London Business Hub's Investment Ready Programme

Central London from Primrose Hill

Author Duncan from Nottingham Licence CC BY SA 2.0  Wikimedia Commons

  

Jane Lambert

The London Business Hub is the business support network for Greater London.  It is one of 38 local growth hubs that have been established across England.  It is delivered by the London Enterprise Action Programme which is the capital's local enterprise partnership.

The Hub offers a wide range of services including assistiance with drawing up business plans, accessing funding, intellectual property and growth and scaling up.  Its latest initiative and the reason for this article is the Hub's Investment Ready Programme which starts on 22 Sept 2022.  This is a programme delivered by Funding London which is sponsored by the British Business Bank.

According to the London Business Hub, attendees will be offered a range of group and one-to-one sessions on developing their business and seeking investment lasting up to 4 hours a week over 6 weeks. To qualify, businesses must have a minimum viable product and a strong business proposition as well as a number of other criteria. There have already been two of these programmes and testimonials from the previous cohorts appear on the programme's website. Applications for the third cohort should be lodged by 31 Aug 2022.  

Any business that is seeking investment whether through this programme or not should have regard to the legal protection of its corporate name and logo and those of its products and services.  If it has developed a new product or process it should consider how to prevent its competitors from making that product or using that service.   If the business is a joint venture there should be an agreement in writing to govern their relationship.   That is particularly important when they receive funding.  Terms for the supply of their goods or services to customers should be drawn up as well as terms for the procurement of goods and services from their suppliers.

Advice on those matters is available through the Hub and I can help too.   For well over 20 years I have been running a pro bono IP and tech law clinic in the North of England but it can be accessed by businesses in the rest of the country including London.    Anyone requiring up to 30 minutes of my time on any of those matters is welcome to  contact me through my "Initial Advice and Signposting Form".