Getting ready for high growth funding

Part of the High Growth Readiness Programme
Preparing Northamptonshire businesses for investment and scale

If you’re thinking about raising growth funding from £250k to £3m+ to scale your business this workshop will give you clarity on your options from an experienced scale up CFO. 

What You’ll Get

In this high-impact, in-person workshop, you’ll learn how to:

• Understand what type of equity of funding is right for your business and when to raise
• Avoid the mistakes that cause 6–12 months of wasted fundraising effort
• Build a credible financial and funding strategy, not just a pitch
• See your business through an investor’s lens

Why This Matters

The reality is harsh:

• Less than 1% of businesses successfully raise equity funding
• Most spend months chasing funding with no clear process or strategy
• And many stall their growth at the exact moment they should be scaling

This workshop is designed to change that.

What Makes This Different

Delivered by FundingHero, this session is built on the 6 Pillars of Fundraising framework, developed from 20+ years of real-world CFO and fundraising experience

• Practical, not theoretical
• Built for companies looking to scale
• Designed to give immediate clarity and next steps

Who It’s For

• Ambitious founders and SMEs exploring growth funding
• University spinouts and innovation-led businesses
• Businesses considering equity, debt, or hybrid funding routes
• Founders who want to stop guessing and start planning properly

The Outcome

You’ll leave with:

• A clear view of your funding pathway
• A stronger understanding of what investors expect
• The foundations of a credible, fundable business strategy

Your Workshop Host

The workshop is led by Jim Shirley, founder of FundingHero and author of The Startup Fundraising MBA.

Jim is a former CFO who has supported hundreds of founders to become investor-ready, with experience helping businesses scale and has experienced multiple successful exits.

He now works with universities, growth hubs, and innovation programmes across the UK, including partnerships with organisations such as the British Business Bank and Barclays Eagle Labs, delivering CFO-level investment readiness support to high-growth businesses.

His approach is simple: Cut through the noise, show founders how raising funding really works, and give them the clarity and strategy to raise the right capital at the right time from the right sources.

Secure Your Place

Spaces are limited to keep the session focused and high-value.

Register now to secure your spot and take the first real step towards becoming investment ready.

** Please note that we may share your personal data as appropriate with event partners and that by registering for this event you are agreeing to your information being shared with our event partners.

The personal data shared is as follows – Name/Email/Phone

Should you not want your personal data to be shared, please email: samantha.hunter@southmidlands.org.uk