Darren Evans
Managing director
at
The Engine Room
Starts
Panel Session
Finance
Investment
Business Development
Marketing
Startup
Delegate
Location: Stage 1
-
Wed, 1 Jul 2026
·
15:00 – 15:40
(Europe/London)
(40 minutes)
Investing in Creativity: What funders need to see and founders need to know
The creative industries are a major UK strength, but many creative businesses still struggle to access the right capital. This session explores what investors need to understand, what founders need to evidence, and how to build greater confidence between capital and creativity.
The UK’s creative industries are one of the country’s most distinctive economic strengths, spanning film, TV, games, music, fashion, design, advertising, immersive media, content, digital creativity and creative technology.
They generate valuable intellectual property, global cultural influence, export potential, skilled employment and new forms of technology-enabled growth. Yet many creative businesses still struggle to access the right kind of investment.
Some investors see the sector as difficult to understand, too project-based, too reliant on talent, or harder to scale than software or deep tech. At the same time, many creative founders are not always clear on what investors need to see: repeatable revenue, strong margins, credible IP, commercial discipline, scalable models, management capability and a clear route to growth.
This session will bring together Creative UK, investors and creative founders to explore how the investment gap can be closed. It will look at why the creative industries represent a serious investment opportunity, what investors need to understand about the sector, and what creative founders can do to become more investable.
The discussion will focus on practical ways to build confidence between capital and creativity, helping more creative businesses access the funding they need to grow.
Who should attend
This session is for creative founders looking to raise investment or prepare their business for future funding, as well as investors who want to understand the commercial opportunity in the creative industries.
It will be relevant for angels, VCs, family offices, funds, banks and alternative finance providers interested in growth sectors beyond traditional tech.
It will also be valuable for founders and leaders in film, TV, games, music, fashion, content, design, marketing, media, immersive, digital and createch businesses, particularly those looking to move from project income to more scalable revenue models.
The session will also be useful for ecosystem builders, combined authorities, local authorities, universities and advisers supporting creative clusters, studios, agencies, cultural organisations and creative entrepreneurs.
Why it’s relevant
The creative industries are economically significant, but the investment conversation around the sector is often too narrow.
Creative businesses can be rich in intellectual property, brand value, audience insight, talent, content, community and global market potential, but those assets are not always understood or valued properly by mainstream investors.
There is also a growing opportunity around createch, where creativity meets advanced technology. As creative businesses become more digital, data-led and technology-enabled, the potential for scalable models, new markets and investable growth becomes stronger.
At the same time, creative excellence alone is not enough. Investors need to see how the business makes money, where growth will come from, how IP is protected, whether revenue is repeatable, and whether the team can scale.
This session is relevant because it tackles both sides of the challenge. For investors, it will demystify the creative industries and show where investable opportunities exist. For founders, it will explain what funders look for and how to build a more credible, commercially robust investment proposition.
What you’ll take away
You will leave with a clearer understanding of why the creative industries represent a serious investment opportunity, and how investors assess creative businesses in practice.
The session will provide insight into what makes a creative business investable, including how founders can present revenue, IP, audiences, growth potential and risk more effectively.
You will also hear where creative businesses can scale beyond project-by-project income, what types of capital may be available, and where misunderstandings often arise between founders and funders.
The session will help attendees understand how to build greater confidence between capital and creativity, and how creative talent, IP and audience value can be turned into more sustainable, investable businesses.
Hosted by
Rahul Misra
Head of Investment
at
Creative UK
Speakers
Hazel Savage
Principal
at
Leeds Angels
Robert Pieroni
Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development
Sarah Rose Anderson
Head of Music and Entertainment at BAND
at
Band Advisory Group Ltd
Partners & Exhibitors
Headline Partner
Event Partner
Tour Partner
Award Partner
Exhibitor
