Investor Series

In this episode, the fifth and final one of the season, we’re joined by co-Founder and CEO of Bloc Ventures, Bruce Beckloff. Bloc is a venture capital company that supports and helps grow the next generation of early-stage deep technology businesses across Europe. Beckloff’s extensive tech expertise and commercial acumen have led him to own the corporate strategy for world-leading tech provider ARM and, as part of this, create their investment activity. After 12 years at ARM and other roles including Corporate VC Specialist for the UK Trade & Investment government unit, Beckloff currently helps deep tech startups align their strategies to scale commercially and quickly. He’s currently an Advisor for IoT SaaS platform EVRYTHNG and Board Observer for fintech company Yordex.

In our fourth episode of the Investor Series we chat with entrepreneur-turned-investor and Venture Partner at 7percent Ventures, Ivailo Jordanov. 7percent Ventures is a network-driven, trans-Atlantic early stage fund that seeks out the most ambitious founding teams who want to transform markets and ultimately change the way the world works for the better. Jordanov has also been a partner at cryptographic asset management and investments organisation Gattaca, an investor and tech advisor for Novus Analytics and is greatly interested in deep tech, digital health, blockchain and crypto.

In the third episode of the Investor Series we talk with chairman, director and board advisor Margaret Rice-Jones who has extensive experience working as a Chair for companies such as Skyscanner where she was responsible for overseeing the business's continued global expansion as it embraced the impact of mobile. Other previous roles include Corporate VP and General Manager at multinational telecommunications company Motorola and Non Executive Chair for software vendor Openet. Rice-Jones is currently the CEO of Point Blank Solutions Ltd., Chair at Origami Energy and Non Executive Director at Holiday Extras.

In the second episode of the Investor Series, we chat to Greg Rice, Founder of digital startup studio Activate and a seasoned investor with over 30 years’ experience in establishing and nurturing business relationships in the UK and the US. Founded by Rice in 1992, the Activate accelerator helps entrepreneurs with outstanding digital ideas secure investment and lasting success. Through the Activate Startup Programme founders are guided by the team’s extensive business and technology expertise to transform their vision into reality.

In the first episode of the Investor Series we meet with David Battey, Director at Lumaca Capital and a £500k-£1m funding specialist with a wide range of consumer and technology sector experience both company and investor side. Battey set-up Lumaca Capital in early 2018 and has since been providing funding solutions for UK growth companies that typically struggle to raise larger amounts of capital post seed financing rounds.

Welcome to the Investor Series! Find out from hosts Paolo Valdemarin and Stephanie Forrest what to expect and look forward to from this brand new podcast.