Jump on a Springboard to investment

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17/03/2011

One of the Midlands' biggest investment showcase events is coming to Loughborough's Holywell Park on 14th April.

The Connect Midlands Springboard showcases the best early stage investment propositions in the Midlands, as part of the Government's Understanding Finance for Business programme, to an audience of investors and investment professionals.

This year's event will feature up to 15 pre-screened companies all looking for up to £500k. Each company will present an 8 minute pitch and will be available for further discussion in the exhibition area.

Between each round of pitches there will also be the opportunity for businesses and investors to network together and discuss ideas in more detail.

Connect Midlands is a not-for-profit network that supports technology and high growth companies to gain investment through 

training and mentoring

,

 investment showcasing, and networking between businesses,investors and the professional services community in the Midlands.

The programme of investment readiness support is part-funded by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). John O'Reilly,emda's Business Support Director, said: "Springboard is the ideal platform for entrepreneurs in the region to pitch their proposals to several potential investors at one event and for investors, it is a great way to hear about some of the most exciting business ideas in the region. I would advise entrepreneurs and investors to seriously consider attending this unique showcase event."

The Connect Midlands Springboard event takes place at Holywell Park in Loughborough, between 9am and 3pm on 14th April.

For more information, or to book a place, contact Martin Boddy on 01509 228705, or emailmartin@connectmidlands.org

For more details about Springboard, visitwww.connectshowcase.org

ENDS

For further information, please contact Nick King, Media and PR Manager on 0115 988 8375; email:nickking@emd.org.uk

About

emda

East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is one of nine Regional Development Agencies in England, set up in 1999 to bring a regional focus to economic development.

Ten years on, independent evaluation showsemdahas:

• Had a significant impact on the region's economy
• Generated economic benefits that substantially outweigh its overall costs
• Put back over £9 of economic output (or GVA) into the regional economy for every £1 it spends
• Produced more than £1 billion in economic benefits per year
• A wider impact on people, places and businesses in the East Midlands that cannot be captured by figures alone.

For more details visitwww.emda.org.uk

Understanding Finance for Business

Understanding Finance for Business is one of a suite of highly targeted publicly funded products and services provided by government under the Solutions for Business banner, offering solutions to real business needs and targeting market failure. Understanding Finance for Business offers investment readiness support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the East Midlands who want to raise investment finance.

An investment ready company has a proposition that closely matches what an investor is looking for and is able to articulate the opportunity in a concise way.

Understanding Finance for Business helps businesses to prepare and become investment ready.

About ERDF nationally

The ERDF Programme aims to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union by supporting regional economic development.

The ERDF objectives for England are:

• Promoting innovation and knowledge transfer
• Stimulating  enterprise and supporting successful business
• Ensuring sustainable development, production and consumption
• Building sustainable communities
• Improving accessibility and connectivity (for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly only - as part of their Convergence Programme).

A Programme Monitoring Committee consisting of regional stakeholders such as Government Offices, RDAs, Regional Assemblies, Local Authorities, Sub-regional Partnerships, Higher Education Institutions, Trade Unions, and the private and voluntary sectors will monitor and oversee programme implementation in each region.

For more information on ERDF funding generally, please visitwww.communities.gov.uk/citiesandregions/europeanorhttp://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funds/feder/index_en.htm

About ERDF in the East Midlands

The East Midlands is eligible for €268.5m (approximately £236m at current exchange rates) between 2007 and 2013, which when combined with match funding, provides a programme value of approximately £472m - a significant investment in the economic development of the region.

The East Midlands qualifies as a competitiveness and employment region under the EU's Cohesion Policy, which aims to meet the EU Lisbon objective to become 'the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social inclusion.'

East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is responsible for the programme management and delivery of the region's 2007-13 ERDF Competitiveness Programme.  The responsibility for ERDF programme management was transferred from the Government Office for the East Midlands (GOEM) toemdafollowing a decision by the UK Government to seek greater alignment between ERDF and regional strategies and funding streams.  The 2007-13 ERDF Programme is therefore set firmly within the framework of the Regional Economic Strategy.

A Programme Monitoring Committee, chaired by the Regional Director of Government Office for the East Midlands (GOEM), guides the strategic direction of the programme and works closely withemda.

To find out more about ERDF, the region's strategy for delivering the funds, how to apply for funding and how the programme is managed, please visitwww.eastmidlandserdf.org.uk

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