Hosted by Partners& and HCR Law at The Studio, 7 Cannon Street, as part of Birmingham Tech Week
From innovation to investment
Thursday 22 October
4:30–6:00 pm
Join Partners& and HCR Law for a practical panel discussion on protecting, managing and using intellectual property to support growth and investment readiness.
Intellectual property can shape valuation, due diligence, access to finance and risk management long before a funding round begins. This session looks at what founders, scale-up leaders and SME decision-makers need to have in place if they want their IP to stand up to scrutiny.
David Hall of HCR Law chairs a panel that brings together legal, funding, insurance and transaction experience around one question: how can growing businesses turn intellectual property into a stronger commercial asset?
David supports start-ups, scale-ups and IP-rich SMEs. He advises on investment, IP management, contracts, compliance and wider legal needs, with a focus on making legal support practical and accessible.
What we'll cover
- How IP affects investment readiness
What investors, lenders and buyers look for when they assess value and resilience - Due diligence and risk management
How to identify gaps in ownership, protection, contracts and compliance before they slow a deal down - Access to finance
How IP-backed lending, tax relief and venture capital conversations can change when your assets are properly understood - Practical next steps
Actions you can take now to manage intellectual property more confidently as your business grows
Panel speakers
- Julie Scott, Head of M&A Advisory, Partners&.
Julie leads the firm's UK advisory team, supporting clients through complex transactions. With deep expertise in areas including due diligence, warranty & indemnity and risk protection, she works closely with deal teams to identify, manage, and mitigate risks, helping transactions complete successfully while protecting value at every stage. - Felix Key, R&D Tax Director, PKF Smith Cooper
Felix specialises in R&D Tax Credits and Patent Box Relief. With a background in mechanical engineering, he helps businesses evidence innovation and access the reliefs available to them.
- James Andrews, Head of Finance & Insurance Markets, Inngot
James leads Inngot’s finance and insurance market relationships, helping banks and insurers develop IP finance solutions for SMEs. He brings extensive experience in credit risk, treasury and infrastructure portfolio management.
- Maddi Brown, Intellectual Property Practice Leader, CFC Underwriting
Maddi develops IP insurance products and services. With more than 15 years’ experience in the IP market, she helps brokers understand and navigate this emerging risk class. - Huw Sparkes, Investment Manager, Future Planet Capital
Huw supports investment in early-stage ventures across Birmingham and the West Midlands. He also brings experience in start-up advisory, mentoring and ecosystem building through The Colmore Collective.