29: Breaking free from VC with Daisy Ford-Downes

For the last episode of 2020, Matt and Steven are joined by Daisy Ford-Downes to explore alternative finance in a world dominated by venture capital. Daisy’s experience running the Scottish chapter of Zebra’s Unite is leant on to discuss how an ecosystem can support businesses that don’t fit into a traditional investment paradigm, and what the future of investment looks like. They touch on how banks will adapt to a new world of investment, how you can maintain positivity in a movement, and expanding an ecosystem’s local maxima. Daisy works at the intersection of tech, investment and social good. With previous experience at the Scottish Investment Bank and Deloitte, she is currently on the investment team at Resilient Scotland, a social investor funding community enterprises in areas of multiple deprivation. She also leads the Scottish chapter of Zebras Unite, a global movement supporting founders building startups outside of the unicorn/ VC paradigm, with a focus on how investment innovation can get more good ideas funded.