Competition to marry VCs and start-ups

An early-stage UK funder of tech start-ups is calling for entries to a new competition that it says will put them on a fast track to investment and growth.

'Zero-to-Hero: The VC Challenge' is the brainchild of Chris Brigden, partner at Catalyst Venture Partners.

Catalyst connects venture capitalists (VCs) with companies that are typically at the pre- or zero-revenue stage - a stage often too early for VCs.

Brigden said: "A lot of the early stage companies come to us but they just haven't got their proposition right."

The competition pulls together incubators SETsquared (a collaboration of Bath, Bristol, Southampton and Surrey universities), VC fund Eden Ventures, bank HSBC and technology lawyers Osborne Clarke "because you need to get the IP [intellectual property] right", Brigden added.

Based on executive summaries submitted as part of their entries, they will choose 20 companies to spend a day being groomed and coached by the experts. Besides Eden Ventures, four other VCs controlling over £300m in investment funds will be present: Foresight Venture Partners, Matrix Private Equity Partners, Octopus Asset Management and South West Ventures Fund.

An overall winner will be chosen at a later date after a week of revising business plans. The winning CEO gets to go to a Williams Race Day, though it is hoped most of the 20 start-ups involved should see some benefits.

The closing date for entries is 25 April with more information available from Catalyst Venture Partners by emailing info@catvp.com.