How to win investment for your tech firm: Manchester entrepreneurs share their stories

Budding tech tycoons need to be thinking about employee handbooks as much as Elon Musk – that was the message from panels of entrepreneurs and experts gathered to celebrate the region’s tech successes.

On Thursday I went to The Stables, off Lower Byrom Street, for the launch of this year’s Tech Climbers List in Greater Manchester.

The annual list – now open for nominations for 2024 – aims to celebrate the top performing product-led tech firms in the region. Previous businesses to have been recognised include robotic automation company Digitech Oasis, property app Housr, and risk solution platform Red Flag Alert.

After we’d all had our pastries and coffee, Tech Climbers founder Anna Heyes explained the event had started in Liverpool and proved so popular that a Manchester event was launched too. She said we were here to “showcase and celebrate” city tech firms – and added: “We want to tell the best story for GM. That’s what we want to do.”

The first panel saw professional advisers share their thoughts on Manchester’s tech ecosystem and on the key challenges facing tech founders.

Daniel Hayhurst of law firm Brabners said tech entrepreneurs needed to have all the right “foundations” for their business in place. He joked about how founders might not think about things like where contracts are stored, or employee handbooks – but reminded them that investors doing due diligence in the future will check everything.

Caitlin Morris, of patent and IP law firm Marks & Clerk, said firms should think about their valuable IP early and take care not to disclose it publicly too early. And she joked about how people tell her that they don’t need to do that because Elon Musk doesn’t have patents – but yes, he does.