This evening event presents an overview to the funding and finance options available to small and medium-sized businesses in digital media and the creative industries. The aim is to help you assess the relative merits of different approaches to financing your company's growth and development.

Topics include:

Getting Ready. Guidance on how to prepare your business for finance.

Bank Loans and Overdrafts. What are the best options for your business?

Business Angels. Who are they, what do they do, and where can you find one?

Venture Capitalists. Do any of them still care about this sector? What sort of companies are they interested in? And do they have the same ambitions for your business as you do?

Public Sector and Charitable Grants. Are any of these appropriate to the serious commercial business? How do you find out which ones you're eligible for? And how much effort is involved in applying?

Doing it yourself. How easy is it to fund growth directly from your company's turnover and profits? And is maxing out your credit cards and borrowing money from friends and family ever a sensible strategy?

Location, location, location. Where does your company have to be based (in London) to qualify for special treatment? What other conditions apply?

The seminar will also give an overview of a range of finance and funding schemes which may be available to your business, including:

• Small Firm Loan Guarantee scheme
• DTI Grant for Research and Development
• Business Link Access to Finance service
• Enterprise Grants
• Nesta
• Prince's Trust
• EU schemes

Speakers

James Thomas, Investment Director, ICON
James joined ICON in 2000 from British Telecom Plc, where he was a Senior Financial Analyst. Prior to this, he was a manager at Deloitte and Touche Corporate Finance where he specialised in handling all aspects of corporate finance transactions including management buy-outs, disposals and venture capital transactions. At ICON James specialises in management buy-outs/buy-ins and raising funds for early stage and high growth technology companies across the TMT sector with particular focus on software, electronics and semi-conductors. Major deals that he has worked on include the £801 million disposal of NCP to Cendant Corporation and the disposal of a UK based electronics manufacturer to a NASDAQ listed company in a cross-border $70 million share for share exchange. He has also managed transactions on behalf of TrafficMaster Plc and Dan Computers Plc. He has over 10 years corporate finance experience, a degree in Economics and Accountancy, and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.