Roberts Roze
Senior Project Manger, CUE Ltd

Roberts has an extensive experience working on European projects and has managed in total more than 10 different scale projects funded by Framework Programmes and other different international and national government funding schemes. His specialities are innovation and business support projects and he has been leading on a number of international project partnerships.

w:  http://www.bridge2growth.org/   

Didier Vermeiren
Project Manager, Brabo Ventures

Didier began his career in sales and marketing in Canon and Packard Bell. In 2004 he joined Brabo Ventures, where his main tasks are in business development, corporate advisory and the coordination of several projects on innovation financing and entrepreneurship including the Gate2Growth project. He currently holds a combined Master in Global Management from the University of Antwerp Management School and the University of Florida as well as a MSc. from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

w:  http://www.braboventures.com/

Isabell Majewsky
Director, Connect Midlands

Isabell is the director of Connect Midlands helping technology companies raise new equity finance.  Previous experience includes working with Nemoquest Ltd, a spin-off from the University of Glasgow and working on a variety of projects aimed at stimulating innovative growth businesses and raising investment capital at Coventry University. She joined Warwick Ventures, the technology-transfer department of the University of Warwick in September 2000 and founded Connect Midlands in early 2001.

w: http://www.connectmidlands.org/

Peter Cunliffe
Head of Finance, MGA Education Ltd

Following a career including senior financial roles within several blue-chip organisations, Peter now has his own company, Flex FD, working closely with start-up businesses, university spin-outs and SMEs, with particular involvement in financial strategy, financial management and the raising of finance.  Peter is currently taking MGA towards investment readiness under the Invored Green Stream initiative managed by Connect Midlands.

w: http://www.mgaeducation.co.uk/

Steve Walker
Chief Executive,  ART (Aston Reinvestment Trust

Steve is Chief Executive of ART, the pioneering local community development finance institution (CDFI). This followed a banking career of over 29 years dedicated to the provision of finance and advice to small businesses. Steve has extensive practical experience of the challenges faced by SMEs in acquiring grant, loan and equity support and is a member of the West Midlands Regional Finance Forum.

w: http://www.reinvest.co.uk/

Patricia Geraghty
Advantage Business Angels & Advantage Creative Fund

Patricia spent much of her career in media, first with NBC, then with Cable Television. She was recruited to England as one of the start-up managers for the emergence of the Cable Television and Telephone industry. She has had extensive experience in developing and assisting new business ventures. With a Masters Degree from Seattle University, she is now involved with sourcing equity funding for companies requiring funding below £3M. 

http://www.advantagebusinessangels.com/