
Conference
Chair: Guy Fraser-Sampson
Speakers
include:
- Sean Seton-Rogers,
PROfounders Capital
- Natalie
Tydeman, GMT Partners
- AndyTait,
Pembridge Partners LLC
- Nicki
Hattingh, Creative Arts Investment Network
- Paul Comben,
AT New Media
- Andrew
Romans, Georgetown Ventures
- Nic Brisbourne,
DSJ Esprit
- David
Bailey, Seven Arts Pictures
- Dorian
Bloch, gfk Chart Track
- Nick Parker,
Parker Consulting
- Barry
Hoffman, Independent with GamePoint & Ingress Europe
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Summit
Schedule | Speakers | Register
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Following
on from the highly successful 1st Funding & Investment Summit, this
Summit, chaired by leading consultant and author: Guy Fraser-Sampson,
extends
the discussion to the wider issues of the emerging payment, revenue and
distribution models for high-yield online, mobile (and console) businesses
- and investigates the trends and value of media and film tie-ins.
- Meet leading
VCs and Angel funders
- Network
with your leading industry colleagues
- Learn
about the markets attracting the lion's share of funding, and why
Hear answers
to:
- Where
is the money is being spent online? Where is the highest growth and
yield? What are the drivers of consumer spending? What mix of platforms
works?
- How is
mobile is shaping up through iPhone and Android to add revenue and value?
- What can
be learned from successful games and virtual world models?
- What trends
are emerging for advertising revenues?
It is generally
accepted that the outcome of this recession will impact business models
across the board. In many markets, the changes will be permanent.
- What direction
are the majors in media and film taking? How does that affect your business?
With major changes in business and distribution models still underway,
which will prevail?
- What funding
is available and how do you access it?
- What are
the key considerations that you need to take on board in your business
plan to attract funding, given this upheaval?
- How will
you inspire investors to fund your first or next round of funding?
- Where
are the most lucrative opportunities in the market right now?
- Which
apps have the best potential return on investment over the next 12 months?
- What factors
are impacting revenues and value?
- What is
the future of the 'free-to-play', 'free-to-access' model?
- Will micro-transactions
over-take the advertising-supported revenue model? If so, where and
how?
- Is user-generated
content a curse to bottom-line revenues or a panacea to attracting communities
through which you can monetise content?
- What models
already exist for supporting browser-agnostic access cross-platform?
How can this be monetised centrally?
PROGRAMME
Conference
Chair: Guy Fraser-Sampson
2 - 2.10
Welcome from Guy Fraser-Sampson
2.10 - 3.00:
Data and Trends - Speakers include: Nick Parker,
Leading Games Analyst; David Bailey, Seven Arts Pictures and Dorian Bloch,
Business Group Director at GfK Chart-Track
3.00 - 3.30:
Early Stage Public & Private Support, Finance & Funding
- Speakers include: Nicki Hattingh, Creative Arts Investment Network;
AndyTait, Pembridge Partners LLC
3.30 - 4.OO
- Networking Break
4.00 - 4.50:
Financing Growth - The VC Perspective
The Venture Capitalist & Growth Fund Perspective - Chaired
by Andy Tait, Pembridge Partners
- What is
the story now in the economic downturn? How has it changed from December
2008?
- What are
the key criteria entrepreneurs should expect to attract Series A funding?
- What business
models will attract VC investment?
- What are
the typical capital requirements and time frames for exits for this
sector?
- What are
the dynamics and complexities for Series B and C rounds in today’s
new environment?
- What is
the current trend in valuations and what are the key criteria driving
valuations for both investments and exits?
- What returns
is the VC asset class delivering to its investors?
- What changes
can we expect in the VC landscape in Europe and globally?
VC panellists
include: Sean Seton-Rogers, PROfounders Capital; Nenad Marovac,
DN Capital & Mauro Pretolani, TLcom Capital LLP; Natalie Tydeman,
GMT Partners; Andrew Romans, The Founder's Club and Nic Brisbourne, DFJ
Esprit.
4.50 - 5.30:
Financing Growth, Improving Revenues: The Developers' & IP
Owner Perspective - Case studies and panel discussion - Chaired
by Gina Fegan, South East Media Network
- Impact
from media and film tie-ins to social media, games, music etc
- Drivers
of Investment
- Demographics
- Business
and revenue models
- Role of
advertising for revenues and valuation
Speakers
include:
- Tony
Pearce, CEO, PlayerX - Earlier this year, Zed acquired market-leading
mobile media company PlayerX, following significant funding since inception
in 2004. Tony takes us through the process as to how PlayerX exited
successfully and what the future revenue model will be for successful
mobile businesses in the future.
- Paul
Comben, AT New Media - How to use new media to launch and promote
a new or classic IP and discover or rediscover a consumer audience;
How to capture audience information and earn revenue by selling them
merchandise or downloads; How to attract licensees, retailers, operators
and other relevant third parties to invest in products and software
based on your IP; How to be realistic about trying to get wider exposure
through TV or movies; Pitfalls to avoid.
- Joshua
March, iPlatform & Chair Facebook Developers Garage - iPlatform
Ltd builds applications and social network technology for major blue
chip clients and agencies, with campaigns this year for Ministry of
Sound, Gumtree, Comic Relief, the Conservative Party, Moby and more.
- Volker
Hirsch, Blue Beck - Volker has been through entries (MBO, acquisition,
founding), growth and exits of game companies (developers, publishers
and aggregators) from various perspectives: as entrepreneur, executive
and advisor. His new venture focuses on social games across platforms
(but starting with iPhone, smart phones and Facebook) and seeks monetization
across the whole range of available channels. From his previous engagements
with iWorld Group, Mforma/Hands-On Mobile and Connect 2 Media, he has
vast experience with carrier-driven ecosystems, which allows him a very
good overview of available revenue generators in the space.
- Barry
Hoffman, Independant Consultant -
Barry is excited to share his experiences on growing active niche and
mass communities into profitable enterprises. His tools of choice are
social network analytics, efficient data mining and market research,
coaching instead of consulting, consistent program management, online
events and setting up strong partner networks.
- Nina
Pustilnik - Veteran of The City and Virtual Worlds platforms
and brands, Nina will give us the view of the media landscape in respect
to virtual worlds.
Followed
by Panel Q&A
5.30 - 7pm
- Networking drinks at a local hostelry
Programme
and speakers subject to change.
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PAST
EVENTS
1st
Funding & Investment Summit: 5 December, 2008: Casual Online Games,
MMOs & Virtual Worlds
Sponsored
by SEMN and Sheridans.

In the current
credit crisis, one sure thing is that entertainment and new media platforms,
especially games and virtual worlds - will outperform many other sectors
in terms of market reach and sales. Witness this with the recent increase
in sales at retail and online - and the massive injection of VC funding
into Virtual Worlds over the last 12 months.
Over the
last year the key areas receiving funding are online networked games and
virtual worlds, whilst the new - and extended family market genre grows
on the wave of green & sustainable casual games, interactive quiz
shows and personal improvement titles.
PROGRAMME
1.30 - 2pm:
Data and Trends. Focus on the Growth and Opportunity in Casual
Online Games, MMOs and Virtual Worlds. Nick Parker, Parker
Consulting - leading market analyst and consultant
- Consolidation
and convergence: What are the latest trends in the games and interactive
entertainment sector?
- How will
these trends impact the games and interactive entertainment community?
- What are
the key drivers of growth in developed and emerging markets?
- What lies
in store for the games and interactive entertainment sector? Who will
lead consolidation and convergence?
2 - 2.20pm:
Spotlight on Media Tie-Ins. Robert Johnsson, Media
Consultants Ltd
- How will
TV help the online gaming segment to grow? Spots generating more revenue
and value than normal advertising.
- Which
marketing possibilities will it offer? Benefits to the Media groups?
- Possible
exits? Case study.
- What are
the big media corporations doing today?
- What types
of games are the most attractive in combination with TV and gamers?
2.20 - 2.50pm:
Early Stage Public & Private Support, Finance & Funding
Chaired by Gina Fegan, South East Media Network. Panelists include:
Sian Brereton, Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and Andy Tait, Pembridge
Partners LLP
About TSB:
Among other activities, the TSB invests in projects involving business
and researchers working together to deliver successful new technology-based
products and services. Over 700 CR&D projects have received investment
since 2004, amounting to over £1 billion.
Sian will
address the schemes available: Fast Track Projects, Feasibility Studies
& Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, and for the first time introduce
a new programme: "Accessing & Commercialising Content in a Digitally
Networked Age".
Andy will
talk through how Early Stage private equity funds work, in connection
with Pembridge case studies.
- What they
are
- How they
work
- How to
access them
2.50 –
3.05: Break
3.05 - 4.30pm:
Financing Growth - The Legal and VC Perspective
1.
Legal Perspective- Alex Chapman, Sheridans
2.
The Venture Capitalist Perspective - Nenad Marovac, DN Capital;
Mauro Pretolani, TLcom Capital LLP and Paul Fisher, Advent Venture Partners
join other leading VC firms, together with Panel Chairman Andrew Romans,
General Partner, The Founders' Club & Georgetown Venture Partners
- How has
the economic downturn affected VC investing?
- What are
the key criteria entrepreneurs should expect to attract Series A funding?
- What business
models will attract VC investment in Casual Online Games, MMOs &
Virtual Worlds?
- What are
the typical capital requirements and time frames for exits for this
sector?
- What are
the dynamics and complexities for Series B and C rounds in today’s
new environment?
- What is
the current trend in valuations and what are the key criteria driving
valuations for both investments and exits?
- What returns
is the VC asset class delivering to its investors?
- What changes
can we expect in the VC landscape in Europe and globally?
4.30 - 5.40pm:
Financing Growth: The Developers' & IP Owner Perspective -
Case studies and panel discussion.
Participants
include: Jochen Hummel, Metaversum GmbH; Sebastian
Funke, sMeet Communications GmbH; Gobion Rowlands, Red Redemption;
Ian Livingstone, Eidos; Daniel James, Three Rings and Simon Jones, Games
Jacket. Chaired by Andy Tait, Pembridge Partners LLP
- Drivers
of Investment
- Demographics
- Business
and revenue models
- Role of
advertising for valuation
- Impact
of media tie-ins
Followed
by Panel Q&A
Programme
and speakers subject to change.
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