Frequently asked questions
Click on a question below to jump to the answer.
- How do I get onto the programme?
- Does g2i provide funding for companies?
- How do I know if my company is ready to participate in the programme?
- How do I know if my company is ready for investment?
- I don't yet have a prototype. How do I fund this?
- If my company is not yet ready for the g2i programme are there any other support agencies I can contact?
- I'm an Investor, do I need to have an office in London to invest in g2i companies?
- How long does it take to secure investment?
- When I'm talking to an investor how much do I value my company at?
- Does g2i undertake due diligence on the companies?
- Does g2i assist companies in the negotiation process with investors?
- How should I protect my IP? Is it possible to search patent databases?
How do I get onto the programme?
The first step is to attend an introductory seminar, these are held monthly. As spaces are very limited, g2i pre-qualifies companies before inviting them to an introductory seminar. The first step is to register under the Entrepreneur category, a member of the team will then contact you.
Does g2i provide funding for companies?
No, g2i does not make investments in companies. g2i is an investment readiness training programme and we support companies to maximise their chances of success when raising investment.
We work closely with participating companies to help secure equity funding and can facilitate introductions to our extensive network of business angels, VCs and corporate investors. You may like to view our case studies to see how other companies have benefitted from the g2i programme.
How do I know if my company is ready to participate in the programme?
Your company must have an office that is located within a Greater London postcode district and you must be looking for investment to achieve rapid growth. If you do not yet have a prototype of your product, service or process your company may not be ready for the programme. Ideally you will have customers and some revenue however if you are pre-revenue you may still qualify for the programme. Please feel free to contact us to find out whether you qualify.
How do I know if my company is ready for investment?
Typically, to be considered "investment ready" your company should have developed its product, process or service to at least a prototype stage, however there are a number of other areas that need to be addressed when looking at securing investment. These include the innovation, your team, the market potential and business model, and investor returns.
You can take a free assessment to gauge your potential by going to http://www.venturenavigator.co.uk/ and completing the investment readiness assessment.
I don't yet have a prototype. How do I fund this?
Lack of at least a prototype usually makes investment too risky for equity investment.
There are public funds such as the Grant for Research and Development that may be able to part-fund prototype development, if you have an office with a Greater London postcode visit: http://www.lda.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.2031.
In addition, several of London's Higher Education Institutions offer "proof of concept" grant funding of £5,000 - £25,000 to help entrepreneurs undertake market assessment and test the viability of their business concept. To enquire about proof of concept funds, please contact the University directly.
If my company is not yet ready for the g2i programme are there any other support agencies I can contact?
Yes there are a number of support agencies that can assist businesses at their earliest stages of development. Business Link London (www.bllondon.co.uk) and the British Library (www.bl.uk/bipc) are both useful sources of information for early stage businesses.
Companies from outside of London should contact their local Economic Development Agency for information about business support available in their area:
www.seeda.co.uk (South East England)
www.southwestrda.org.uk (South West England)
www.eeda.co.uk (East of England)
www.nwda.co.uk (North West England)
www.onenortheast.co.uk (North East England)
For Healthcare Technology companies in the Yorkshire and Humber district you should visit: www.investinginhealth.co.uk
I'm an Investor, do I need to have an office in London to invest in g2i companies?
The geographical limitation is for companies only and we are happy to work with investors from anywhere in the UK or overseas. Investors do need to be either from an established FSA-regulated investment fund, or self-certified as an High Net Worth Individual or Sophisticated Investor. You will need to register as an Investor to be able to view information on the g2i companies.
How long does it take to secure investment?
There is no guarantee that any company participating in the programme will secure investment, however you will be better placed. You should allow 6 to 9 months, possibly up to a year.
When I'm talking to an investor how much do I value my company at?
There are a number of ways of valuing a company, however for an early stage company that is pre-revenue the risk to an investor will be high and any valuation will reflect this. The issue of valuation is addressed in the g2i programme.
Does g2i undertake due diligence on the companies?
No, typically investors like to undertake their own due diligence on a company and will have their own team to do this.
Does g2i assist companies in the negotiation process with investors?
The programme can help companies to get up to the point of investor negotiations however we do not participate directly in the negotiations. Companies should engage their own professional advisors to assist with these negotiations.
How should I protect my IP? Is it possible to search patent databases?
We would always recommend that you seek professional advice in relation to protecting IP, what is protectable, what are the methods of protection (e.g. patents, trademark, copyright, etc.).
A good initial point of contact is the British Library Business & IP Centre which offers free e-courses on intellectual property. If you are interested in searching US patents, and initial starting point could be freepatentsonline (however, we would always recommend taking expert advice before commencing the patent protection journey).
