Startup Roadshow: York edition, hosted by Barclays Eagle Labs & SeedLegals

The way startups are built, funded, and scaled is changing fast.

From shifting investment trends to evolving founder expectations, staying ahead now means understanding what’s happening in the market today - and what’s coming next.

Join us in York for an energising evening bringing together founders, investors, and operators for a clear, up-to-the-minute view of the investment landscape, plus the insights and connections to help you move with confidence.

This Startup Roadshow brings together the local ecosystem for a dynamic mix of expert insight, real-world perspectives, and high-quality networking in a relaxed but high-energy setting.

What to expect

A keynote session unpacking the current investment landscape, including trends, data, and what investors are really looking forA panel discussion featuring an angel, VC, and founder sharing real-world perspectives and experiencesThe opportunity to ask your own questions during an open Q&ADedicated networking time to connect with fellow founders, investors, and ecosystem players

Event format

5:30pm – Doors open & networking6:00pm – Welcome & keynote presentation6:30pm – Panel discussion: insights from across the investment ecosystem7:15pm – Audience Q&A7:30pm onwards – Networking & drinks

With cabaret-style seating to encourage conversation, this event offers a chance to build meaningful connections and gain practical insights you can apply immediately.

Whether you’re raising, scaling, or simply exploring what’s next, this is your opportunity to plug into the York startup ecosystem.

Our hosts🎤

Sam HieldsPartner at OpenOcean and co-founder of York Angels

Sam is a Partner at OpenOcean, an early-stage VC firm specialising in data-driven businesses and known for backing category-defining companies like MySQL and MariaDB, where he works closely with founders across Europe to scale global businesses in the new data economy. Alongside his VC work, he is co-founder of York Angels with long-time friend Ashley Mason, building the city's local investor community. Before OpenOcean, Sam joined Community Fibre at seed stage as Director of Customer Experience, building the Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, and Customer Engineering functions and helping connect over 100,000 premises to full-fibre broadband ahead of the company's £400m acquisition by DTCP and Warburg Pincus in 2020. Earlier operational roles included launching and expanding Uber across England, and technical roots as a Software Engineer at JPMorgan Chase, where he helped build the world's first real-time liquidity monitoring system automating over $6 trillion in daily cash flows.

​​Aaron DukeAccounts & Partnership Manager, SeedLegals

​​Aaron is an Accounts & Partnerships Manager at SeedLegals, with a background in Partnerships & VC. During his career he has supported founders with raising investment, incentivising teams with share options, applying for SEIS/EIS, and managing their cap table.

Steve WaudCEO of the Business Enterprise Fund

Steve founded the Business Enterprise Fund in 2004 and has led it ever since, growing the organisation from a zero balance sheet into a group managing around £100m of funds, with over £35m of its own capital deployed into some of the UK's most deprived communities. The BEF Group today spans 13 companies and a family of four CDFIs - covering the North West, North East, Yorkshire & Humber, and soon London - including delivery partner responsibilities on the British Business Bank's Northern Powerhouse Investment Funds. He has advised successive governments on community development and SME access to finance, contributed to the Commission for Banking Standards and Banking Futures, and helped shape the UK launch of Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Small Businesses programme; he is a past chair and vice chair of Responsible Finance. Originally trained as a mechanical engineer, Steve later qualified as a Barrister and is a Chartered Banker, bringing a rare blend of technical, legal, and financial expertise to the sector.

Mattia ScalabrinVC at Mercia Ventures

Mattia is a venture capital investor at Mercia, bringing a scientist's eye to deal assessment and diligence. Trained in molecular biology, biochemistry, and medicine, he spent seven years in life sciences research before moving into commercialisation at the University of Leeds, where as Commercialisation Manager he identified, evaluated, and progressed new IP across drugs and vaccines, medical and research devices, machine learning algorithms, and medical products. Alongside his life sciences core, his interests span astronomy, engineering, robotics, and AI/ML - giving him a broad lens on where science meets market.

Alice IngramInnovation Growth Specialist at Innovate UK

Alice brings nearly 30 years of commercial experience to her role at Innovate UK Business Growth, where she supports ambitious businesses on their innovation and scale-up journeys. Her career spans around 15 years in full-service and brand marketing - including senior roles with blue-chip names such as Coca-Cola and Nestlé, and leading agencies across the UK and Hong Kong - alongside deep expertise in category and trade marketing, brand development, and strategic consultancy for SMEs. For more than a decade she has channelled that commercial acumen into business support and development, working with The Prince's Trust, Ad:Venture, the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, and RTC North, helping founders and leadership teams turn strategy into growth.

About Barclays Eagle Labs

Barclays Eagle Labs is a nationwide network supporting startups and scaleups on the road to success. Through programmes, incubators, networking opportunities and resources, the Labs are a go-to hub for entrepreneurs to connect, innovate and grow.

About SeedLegals

​We're the UK’s go-to platform for startup legals, funding, share options, SEIS/EIS and more.

​Whether you're just starting out or gearing up for your next raise, SeedLegals is built to help founders move faster and smarter. Our tools make it simple to create and sign essential legal docs, close funding rounds, and reward your team – without burning time or cash on admin.

​We’re trusted by 60,000+ startups and investors and power 1 in 6 early-stage funding rounds in the UK. If you're raising, hiring or just figuring out what’s next, we’re here to help you do it right.