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Tech Wales Advocates is a grassroots community of tech leaders, all coming together as volunteers to support the Tech Wales ecosystem. Supporting founders and entrepreneurs in Wales and helping them connect with investors.
May 2023
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TECH WALES ADVOCATES NEWS
TWA Steering Group
Recently, we had a successful first Steering group meeting at Tech Wales Advocates, where we discussed ways to increase our involvement in different areas of tech across Wales. As we move forward, we are committed to supporting Welsh tech events and recruiting more volunteers to champion their respective areas. Our aim for the future is to engage more with the Welsh tech industry through our Advocates, connect across tech events, and leverage the Global Tech Advocates network to connect with countries around the world. By doing so, we believe we can not only strengthen the tech community in Wales but also create opportunities for collaboration and innovation on a global scale. Our passion and dedication to the Welsh tech industry will enable us to make a significant impact in the coming years.
London Tech Week
London Tech Week is a major event in the UK tech calendar, and this year Tech Wales Advocates will be taking part in a big way. We are excited to support Welsh events during the week and connect with industry leaders from across the UK and beyond. In particular, we are thrilled to be partnering with Tramshed Tech to support a fringe event during the week. This event will provide a platform for showcasing the Welsh tech ecosystem. Other advocates are hosting events at London Tech Week and if you are or would like to, contact Nathan Stockford to put a TWA timetable together.
Get involved in TWA
If you’ve been looking for ways to get more involved in helping and being a part of the Wales Tech Eco-system, please get in touch. We have exciting plans for the year ahead including events across Wales and new groups.
Want to find out more? Email Nathan or reply to this message. |
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Elis Thomas
Oliver Smith
Liam Plummer
James Smith
Abby Humphreys |
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CALLING ON TECH FOUNDERS AND INVESTORS TO ATTEND A TRADE MISSION TO HONG KONGCALLING ON TECH FOUNDERS AND INVESTORS TO ATTEND A TRADE MISSION TO HONG KONG
Tech West England Advocates (TWEA) are inviting tech founders and investors from across West England, Wales and the UK to join them to explore Hong Kong’s exciting tech eco-system. The trade mission, entitled ‘Mission to Hong Kong – Your Tech Gateway to Asia Pacific’ will take place during 13th – 17th November. TWEA mission is open to Tech Founders with export ready technologies in CleanTech, HealthTech, FinTech, AI, Robotics, RegTech, SmartCity Tech, and to Investors and VCs.
To express your interest as a mission delegate or sponsor, email richard TWEA mission organiser for more details. |
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| Global Tech Advocates Updates from Russ
It has been a busy first quarter for GTA! A number of GTA working groups have been active including…
-The launch the GTA Black Women in Tech France Chapter on 9th March.
-Tech Nordic Advocates, led by Jeanette, held its Female Tech Founder event in Copenhagen on 23rd January.
-Tech Thailand Advocates, led by Mimee and Kathy, had an excellent launch event on 16th March in Bangkok as part of UK-Southeast Asia Tech Week.
-Tech Singapore Advocates, led by Leslie and Shaun, held a great anniversary event at London Stock Exchange at Raffles Quay on 20th March.
-Tech Emerging Europe Advocates, led by Emiliano and Andrew, held their annual meeting in Warsaw on 31st March at Google for Startups with a focus on Poland, Ukraine and UK tech sector collaboration.
THINGS LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
- London Tech Week is fast approaching, and it is great to see so many people getting involved with the week. I am planning to send out the next newsletter, probably week of 22nd May, and it will be the London Tech Week Preview newsletter – if you can update me on any of your plans for LTW, I will be able to include information in the newsletter.
- One change I would like to share with you is that I have asked Leslie, co-lead of Tech Singapore Advocates, to take on an Asia Pacific Regional Lead role to help me provide better support across the region. I am using the UK Government approach to ‘Asia Pacific’ which includes Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore and Australia. Leslie will interface and coordinate with each of these groups and will also help with expansion plans for the region. We have had a couple of preliminary discussions to establish a new group in Malaysia this year and will also begin some discussions to look at setting up a new group in Indonesia.
If you would like to send us any updates for GTA please reply to this email. |
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| Whether you are looking for funding right now, or if you won’t be thinking of it for a little while, being “investment ready” can really help to speed up the investment process once things get going.
It can also make you more attractive to potential investors, as it shows that you are well organised and aware of the kind of things investors will be looking out for.
Preparation for this important step in your business’ growth is key, so to assist you we have put together this helpful guide which includes a legal checklist to go through prior to starting the investment process, and a series of FAQs on some of the things you’ll need to think about in the early stages of an investment process. |
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| TWA likes to cast a spotlight on one of our Advocates. This month we’re talking with Scott Preece |
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Tell us about your organisation, yourself and the work you do?
Ashfords LLP are valued legal partners to a wide range of corporate, public and private clients across the UK and internationally; counted on by clients to get the right result whether that’s delivering commercial objectives, making investments or solving disputes. Our Tech team has a top tier ranking in Legal 500 and a number of the team’s lawyers have spent much of their careers in the technology sector. We are able to offer pragmatic, cost-effective solutions for any project.
I am a Senior Associate in the Corporate and Tech teams at Ashfords. I would primarily describe myself as an “investment lawyer” – working with both founder teams and investors in fast-growing and exciting tech businesses to support them through investment rounds. Though I also advise tech business on acquisitions, and, when they reach the latter stage of the growth journey, I work with companies and their shareholders on sales / exits.
The Ashfords Business Scale-Up Hub [https://www.ashfords.co.uk/business-legal-services/products/business-scale-up-hub] includes plenty of useful resources for growing businesses along with examples of the work we do.
What are you looking for in being a Tech Wales Advocate?
As an ex-Valleys boy and Aberystwyth Uni graduate I’d love to be able to support more Welsh tech entrepreneurs, businesses and investors. Much of my career so far has seen me working with the flourishing tech sector in the South West of England or supporting London VCs and it would be great to use that experience to benefit tech in Wales.
The Ashfords tech team as a whole are keen to support scaling tech businesses wherever they are based. As a “full service” law firm we can assist with:
Investment support
Exits / acquisitions
IP protection
Commercial contracts
EMI option schemes
Leases and other property queries
Many other legal queries
What does the future of Welsh tech look like to you?
It is no secret that the tech sector in Wales lags behind may other parts of the UK – recent reports have suggested that “GVA” (gross added value) to the economy per person from the Welsh tech sector is lower than all other substantial UK regions. However, with the right support, Welsh tech has a great opportunity to scale and make a name for itself.
The seeds are there right now – Cardiff in particular has seen support programmes and tech hubs open up over the past few years and has strong talent pipelines in its local Universities. At Ashfords we have seen this work well in Bristol and Exeter; cities supported by their Universities where incubators, accelerators and funding opportunities have all grown healthily within the last decade.
Over the next 3-5 years I would expect the ecosystem needed to scale Welsh tech to mature and extend out to other parts of Wales, and with plenty of advocates and the right backing from the Welsh Government I would hope that the often London and Oxbridge-centric VC market will start to pay more attention to tech on the “other” side of the Severn Bridge. Wales may be the underdogs of the UK tech market, but when has that ever stopped the Welsh from punching above our weight and gaining success? |
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We want to hear your stories!
Got something you’d like to share with the Tech Wales Advocates Community?
Email twa.events or reply to this email. |
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Events
16th May – Networking Bites
12.30 – 13.30, Goodsheds, 3 Hood Rd, Barry, CF62 5BE
16 Mai – Cynhadledd Egni Conference (Annual Egni (Energy) Conference)
10.00 – 16.30, M-SParc, Menai Science Park Gaerwen LL60 6AG
16th May – Gweithdy algâu i blant // An algae and energy event for kids
16.00 – 17.00, M-SParc, Menai Science Park Gaerwen LL60 6AG
17th May – Introduction to Sustainability
10.00 – 17.00, STEAM Academy, Pencoed Campus Bridgend College Pencoed CF35 5LG
23rd May – Market Share – Demystifying Data
18.00-19.30, Tramshed Tech, Pendyris St, Cardiff, CF11 6BH
31st May – FinTech Wales Networking Breakfast
9.00-11.00, FinTech Wales Wyndham Arcade Cardiff CF10 1FH
Coming Up
20th June – Trade Unlocked
9.00-18.00, Hall 2, N.E.C. Birmingham
Tech Advocate UK groups will be attending this event. It will be about being impactful to the Government on behalf of Tech. Please contact us if you would like to attend
If you have an event or news you would like to share with TWA community feel free to post on the TWA LinkedIn Group or reply to this email with details. |
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