J.P. Morgan and CIC leverage Cambridge Entrepreneurs Forum to inspire future growth

The South is home to some 14,000 high-growth companies, with Cambridge having one of the highest concentrations of start-ups in the UK. This event connects Cambridge-based entrepreneurs and investors in the life sciences and deep tech sectors with J.P. Morgan’s network, market intelligence and access to global capital to assist throughout critical stages of the financing lifecycle of ambitious, knowledge-intensive companies through to exit and beyond.

Oliver Gregson, Region Head for the UK, Channel Islands & Ireland at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, shares: “Our firm's rich history with Cambridge spans over a century, from Jack Morgan receiving an honorary degree from the university to our continued commitment today, with our data scientists partnering with university researchers during the pandemic.

“At J.P. Morgan, innovation and excellence are at the core of our purpose — values that strongly resonate with Cambridge’s entrepreneurial spirit. This unique forum harnesses the firm’s unparalleled global capabilities to connect the Life Sciences, Tech & Deep Tech sectors, aiming to grow, scale, and ultimately propel pioneering ideas from Cambridge to the international stage.”

Cambridge's unique entrepreneurial ecosystem, bolstered by its world-class institutions including the University of Cambridge and innovation hubs such as the Cambridge Science Park, serves as an incubator for startups and growth companies alike.

In the last three years, £7.1 billion has been spent by R & D companies on 40 key business parks in Cambridge.

“The convergence of world-class research and entrepreneurial ambition in Cambridge creates a unique environment where knowledge-intensive companies can thrive. With access to global capital and expertise, these companies are not just driving innovation – they are shaping the future of industries and creating solutions with far-reaching global impact,”says Andrew Williamson, Managing Partner, Cambridge Innovation Capital.

The process of raising capital for companies operating in knowledge-intensive sectors in 2024 remains a critical topic in the increasingly complex global investment landscape.

The right strategy will help generate an appropriate investor group that will bring both capital and expertise. With majority of spinouts led by professionals from an academic background, the Cambridge Entrepreneurs Forum plays a crucial role in connecting these experts with commercialisation expertise.

This synergy brings together global leaders in both academia and business, ensuring that startups can pursue the optimal capital formation strategy. Given the specialised nature of these companies, it’s critical that founders can translate their companies’ capabilities and potential to avoid limiting themselves to a small pool of specialised investors.

This event coincides with the launch of J.P. Morgan Private Bank’s fourth annual Top 200 Women-Powered Business Report, which highlights the invaluable contributions of women-led enterprises across the United Kingdom.

The report reveals that 29 per cent of the South’s 14,000 high-growth companies are women-powered. The top 10 in the South include Panaseer, MPB, and Speechmatics.

Katy Wigdahl, Chief Executive of Speechmatics, participated in the tech panel and shared her valuable perspectives on the capital formation process for growth companies in the UK.

Speechmatics was founded in 2006 by Dr Anthony Robinson, who pioneered the use of neural networks in speech recognition. In the report, Katy says: “We need to encourage more women to think about investing, highlighting the available vehicles and options, and support female leaders on their investment journey. We also need to see more phenomenal women in board roles, because balanced boards are better for business.”

Healthcare is also well represented in the regional top 10, demonstrating the region’s strength to incubate companies in this sector, with firms like clinical trial supplier BAP Pharma and medical data analysis firm Costello Medical standing out.