Fusion Cohort Connect with Capital at Demo Day
On the 30th of April 2024, we hosted Fusion Connect with Capital’s first Demo Day at Zendesk HQ, London. The Demo Day is the first of two pinnacle events in this investment-completion programme which saw 10 of our outstanding cohort pitch their businesses to a room of investors.
Connecting Entrepreneurs with Capital
The UK Space sector has been consistently growing at a rapid rate of 21% per year. Fuelled by a surge in private investment, an ecosystem of dynamic startups is flourishing within the UK space sector. But despite this, there are still many barriers deterring new investors from entering. However, our Demo Day provided an opportunity for our cohort and new investors to spark conversations, build their networks and appreciate the diversity and talent within the space sector.
Showcasing The Next Wave of Space Startups
Our day started with inspiring talks that gave investors an introduction to the vast capabilities of the UK space sector and celebrated the achievements of the Fusion programme so far. We were given talks from Portia Bircher, Local Growth Manager at the UK Space Agency, and Jeremy Ambrose, VC/Startup Partnerships Manager at Zendesk and a mentor on the UK Space Accelerator pilot programme. The talks concluded with Simon Reid, Managing Director of D-Orbit UK, a company that is an alumnus of the UK Space Accelerator programme.
Following these talks, it was time for the first group of the Fusion cohort to take the stand and pitch their innovative businesses. Each entrepreneur gave confident pitches that provided comprehensive overviews of their businesses and their ambitious plans of how investment will propel their ventures. Between each pitch, was a moment for a Q&A where the cohort could delve further into specific areas of their pitch and provide investors with more detail.
After a refreshment break, it was time for the second group of entrepreneurs to pitch. Not to be outdone by the first group, the standard of pitching was equally as high. Each person gave an engaging, well-thought-out pitch that passionately reflected how their venture can benefit users. Again, the Q&A saw curious investors question the cohort and get considered answers in return.
We rounded up the day with a well-deserved drinks reception where investors and entrepreneurs could discuss the previous pitches, build relations, and share contacts. This was an excellent opportunity for each entrepreneur to delve into their company and plans with interested investors. Additionally, this further highlighted to the investors how the space sector is bursting with talent and ideas that benefit day-to-day life a lot more than they may have first realised.
The significance of Demo Day
Since January, our cohort has been enrolled in Fusion’s intensive investment-completion programme. Working with a team of investment experts, they have completely transformed their pitches to be clear, concise, and high-quality. Our London Demo Day was their first opportunity to apply all the knowledge and support they have gained from the programme in a real-world setting and have the invaluable chance to connect with investors and potentially incite deals. Additionally, our London Demo Day welcomed new investors to enter the space sector and learn about some of the most dynamic startups that are offering pioneering services and products. Despite the space sector providing integral services that we rely on in our everyday lives, there is still a surprising lack of awareness of the startups within it. Therefore, we’re helping to support the next wave of startups by introducing new capital into the space sector.
Next Steps
The space sector is not centralised, instead, clusters of talent are spread across the UK. Therefore, we are hosting a second Demo Day in Leeds on the 12th of June. We welcome all venture capitalists to join us at this exclusive event.
If you are a VC interested in connecting with the UK space sector, please email us at hello@fusionconnectcapital.co.uk.