Insight > Backing Innovation > Founders, investors and growing businesses

Founders, investors and growing businesses

Navigating the complexities of founding and growing a business can be all consuming, with intense pressure points, high demands and high stakes. From our extensive work with both founders and investors, we share insight, industry trends and commentary on emerging topics to help you drive your ambitions forward.

Founder insights

Tim Parr, Founder, Caddis

"Investors should be looking for founding teams that truly believe in what they're doing. Products can be copied quickly and distributed globally, but ideas and brands will endure. If a product creates a category, to me, that's a pretty exciting place to start."

Founder insights

Katie Critchlow, Non-Executive Director, Earthblox

"The early stages of a business are complete chaos. That’s OK, they are for everyone, so don’t fret. I felt so relieved the first time I understood, ‘OK, this isn’t just me, this is pretty normal’. So long as things get better and better over time, don’t worry about a messy start!"

Founder insights

Daniel Rooke, Co-founder and COO, Start Codon

"Think carefully about the robustness of the underlying ‘business’ (i.e. what your business will actually be and how you will make money) and people (i.e. who will you recruit, when and why). Plan appropriately and be aware that it will take time to raise."

Founder insights

Sandrine Zhang Ferron, Founder and CEO, Vinterior

"Get a coach. I did not do this. I should have… You'll get the money back tenfold."
"Developing a support network of coaches, mentors, and peers is important for personal development and creating a sense of community and belonging."