SMEs face significant challenges navigating unfamiliar financing options and understanding trade-offs between different capital types, while investors struggle to build promising pipelines and identify businesses capable of meeting due diligence requirements. This fundamental mismatch between SME preparedness and investor expectations creates barriers that prevent viable businesses from accessing growth capital they need to scale and compete effectively.
The panel will examine practical strategies for preparing SMEs for investment processes, from financial documentation and governance structures to business model validation. Expect insights on how intermediaries bridge knowledge gaps and support fit-for-purpose deal structuring; investor perspectives on building viable pipeline and evaluating SMEs for investment potential; and successful case studies of businesses that transformed from investment-seeking to investment-ready through targeted strategies and preparation.
