Dorset Business Angels Pitch Event – February 5th 2024

Dorset Business Angels Network Limited provide quality, private equity investment opportunities to local High Net Worth and Sophisticated Investors.

We help early-stage businesses find equity capital, especially in southern England, our local area.

We do this by bringing our investors and entrepreneurs together to accelerate the growth of early-stage businesses.

Join us for networking from 5.30pm in the Causerie Suite, enjoy refreshments whilst meeting and catching up with fellow investors, DBA sponsors and the DBA team.

The pitch presentations will start at 6.10pm with an introduction from our Chairman, Don McQueen. Also, Rob Jones Investment Director from RATHBONES, incorporating Investec Wealth & Investment, will give us his financial outlook review for 2023 and the coming year 2024, for investors.

Five carefully selected companies seeking investment will make a 15-minute pitch each, after which there is time for Q&A. Then, expressions of interest from Angel Investors are registered for further action. Once the pitch presentations are finished, those staying for dinner will enjoy a 2-course private meal with wine and a chance to start new conversations and continue those started earlier in the evening.

The first 4 pitches are confirmed as…

Sector: Robotic Aids for Food Manufacture
Industrial robotic gripper and vision system enabling the fully automatic assembly of food ingredients for ready meals.

Their low-cost mobile unit has two robot arms, computer vision software, and patent pending grippers, to fully assemble any ready meal. It replaces two manual workers at half the cost, thereby addressing the significant labour shortage for the high-cost, thin-margin business of ready-meal production – particularly so for sandwiches, pizzas, salads, burgers etc.

Fully developed tech, now de-risked and operational the equipment is about to be introduced into the third largest sandwich maker in the UK.

The Company now seeks to raise £1M which is expected to be the only external funding required to fund rapid development and make the business highly cash-generative.

Sector: Wellness – Nutritional Food Science
Science-driven development and production of nutritional ready meals to improve the health and life quality of people with specific health conditions.

This Company aims to improve the health and life quality of their customers who have specific health conditions or who are at risk of developing them, by providing science-driven, delicious, convenient ready meals. The food is either delivered to the customer’s door or via a partner such as the NHS or leading food service operators.

They have just been approved for supply into the NHS via their framework, and are listed on Compass Food Buy, the UK’s largest food service company.

In revenue, they now have a sales run rate direct to the consumer of over £2.3M, (60% up on 2022) and there is also a hugely promising B2B side which has just launched.

In addition, they have recently been awarded a £400k Innovate Grant to develop a range for those surviving breast cancer treatment, that will trial in Q3 24.

Management now seeks £750K to further develop these opportunities.

Sector: Online Visualisation through 3D Photography
Enabling retailers and artists to create and display interactive 3D photos of physical objects for retail and leisure websites.
This Company’s mission is to become the industry standard for allowing users to integrate 3D imagery of their products into online displays.

Retailers and artists can create and display 3D photos of physical objects online that are completely photo-realistic, fully interactive and load approximately 10x quicker than traditional mesh-based 3D renders.

Current retail customers have experienced increased conversion rates by up to 220% and engagement by up to 50%. New clients pay a set-up fee followed by a monthly subscription dependent on the number of products displayed on their webpage in 3D.

Up to now, the adoption of 3D into e-commerce has been very slow due to the long loading times of data-heavy 3D images, plus high costs and logistical complexity. Using their platform overcomes these challenges and can be employed with the user’s existing online set-up.

The management is looking for an injection of 60K which will then release an Innovate UK grant of £100K.

Sector: Personal Mobility Vehicles
Innovative new design promoting healthy ageing, social empowerment and inclusivity

The Company aims to disrupt the fast-growing market for electric mobility vehicles and is designed to enhance the health, overall well-being, and social inclusivity of elderly and disabled people.

Conventional mobility scooters are difficult to manoeuvre within confined spaces and dictate that the user must always remain seated, which is mentally and physically unhealthy and can be socially stigmatising.

To overcome these shortfalls, their products offer 360-degree joystick-controlled manoeuvrability and the ability to travel in both standing and seated positions.

A functioning prototype for testing and evaluation purposes has been manufactured and the IP is protected by granted and pending international patents. A high-quality volume sub-contract manufacturer of mobility vehicles has been engaged and relationships have been developed with the top UK mobility trade dealer networks.

The Company is now seeking £400K to fund the development, production and launch of their vehicles.

Sector: Feminine Hygiene

A portable, multifunctional cleaning case which users can use to clean their menstrual cup in public bathrooms, and sterilise their cups at home.

This Company’s product is designed to improve the daily experience and environmental impact menstruators have with their period products by making them more user-friendly, accessible, and affordable.

This product is a portable cleaning and sterilising case for the menstrual cup and is suitable for all sizes of cup currently on the market. It can be easily cleaned and sterilised at home in a microwave for 3 minutes.

Switching to the menstrual cup can reduce the amount of sanitary product waste that goes to landfill by 96% and the cost to the menstruator by 94%.

Primarily targeting the 18-24-year-old market, the two co-founders have the product ready to go into production with a UK-based manufacturer as soon as sufficient funding becomes available.

Having recently been awarded a £150K grant from Innovate UK, the founders now seek a further £300K to take the product to market.

The Menu

Mains

• Pan-fried salmon, creamy pommel puree, buttered asparagus, garlic and coriander cream sauce (GF)
• Spinach and ricotta cannelloni, pomodoro sauce, rocket leaves with garlic bread (V)
• Pan-fried chicken supreme, fondant potato, green beans, Bordelaise sauce (GF)

To Finish

• Warmed chocolate brownie, chocolate sauce served with vanilla ice cream
• H oneycomb cheesecake, chocolate sauce
• Selection of ice cream (GF)

Tea & Coffee

This event is suitable for:

• Angel Investors
• Those considering becoming an Angel Investor
• Support services involved in or interested in becoming involved with Angel investment

This event is not suitable for:

• New business networking
• Finding new clients
• Entrepreneurs considering a future pitch to investors*

*This event is for Investors, it is only fair to presenting companies to ensure all attendees are genuine or potential investors.

Professionals who want to personally invest or, who have a portfolio of clients to whom Angel investing may be of interest are very welcome to attend. If you have a specific requirement to attend or if you are unsure whether this event is right for you, please email contact@dorsetbusinessangels.co.uk and we will be pleased to assist.

Non-Member Investor Self-Certification is Required for the Event

Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended 2005) investors must “self-certify” by meeting simple criteria as “High Net Worth” or “Sophisticated” Investors.

Therefore, any investor should read and sign the documentation via our About page on our website, either a High Net Worth Investor Certificate or a Sophisticated Investor Certificate, as is appropriate.

Members of Dorset Business Angels will have already submitted this information and need not do it again.

Visitors, who are neither members or investors are welcome to attend for information-only purposes and must understand that they can only invest in a non-regulated investment on becoming a paid-up member of Dorset Business Angels.

Pitchers – We also wish to point out that companies or individuals seeking investment through the Dorset Business Angels must ensure that the information presented to potential investors is neither inaccurate or misleading. They are, accordingly, similarly advised to seek guidance from someone authorised under the Act.

DISCLAIMER

Any information provided on the website or other communication is for information purposes only. The website and other communications and their content are not, and should not be deemed to be an offer of, or invitation to engage in any investment activity. The website and other communications should not be construed as advice, or a personal recommendation by Dorset Business Angels Network Limited. Dorset Business Angels Network Limited is not authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The content of this promotion is not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA). Reliance on the promotion for the purpose of engaging in any investment activity may expose an individual to a significant risk of losing all of the investment. UK residents wishing to participate in this promotion must fall into the category of sophisticated investor or high net worth individual as outlined by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

How can I contact the organiser with any questions?

If you have any issues booking your ticket. Email our Events Manager: Debbie Frith debbie@thepassionatepa.co.uk