The investors guide to: London

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”

Samuel Johnson wrote those words in the 18^th century, and a few years later London was the world’s largest city, with its ports responsible for both trade and shipbuilding and a wide range of financial services firms springing up as the industrial revolution pushed the UK forward.

London may not be the centre of an empire anymore, but it still has plenty that life can afford and remains among the world’s centres for fintech, as well as professional services, retail and media. It also has a thriving tech scene populated by local venture firms as well as corporate VCs. Oh yes, and it has the second most green space of any capital city in the world.

With the GCV Symposium set to get under way in London later this month, we asked Vinay Solanki (left) head of Channel 4 Ventures, to give us the skinny on where to go, what to do and who to meet in the city.

What makes London’s startup scene stand out?

I think it is the combination of a number of factors that other cities cannot replicate. It includes world-class universities in areas like the arts, science and medicine and is known for ground-breaking research, connections to Europe and financial markets from debt to equities. Importantly, London is a place where people want to live too, and that deepens the talent pool.

In terms of design and creativity, London is the home to arts and creative industries globally. We are a net exporter of ideas, music, TV and creative content; culturally, I think it’s very hard to beat and the envy of many other ecosystems. It’s a real startup creation machine, with thousands being created.

There’s real global strength in certain verticals like software, fintech and life sciences, and a real trading and global outlook. Lastly, it has a resilient and independent character, while at the same time being liberal and allowing for cognitive diversity in how we operate our companies.

Where are the hotspots in the local tech scene?

It’s hard to pinpoint and lazy to call out say Shoreditch or King’s Cross – I think it is generally spread right across London and more broadly the UK too. Founders need to find space and culture, and I think you be located anywhere really. You can get to hubs from almost anywhere in the UK, or indeed Europe.

Where’s the best place for a coffee meeting?

Personally, I recommend picking up a takeaway coffee and then walking around to find a square, park, river or canal or tree. It’s far better than any club or hotel.

Where would you take a founder you wanted to impress to dinner?

I like the farm-to-table restaurants just outside where the tourists hang out, which often showcase the UK’s seafood. In Soho, there’s a place called Mountain and it is has a sister restaurant called Brat (pictured below) in East London. You also just have to keep on trying, as London has really bounced back since covid.

What are the best events for meeting local founders and investors?

I recommend going by your vertical niche and then signing up to local events. There is just so much going on every week and then we have big events like London Tech Week and SXSW London (both this month). The local events might be harder to track down but are usually more specific and intimate. The general events are a bit overwhelming.

What’s the one thing every visitor should see while they’re here?

The classics like the National Gallery and British Museum are amazing, but so is just walking around London. Walk from Hammersmith to London Bridge, crossing the bridge a few times, perhaps going into one of the gardens, passing through the City, visiting one of the pubs and looking up. I might have done that more than a hundred times, and I am never bored with what I see or notice. It is always something new.

Who in the local startup scene should people make sure to meet while they’re here?

That depends, right? No matter how niche you are, you should seek out the people in your orbit and ecosystem. I believe, in the main, that the London scene is open and collaborative, but people are also very busy, so you need to plan. This is a thriving scene.

Lastly, what’s a secret only the locals know?

The best and most interesting restaurants are in East London.