Are you looking for help to grow and/or fund a high growth product based company?
I have a limited capacity to help (pro-bono mentoring and support) and a love of real wealth creation through building great businesses - feel free to email me if this might interest you (via this site).
Asked by Tom Jarman,
August 2009 - Contact this person
13 Answers
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This is an excellent and generous offer! Thanks Tom.
VentureNavigator Members, I’d suggest you avail yourselves of Tom's offer before all his time gets booked up!
Phin -
Thanks Phin. I've now had a number of businesses contact me - at least one really great start up. I am still happy to offer pro-bono help and advice if any other product based businesses are interested.
My background in brief: Led (CEO) number of high growth technology and engineered product businesses. Raised number of investment rounds, led IPO on AIM and trade sale to US acquirer - and earn out for UK VC. Been a VC for five years - now just keen to be involved with great growth businesses. See also www.tjarman.com -
Ahah indeed more busy more money!
:-p -
Hi,
I am currently in my business planning stages of a new business start up for a high end cosmetics based product with projected annual revenue of £300.00 (according to a clever US financial projection model) however am currently looking for a mentor who can support me in this crucial stage of set up. Hope you can help out here. -
Thanks Tripet - response sent privately. Good luck. Tom
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Hi Tom,
I would appreciate any assistance at his time - I have a disruptive new technology offering chemical free disease control for food production systems - My vision is for a worldwide installation of this equipment in areas as diverse as salmon cages, dairy farms, chicken sheds, rice fields and so on. I have been working at this solid with commercial trials for last 6/7 years but currently hitting a wall due to lack of resources and capital investment going forward. Look forward to hearing from you.
Richard Kenchington www.bioemitter.com -
I feel proud to have been nominated as 02 Male Entrepreneur of the Year 2009, for my local search by video service for SME's - Not bad considering the business has not even launched yet!..but..i would value guidance and support to grow the business into a national network. The overall vision is clear in my mind but i would value your wisdom and help me bring it to reality and a planned exit strategy in Year 5.
I know you are quite busy but any support that you give will help as a have an open mind and want to learn more...Thank you Joel. -
Hi Tom,
A very generous offer. My company will be seeking to raise a significant level of funding in the first part of 2010. Since early 2008 we have been compiling underproductive farms or un-worked land in central and Eastern Europe, regularising ownership and creating farms (our product) for development and ultimate re-sale. The process brings wealth to local populations and is potentially highly profitable for investors. This is a new business and having spent much of the year developing processes and infrastructure we feel ready to make a step wise increase in the size of our operation by sourcing outside investment. Any assistance you can offer would be most welcome!
Simon -
I have sent private responses to these answers.
My area of expertise is business planning, funding and growth for technology (including web) or engineered product based businesses - please feel free to get in touch if you have a business of this type
Good luck to all, Tom -
Hi Tom,
I am marketing a rain cover for rotary airers that has potential in an intternational market. IP and other matters have been addressed, it has excellent customer reaction and sales are growing steadily in the UK and elsewhere. However, to be really effective it needs investment and guidance. You may be able to help. Regards, Malcolm -
Hello Tom
I'm the head of a start-up with an innovative but simply engineered new gadget for motorcyclists at the R&D stage that has received a great deal of interest from the market. We're told it's patentable and we're looking for funding.
Best wishes
Jill -
Hi Jill - please feel free to send me an email via the website with a little more information if you want a personal response - let me though bring out a couple of points from your query(and others) which may have general relevance:
To be patentable an invention must satisfy a few things eg it must be genuinely inventive (in the UK) and it must not replicate 'prior art' (something someone has already done). The patent office will look for previous patents in the area, but other prior art would be relevant if it ever went to court. If you have revealed the invention to someone else except if this was done 'in confidence' then this would count as prior art. So please don't reveal the invention to anyone until you have agreed confidentiality, usually with an NDA (non-disclosure agreement). Think about applying for a patent sooner rather than later – you have a year to sort out the claims and detail once lodged in the UK. (and your priority date from the UK usually applies world wide provided other applications are in process in that 12 months)
Secondly: A good invention doesn't (of itself) make a good product. And a good product doesn't (of itself) make a good company. Good products have markets, demand (even if latent), will be profitable etc. Good businesses have plans, management, funding etc
So all if you have a great invention do think about those other things required to make a business success. Good luck. -
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