Investment Readiness Coaching & Investor Matchmaking Programme

PhotonHub Europe is an EU-funded, pan-European initiative that seeks to lower the innovation barriers for deep – tech, photonics-enabled and photonics start-up and scale-up companies. PhotonHub Europe integrates over 50 top competence centres across Europe. It aims to establish a single photonics innovation hub which integrates all of the best-in-class photonics technologies, facilities, expertise and experience.

What do they offer?

• PhotonHub offers a unique and customised Investment Readiness Coaching program to help selected participants obtain the skills and knowledge to pitch to investors, present financials, understand the due diligence process and demonstrate success, prepare the legal documentation, & close the deal.
• For this Expression of Interest, up to 40 companies will be selected to participate in the 3-month program which includes:
  • 1 group mentoring session (initial group webinar) – “Welcome event”
  • 4 personalized 1-on-1 coaching workshops with mentors covering various relevant investment readiness topics including pitch-doctoring session (online)
  • Connection to investors
  • Possibility/Access to join the European Events or Online Investor Days
• Moreover, up to 16 photonics – enabled companies, selected within the whole programme may then be invited to receive additional support for larger-scale investment throughout the duration of the project. The additional support may include access to an investor list, review of pitch pack, templates and guidance on email outreach, 1 to1 meetings with investors.
• By participating in the Investment Readiness Coaching program, companies will receive practical support to substantially increase and accelerate the level of financial investment for business growth. This program – including all mentoring sessions and meetings with investors – will be offered free of charge; however the selected companies will be expected to cover any additional expenses (e.g., preparation of materials, travels and/or tickets to attend the events, etc.) as they deem relevant.
• Finally, to ensure the maximum impact both for the selected companies and for the European photonics ecosystem, applicants will be expected:
  • to participate in some promotional activities organised by PhotonHub during and after the support engagement to boost the overall uptake of photonics technologies around Europe.
  • fill in the impact survey following the completion of the programme and at least 3 times during PhotonHub DIH project duration, which will allow for measuring the impact the process had for participants and facilitate the PhotonHub Consortium’s reporting and impact.

Who are they looking for?

• They are looking for deep tech start-ups or scale-ups that are registered as a legal person prior to the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding, established in:
  • The Member States of the European Union and its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) or
  • Associated Countries to H2020 or
  • The United Kingdom
• Non-photonics and photonics-enabled companies are both acceptable.

Ideal Company

• The ideal company for the Investment Readiness Coaching program is a photonics-enabled deep tech start-up/scale-up at minimum investment readiness level 4 (Minimum Viable Product) looking for:
  • Seed capital
  • Angel capital (up to 1 min EUR)
  • Early stage VC (from 1 to 7 min EUR) – most wanted
• Thus, at minimum, to participate in this program, companies must be start-ups or scale-ups registered as legal persons that have photonics-related interest, that work in, but not limited to, the following industries:
  • Agro & food
  • Digital Infrastructure
  • Health
  • Manufacturing
  • Mobility & Energy
  • Safety, security, space & defense.

For more information, visit PhotonHub Europe.