Angel investors will hear pitches from entrepreneurs at the leading London-based business school.
Christmas has come early for entrepreneurs at London’s Cass Business School. The Cass Entrepreneurs Network (CEN), a community of students, alumni and investors, has called on angels to help fund the school’s start-up ventures.Angel investors from the £10 million Cass Entrepreneurship Fund, and London-based investment funds Saatchinvest and Mustard Seed, which focuses on social impact, will invest up to £100,000 in start-ups which pitch at CEN’s annual competition.
Some 15 businesses will pitch their ideas to investors, whom are particularly interested in start-ups operating in the advertising and technology sectors.
Parveen Dhanda, president of CEN, said that the network is important to help alumni from Cass and City University London, its base, with both funding and advice.
“This pitching competition will do both because even if companies are at an early stage, our angels will provide feedback on their pitch to help them in future,” she added.
Many business schools are now running these competitions to cater for an increasing number of MBA and masters students who want to launch entrepreneurial ventures.
By establishing on-campus venture capital funds, business schools are able to accelerate promising students’ companies. The Cass Entrepreneurship Fund has invested cash into MBA graduates’ start-ups including Bet Buddy, a supplier of user data analytics software for gaming companies, that was founded by former Barclays banker Simo Dragicevic.
Access to funding, particularly in Europe, is cited as one of the biggest hurdles to start-up success. By engaging the local venture capital and angel funding community, Cass is able to offer students a platform from which to compete for cash.
Saatchinvest, a fund specialising in tech which typically invests up to £400,000, has previously invested in Cass venture Comparabien, a fast-growing Latin-American price comparison website founded by two EMBA students.
Other notable investments include a $500,000 injection into Ometria, a London-based e-commerce intelligence company, and an investment in Citymapper, the public transportation app, which went on to raise $10 million in a funding round led by venture capital firm Balderton Capital.
Mustard Seed, co-founded by Stanford GSB MBA Alex Pitt, has close links to UK-based business schools Cambridge Judge, Imperial College, London Business School and Oxford Saïd, as well as INSEAD. Its portfolio of investments includes a capital injection into Crowdsurfer, the crowdfunding and peer-to-peer-lending analytics dashboard, which received investment after winning last year’s CEN competition.
Emily Mackay, CEO of Crowdsurfer, said that the company raised nearly £250,000 in its initial round of funding, led by angel investors she met at CEN’s pitching competition in 2013.
She added: “The competition was an opportunity to meet professional angels that specialised in finance, who are also highly committed to socially motivated businesses. As a result we now have proprietary technology, over 200 data feeds from platforms worldwide, 180 million data points, and a team of eight.”
Student Reviews
Best Journalism school in Europe
When I first stepped onto the campus of City, University of London, I knew I was in for a ride - and not just on the Tube! With its vibrant energy and an impressive repertoire of programs, City U became my home away from home.
The Journalism program was kind of a big deal. Rumour was that we were the best in Europe!
The lecturers were not just experts in their field; they’re practically journalistic royalty. They were invested, passionate, and had a knack for turning the most flat press release into a riveting news story. With their guidance, I’ve learned to navigate the chaotic world of media like a pro.
The campus was a melting pot of every culture, being that we had such a diverse international crowd.
Being in the heart of London, I had the world at my fingertips - there was always a new corner to explore, a hidden gem of a cafe to discover, or a street performer!
City, University of London wasn't just a university; it was a chapter in my life story that I’ll never forget.
Learning environment
The teacher-learner ration is manageable, giving each learner a chance to gain personal attention. It is also easier following up on the progress of a student, as the numbers per class is not large. the conducive environment for learning includes clean classes, standard desks, world class instructional facilities and the opportunity to engage lecturers even after their sessions. The team spirit at City is above board, with learners getting chance to learn both from instructors and colleagues. This is the university of choice; the place to be.
Classes
I liked that each class had a manageable number of learners, making the professor-learner ratio favor knowledge acquisition. I also liked that study schedules were manageable, and not overwhelming. The focus on talents and gifts even within the learning environment makes it possible for learners to achieve the best of their potential, and this has worked to the advantage of those that have schooled at City, University of London
Classes
The diversity at City University facilitates interactions and is a direction toward the unity of the world. The classes are well built to match the number and needs of all students regardless of the elements of diversity that set people apart. The use of technology in delivery makes learning even more interesting and achievable. At City University there is no distinction pegged on the issues that make people unique.
professors
The team of lecturers at the Uiversity are well experienced. Their level of insight and the methodologies of delivery works for the interes of the leaeners. My learning experience was largely boosted by the level of knowledge of the professors at the institution, and their passion to transfer the same to learners. I appreciate every class I attended because of the level of insight I was able to gather
The best university I’ve been to
The campus and the people I've met have made it a wonderful experience. I was reared in a small town with a graduating class of only 88 individuals, so moving to City University was a huge adjustment for me. My dorm has more residents than my whole high school combined! I enjoy the atmosphere here, and everyone is so friendly. Outstanding academic options and a stunning campus. Really great from beginning to end. The educators genuinely love what they do, and the students are ready to learn. On or around college, there is always something to do with friends, and the social scene is particularly warm.
Bayes Business School
As a student at City university attending Bayes Business School I would totally recommend choosing this university as the experience is exceptional with great social networking opportunities . Professors are significantly helpful, delivering with excellence and professionalism. Everyone is happy to help and make you feel welcomed in such an esteem university as City, offering exceptional development and guidance through out the course.
Economics and Politics
Incredibly amazing university, the way they polish students and help them boost their morale and think intellectually is worthwhile. Many universities have international partnerships to allow exchanges between their students. The most obvious subjects for these opportunities would be those that involve languages, and the study of people and places.
Clinical biology
I really like it it’s perfect for me with not too many people and not too few either. All the modules are amazing. I love the toy bar. I love all the societies that I’ma part of. Especially the colour Bollywood society
