VenturePath

That’s a wrap! Despite a slow investment climate, 2024 has been filled with some incredible milestones - supporting founders on their scaleup investment journeys, creating new ecosystem partnerships, deepening existing ones, and championing UK scaleups. Highlights include: → Supporting high-growth founders in preparing for successful funding rounds → Partnering with ecosystem leaders to embed investment support through events, content, and programmes → Launching the UK ScaleUp Investment Mission, taking this vital initiative to the heart of Government And 2025 promises some even bigger opportunities: → Launching the UK ScaleUp Score in January - a tool designed to help founders assess and improve their readiness to scale and secure investment → Running our next Venture Sprint in March, helping more founders prepare for their next big funding round → Continuing to champion the UK ScaleUp Investment Mission, improving access to venture capital and creating more UK venture-backed successes So, whether you're a founder ready to scale, or a partner eager to support the ecosystem, we’d love to hear from you. Here’s to 2025 being an even more successful year for UK scaleups, driving growth, innovation, and investment across the ecosystem! Ian Merricks, FBCS FRSA Holly Hudson Duncan Knight Luigi Meschini Simon Fox

It’s easy to feel like taking a break means slowing down. But the phrase ‘slow down to speed up’ rings particularly true this time of year. Taking a break is not a luxury, it’s a necessity for long-term success. Here’s why: → Recharge: constant work can lead to burnout. A break over the festive period helps to recharge, unlock creativity and new ideas → Gain perspective: stepping back gives you the opportunity to reflect on the bigger picture and gain a clearer insight → Strategic planning: this new perspective helps you return with renewed clarity, strategy and direction → Enhanced productivity: rest is essential for productivity. A refreshed mind makes quicker, clearer decisions, and solves problems more effectively → Strong team culture: Founders who prioritise downtime set a positive example. This fosters a healthier work-life balance, ultimately leading to happier, more motivated teams. So, if you were in any doubt, take the well-deserved break to recharge. 2025 will thank you!

Great morning spent with The Entrepreneurs Network and Invest in Women Taskforce for the ‘Gaining Altitude’ report launch. Hearing from Sonia Kumar MP, Hannah Bernard OBE, Jenny Tooth OBE, and Anastasia Bektimirova this morning, the report shines a light on the critical role that female angel investors play in supporting female founders across the UK. Female angel investors have a powerful role in creating change, but systemic challenges still hold things back. The report outlines practical steps to unlock untapped capital, like funding regional networks and offering more tailored education for women. Brilliant to see so many different organisations involved in the conversation. In Jenny’s wise words, “when supporting companies from startup to scaleup, we need all partners within the ecosystem to play their part”, a sentiment we echo at VenturePath!

Is 2025 going to be your breakout year? Our ‘ScaleUp Readiness’ event on Tuesday 21st January is your chance to get ahead, designed to give you the clarity and insights you need to hit the ground running next year.  If scaling is on your mind and fundraising is in your future, this session, hosted by Ian Merricks, FBCS FRSA, is for you. Register your attendance today 👉 https://lnkd.in/ebexyYYk

Breaking through your business’ growth ceiling 🚀 It’s not uncommon for businesses to hit a growth plateau - but it goes without saying, ideally you avoid it altogether. So, whether you’ve encountered this challenge or are looking to prevent it, here’s how to push past the ceiling and unlock your next stage of growth: 1️⃣ Expand opportunities for revenue growth Look beyond your current revenue streams to identify new opportunities. This could include upselling to existing customers, exploring partnerships, or diversifying your product or service offering to meet untapped demand. 2️⃣ Re-evaluate how you spend your time as a founder Founders often wear many hats in the early days, but scaling requires a strategic shift. Focus your time on high-value, growth-driving activities and empower others to handle operational tasks. 3️⃣ Expand your team strategically Growth plateaus often signal a need for new skills or perspectives. Hire with purpose - building a team that complements your vision while filling gaps critical to scaling sustainably. 4️⃣ Build scalable processes Anticipate bottlenecks and replace manual, time-intensive tasks with systems or tools that can scale as you grow. Standardisation ensures consistency as your business expands. 5️⃣ Use challenges as a learning opportunity Growth plateaus often mean extra effort in sales but the feedback gained during this time is invaluable. Leverage it to iterate on your product, refine your sales approach, and sharpen your marketing strategies to drive future growth. We hosted a session on breaking through growth ceilings, if you missed the session, you can catch some of the highlights here: https://lnkd.in/egtA5BBw

"Bigger is better, or so we are led to believe by the big 4 global media groups. We believe there is a better way. We prefer brainpower to computers, bespoke creativity to template solutions, and the craft of precision buying to deliver better results." – Jane Kesley Jane is part of our expert network, helping scaling companies navigate the complexities of media and deliver smarter results. Jane joined us to share insights on how companies can win in media. Hint: clear messaging is key. If you're a scaling founder and not yet part of VenturePath, get in touch to learn how we, alongside experts like Jane, can support your journey.

🚀 Ready to scale your business? Setting the right foundations is key. From building scalable systems to securing the right funding, these key focus areas will set you up for success. Swipe through for practical insights and start scaling with confidence. 💡

Exciting things are coming for Elite Business and VenturePath in 2025! We’re thrilled to be partnering for an action-packed year ahead. As part of this collaboration, Ian Merricks, FBCS FRSA, will be one of the judges for the Elite Business Top 100 SMEs (#EB100) Awards. The #EB100 celebrates the best and brightest SMEs in Britain, showcasing innovation, growth, and success across the country. If you’re a standout SME, this is your chance to shine. However, the deadline for 2025 is fast approaching - 13th December! Secure your spot on this renowned league table to be recognised as one of the top UK SMEs. Submit your applications ahead of Friday! Apply here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e_Hcuc3S #EliteBusiness100 #SME #UKBusiness #SmallBusinessSuccess #Awards2024 #BusinessGrowth

Yes, we know it’s barely December, but we’re already thinking about 2025 - because scaleups don’t wait for January to start planning big moves! Join us on Tuesday 21st January as Ian Merricks, FBCS FRSA discusses how to gear up for a successful year of scaling. What to expect: → Scaleup Readiness – Understand your current scale readiness, your strengths, and where you need to grow → Practical Scaling Tips – Learn how to tackle common challenges when it comes to scaling → Investor Insights – Gain insights into what VCs are looking for in 2025 The details: 🗓 When: Tuesday 21st January, 12 – 1 pm 📍 Where: Virtual 💡 Who’s this for? This session will be most valuable to UK-based, revenue-generating companies planning to raise VC funding (£2m – £20m) in 2025. Ready for a successful 2025? Register now to reserve your spot 👉 https://lnkd.in/ebexyYYk

With 23% of scaleup failures attributed to team challenges, it’s clear that the team can make or break your business. As such, building the right team and nurturing a strong culture is critical, but they can also be some of the hardest parts of scaling. That’s where having access to experienced and trusted experts can make all the difference. Our Expert Network is designed to connect scaling companies with trusted individuals and partners who offer real-world insights and practical solutions to bridge any critical gaps. Whether it’s strengthening your team, refining sales strategies, legal guidance or enhancing your marketing approach, our expert network ensures you receive the right support, from trusted individuals, at the most pivotal stage of your journey. Featuring some of our brilliant experts and partners: Andy Evans Phil Guest Nick Suckley Ian Merricks, FBCS FRSA Kate Bowes Renna Ian Wallis Carl Coddington Jane Kesley