About this webinar

The Immerse UK Access to Funding & Finance working group brought together a panel of four experts on finance and investment to answer your questions about how the Covid-19 crisis has changed the funding environment for entrepreneurs and new ventures.

• Shaun Beaney, Corporate Finance Faculty, ICAEW
• Fabio La Franca, Investment Director, Station 12
• Puneet Raj Bhatia, Fund Director, London Co-Investment Fund
• Katherine Gilroy, Campaign Development Associate, Seedrs

Panelist biographies

Shaun Beaney Corporate Finance Faculty, ICAEW

Shaun Beaney is responsible for communications, public policy and advisory projects for the Corporate Finance Faculty at the ICAEW, including innovation investment, access to finance, high-growth companies and venture capital. He devised, researched and co-authored: Creative Industries – Routes to Finance; Boosting Finance for Engineering & Technology; UK Television in Focus; Boosting Finance for the UK’s Industrial Strategy; and AI in Corporate Advisory. He chairs Immerse UK’s Access to Finance & Investment working group, is a member of the Creative Industries Council’s Investment for Growth working group and an assessor for Innovate UK. He’s an Associate Lecturer at Central Saint Martins – University of the Arts London.

Fabio La Franca, Investment Director, Station 12

Fabio is an investment director at Station12, a venture capital fund based in London specialised in Sport, Entertainment and Knowledge and the emerging technologies enabling or supporting the sector like mixed reality, AI and blockchain. He is also an Expert and Rapporteur at the European Commission for the Horizon2020 €80bn R&D funding programme and a member of the European Innovation Council.

Puneet Raj Bhatia, Fund Director, London Co-Investment Fund

Puneet is the Fund Director of the London Co-Investment Fund at Funding London. He has significant experience investing in over 200 businesses, and of advising businesses across various sectors, profiles and geographies, with a particular interest in early stage technology ventures.

Having previously worked with institutions like Deutsche Bank Global M&A, DB Ventures, Ernst & Young and Partnerships UK, he brings broad networks in the UK VC community along with his experience as a successful investor, advisor and board director.

Puneet holds a Masters in Finance from London Business School along with qualifications including B.Tech., PGDBA and CFA.

Katherine Gilroy, Campaign Development Associate, Seedrs 

Katherine Gilroy is currently a Campaign Development Associate at Seedrs. She has a background in corporate law and a focus on helping start ups and growth stage businesses to expand and develop. She is currently focusing on seed stage businesses and is particularly passionate about female entrepreneurship and sustainable business.