As Senior Dealmaker for the British Government’s Global Entrepreneur Programme I am responsible for India and China and I was about to have the best day of my 10 years in the role.
Showing the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in India around some of the most innovative companies, I broke the world record on the quickest funding for a company – 60seconds.
Here’s the story. The Royals arrived at a social entrepreneur centre in Mumbai. I had two jobs. Show them around the Venture Capitalists from the UK who were on the delegation, led by the Head of the British Government’s Venture Capital Unit, Aekta Patel (aka by coincidence, my wife). “These British investors put money into British companies which solve some of the world’s and therefore India’s biggest problems in climate change, education, energy.” I explained to the Duke and Duchess as I introduced them to my wife.
Then it was time for my next role – go on stage and introduce four Indian companies and do a quick fire Q&A with Anand Mahindra and Mohandas Pai – a bit like Dragons Den. This was all part of the UK Government’s Tech Rocketships Campaign which the Duke launched moments earlier.
My role for the British Government is to find the most innovative companies through competitions like this and help them go Global from the UK through my networks. The company I managed to get the funding for in record time was Project Mudra – teaching the world’s blind to learn braille through a machine made in India.
Anand Mahindra agreed to fund then the other angels followed. This one company was an ideal example of UK – India collaboration. Made in India, but going global from Britain. Why did they choose the UK? The founder explained it that although 50 US Venture Capital funds were going to meet them a week later, only the British Government through UKTI and the British Deputy High Commissions in Bangalore and Mumbai were so totally engaged and committed.
Job done – thanks all to my colleagues in UKTI and the Foreign Office! What people don’t realise about the Royals is this: As for the Royal couple, it is striking how much in love they are - from the glances they give each other, to how much the Duke cares for the Duchess through small touches. As natural introverts they are definitely in their element undertaking purposeful work solving society's major problems rather than glitz and glam parties - and we made sure they knew the companies our venture capitalists were funding were British companies looking to solve some of India's and the world's biggest problems in environment, energy, healthcare.
They kindly hosted at Kensington Palace an event before they left for India for among others, some of the companies I've brought from India to the UK such as Desolanator turning sunshine into clean water - they wanted a small discrete event; which says so much about them.
And for me – there is no greater work than work representing your country and helping in your small way solve societies biggest problems. What a week.
