Access to Shaw & Co one-to-one support
For the duration of the programme, students will have access to Shaw &
Co’s experts and the wider teaching team – on a ‘fair usage’ basis. Support
can be arranged through the Funding Academy Manager.
Your peer group
A highly valued programme benefit is that you will be engaging with like-
minded entrepreneurs seeking similar funding goals. The Funding Academy
enables you to extend your network, build close bonds and to continue on-
going peer-to-peer support.
Alumni programme
Our Alumni programme is open to all graduates of the Funding Academy.
This offers exclusive and free access to networking events, seminars and
Shaw & Co’s investor network. Details of the programme will be
communicated by email and on the funding academy website.
Prospectus | Summer 2020“The Funding Academy is a superb programme
that helps to clarify your growth intentions.
Working with like-minded leaders in a
supportive environment, we’ll help you to
create a clear route to growth whilst focusing on
the skills and behaviours that will get you there.
This highly interactive programme is like no
other. It’s engaging, fun and guaranteed to turn
your ambitions into a reality”
Lily Newman
Programme Teacher | Behavioural Strategist
Founder - Morgan James Consulting
Prospectus | Summer 2020How to Admissions process
apply
1. Applicants can apply via the website at this address:
shawllp.co.uk/fundingacademy/apply
2. All applicants receive an acknowledgment of receipt within 48 hours of
their submission. You will then be requested to submit your most
recent pitch deck and financial statements.
Requirements 3. Suitable applicants will be invited to a telephone, videoconference or
face-to-face meeting to discuss their application.
The Funding Academy is for ambitious business leaders who are planning to secure
Series A funding (>£1m) in the next 6-18 months and can demonstrate strong 4. The cohort will be built by Shaw & Co’s selection panel.
traction. Applicants who are not a founder of an existing business are not eligible for
the programme. The programme fee is £2,500 (excluding VAT). 5. Successful applicants will be issued an offer letter and an invoice for
the programme fee by the Funding Academy Manager.
Applicants will be required to complete an application form, submit their most
recent investment pitch deck and their latest financial statements. Successful Application deadlines
applicants will be required to agree to our terms and conditions which will be issued
during onboarding. We run three programmes each year in February, June and September.
Application deadlines will be published on our website and social media.
Campus
We recommend that you apply as far in advance as possible. Our application
The Funding Academy is run by Shaw & Co at 22-24 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4ND. window is open for 8 weeks. All applicants will be informed two weeks after
See next page for campus details. the application window closes.
Prospectus | Summer 2020Bristol
Campus
The Funding Academy is delivered from Shaw & Co’s Georgian offices in the
magnificent Queen Square in the heart of Bristol. The campus address is:
22-24 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4ND
Getting to us by rail
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is easily accessible from many parts of the
UK rail network. Licensed taxis operate from outside the station and the journey
time is 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, if walking from the station, the campus is a
15-20 minute walk along Redcliffe Way and the Redcliffe Bascule Bridge.
Getting to us by car
There are several large capacity car parks within a 5-minute walk of the campus,
we recommend:
NCP Queen Charlotte Street (BS1 4ES)
The Grove (BS1 4RB)
NCP Prince Street MSCP (BS1 4QF)
Millennium Square Car Park, Canons Way (BS1 5LL)
Prospectus | Summer 2020Contact us
For any questions relating to the Funding Academy
please contact the Funding Academy Manger during
office hours Monday – Friday 9.00am to 5.30pm:
0117 325 8503
FundingAcademy@shawllp.co.uk
Jane Lamper
Funding Academy Manager
To find out more information about the Funding
Academy and when enrolment opens, please refer to
our website or follow us on social media:
shawllp.co.uk/fundingacademy
@ShawCoLLP
Shaw & Co
Prospectus | Summer 2020Terms &
Conditions
Programme fee Attendance policy
The Funding Academy programme fee is £2,500 (excluding VAT). Your peers are relying on your attendance to get the most out of the
programme. If there is an unavoidable circumstance meaning you will be unable
Successful applicants will receive an offer letter and an invoice for the to attend any of the taught sessions, we request that you inform the Funding
programme fee. To secure your place on the Funding Academy, you must pay Academy Manager as soon as possible.
the fee in full within 21 days of receiving your offer letter. If there is an
unavoidable circumstance meaning your payment will be delayed, please On occasion it may be appropriate to send an alternative representative (e.g.
inform the Funding Academy Manager in advance by email at CFO to the finance session). If this is your intention, please inform the Funding
FundingAcademy@shawllp.co.uk or by phone on 0117 325 8503. Academy Manager in advance by email at FundingAcademy@shawllp.co.uk or
by phone on 0117 325 8503.
Paying the fee commits you to the programme. Once paid, if you decide to
withdraw from the programme at any stage, you will not receive a refund. Privacy policy
For our full terms and conditions please visit: For our full Privacy Policy please refer to: shawllp.co.uk/privacy-policy
shawllp.co.uk/fundingacademy/terms-conditions
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