1st presentation: Robert Hokin – Sources of Finance – Robert Hokin May 2012

2nd presentation: Ken Rumph – What Investors Look For – Ken Rumph May 2012

3rd presentation: Irene Walsh - The Green Investment Pitch – Irene Walsh May 2012

The next Greenbackers takes place on 26 June in London. Applications close at midnight, May 31.

Up to 5 pre-qualified businesses will meet up to 30 personally invited and active investors. Greenbackers’ boardroom format provides a conducive environment for entrepreneurs to present their business cases and actually raise funding.

There is no charge to apply (though terms and conditions apply if you qualify to present).

Key benefit for entrepreneurs: investment presentations and networking with a carefully invited number of experienced investors and a gateway to other active sources of capital.

Key benefit for investors: access to high quality, pre-qualified, investment propositions benefiting from ecoConnect’s extensive reach into UK cleantech innovation. Investors: to attend at no charge, please email robert.hokin@eco-connect.org

Entrepreneurs: Apply in confidence at: www.greenbackers.co.uk (click on Entrepreneurs APPLY HERE)

Also, to ensure your best chance for funding: check out ecoConnect’s How to Pitch for Green Investment Bootcamps: next on coming up on Monday, May 14th 12-530pm at the British Library in London. http://bit.ly/HLBzjS

Last chance for £1million funding and support for your UK cleantech start-up! Applications close 8pm, 17 April 2012.

The Berti Green Accelerator is a new business accelerator programme, supported by James Caan, seeking to champion entrepreneurial, green technology and low carbon businesses (cleantech) in the UK.

This year three outstanding low carbon businesses will be selected for the Berti Green Accelerator programme, and will get six months of first class business support and expertise from James Caan’s Hamilton Bradshaw Impact Partners and the opportunity to receive funding of up to £1million each from Berti Investments.

Shortlisted candidates will pitch to a Dragon’s Den style panel of judges including James Caan, Jeremy Leggett (Founder and Chairman of Solar Century), Michael Liebreich (Founder and Chief Executive of Bloomberg New Energy Finance) and Jacques Tredoux (Director of Berti Investments).

For further details and to apply visit: http://bertiinvestments.com/berti-green-accelerator/  UK businesses only, please!

And don’t forget about Greenbackers, ecoConnect’s own quarterly pitch event for equity raises in the £250k-£5M range.

Next one is June 26 and we’re taking applications now For more details click HERE 

That kind of understanding isn’t something you want to outsource. You need it in-house. It’s not a bolt-on, it connects you with your customers and prospects. Get it right and it builds and builds, as customers and influencers tell tell prospects and others about your business.

Need help and don’t have the money to employ full time staff? Consider a marketing consultant. Judge them by how much they want to integrate with the company – not just sales but understanding the whole ethos of the business. Someone whose opinion you can value, with a strong portfolio of aesthetically pleasing work. View it, not as a way of outsourcing design/ promotion/tech work, but as a way to help analyse your brand positioning, business needs and add value to your company.

Marketing should encompass creativity. But creativity is NOT mutually exclusive from a rigorous data driven approach that allows you to calculate your return on investment – expect both. An agency engagement should contribute significantly more, as a direct result of their actions, than the fee charged. Get them to statistically prove this wherever possible.

You may also need creative (but effective) design resource for your website, advertisements in trade publications and trade shows support. Identify agencies through trade bodies, forums like UKIF, or speak to clients, peers and (even) competitors!

Make a shortlist (no more than 5), send a brief and invite to present. Your brief should be very clear what you require them to deliver, clear if it’s on retained or project basis and the budget. Don’t try to prescribe what the agency should do, it’s their pitch, you could learn some clever tricks just from the process itself!

Where’s the Money Sources of Green Investment - by Robert Hokin, ecoConnect

Pitching to Green Investors - by Irene Walsh, Message Lab

Resource bank Feb 2012 - by Robert Hokin, ecoConnect

We all, as key industry participants, should be acting in unison to MOBILISE, UNIFY and CHALLENGE this action and show our support the UK Wind Industry. Our voice can be much stronger TOGETHER than individually.

Coming to you in June – the definitive guide to securing green investment in the UK, comprising:

• Directory of pre-qualified investors
• Comprehensive analysis of the investment landscape
• and critical insights from advisors active in the sector

Developed with industry research leaders Clean Energy Pipeline, it is a unique and never before available overview and directory of green industry investment in the UK.

We’ll be selecting a number of green industry businesses in the UK to receive the guide for FREE a value worth £150!

Register for your copy now.

Simply fill out the short-form below.  

This guide will be promoted to a register of +150,000 green industry professionals throughout the UK. If you want to reach this audience we still have a number of sponsorship and advertising opportunities available. Contact robert.hokin@eco-connect.org for details.

Egham, Surrey or Central London. Can be home-based.

DESCRIPTION:

ecoConnect CIC is the UK’s Green Industry Business Network and low carbon industrial & cleantech connections hub for support, investment, skills and dialogue. We help enable the rapid growth of low carbon industry and cleantech in the UK and beyond bringing together leaders from all disciplines to progress the growth of this sector.

As a registered Social Enterprise, ecoConnect actively campaignes for sponsorship from a variety of sources and increasing its membership base. We have some very exciting programs to develop during 2012.

As such, new opportunities are available for Research and Support Interns to join our team. Under the supervision of the Chief Executive, you’ll actively contribute to the success of the organisation.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Research, identify, cultivate and secure sponsorship from corporate prospects.
• Help develop and implement sponsorship strategies and initiatives.
• Help build robust relationships with sponsor prospects and accompany ecoConnect’s Team members on visits, collaborating to create an effective support network to close sponsorship deals.
• Provide support: including writing proposals, drafting introductory and follow-up letters and background materials, preparing and delivering insightful, motivating presentations.
• Utilise initiative, independence, originality and responsibility in developing new methods and techniques for sponsorship. Work closely with other members of the Fundraising Team in identifying major gift prospects.
• Develop and maintain prospect databases, including generating analyses and summaries at regular intervals. and tracking progress on Salesforce.com. Prepare reports for colleagues and volunteers.
• Provide support on Membership drives.
• Other duties as required including events organisation.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

• Prefer Honors degree level with 2.1 or a first. MBA enrolled or graduate a plus. 3rd Sector, Social Enterprise or Environmental, Engineering, Cleantech business studies a plus.

SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Excellent oral and written English communication skills, with ability to communicate with diverse business stakeholders.
• Experience using Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint or similar MAC environment.
• Well organized with attention to detail and ability to carry out tasks independently.
• Ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to develop and manage client relationships.
• Ability to research using publicly available sources.

EXPERIENCE OR SPECIAL SKILLS DESIRED:

• Experience with basic statistical analysis and research.
• Ability to prepare written reports based on data analysis, including tables and graphs.
• Familiarity with Salesforce.com or other CRM systems.

SCHEDULE:

• Maximum Commitment 40 hours a week. Minimum commitment: 180 hours over a minimum of 12 weeks (flexible schedule of 10-15 hours per week) Some tasks may appropriate for home working.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Compensation: Monthly stipend is not available, but intern will be compensated for any agreed expenses incurred due to outreach responsibilities and will have opportunities to participate in trainings, conferences and networking events with senior executives and management. As appropriate, a percentage of funds personally raised will be negotiated after trial, period with potential to move into full time employment.

Other Benefits: Please see Internships at ecoConnect

CONTACT: Interested candidates should email their resume to: careers@eco-connect.org

Please title your subject line: Research and Support Intern – Sponsorship and Membership.