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On 29 January, HBBA Global will hold its third Investor Fest event in London at the Hungarian House. When and how did the idea of organising this event for HBBA Global first come up?
The first Investor Fest took place two years ago. The idea came directly from the demand we were seeing. We were speaking with Hungarian companies about grants, funding, and the costs of setting up in the UK.
As these questions became more frequent, we realised it would be valuable to give many companies access to a wide range of experts in one place and get closer to the Hungarian and British startup–scaleup, venture capital and angel ecosystems. The Embassy of Hungary in the UK has been supportive in providing the beautiful venue and catering in the heart of London. It really was that simple.
What were your reactions after the first and second Investor Fests? What value did you gain as an organiser and ecosystem player?
At the time, I thought we might get half a room. What actually happened was that both events were completely full, startups had opportunities to stand on the stage, British, and the Hungarian VCs made practical evaluations about the pitches, then do inspiring networking.
The outcome was that we had many VCs and angels looking towards Hungary and Central Europe, and many Hungarian and Central European SMEs and startups looking to enter the UK.
So our original plan came true. HBBA Global created a British–Hungarian ecosystem to provide platforms to meet and pitch in the center of the investment, financial world, in London.
In your opinion, what has been the greatest benefit of Investor Fest so far?
Moving between Central Europe and the UK is never an overnight decision. It requires planning, aligning resources, and asking difficult questions: ‘Is this the right time? Are we prepared?’
A key part of that process is building knowledge. Once you have knowledge, you can start building the relationships that determine whether it makes financial sense both ways, what the barriers are, what the opportunities are, what works and what does not.
This is why we run Investor Fest every year — markets change, trends change, and the world is a very uncertain place. What is good today may not be good tomorrow. But relationships, once built, remain.
That means conversations start warm, not cold. We warm that position for Hungarian SMEs and startups looking towards the UK, and for UK firms looking towards Hungary.
What from this year’s event are you personally most excited about?
The fact that this is our third event and that interest is stronger than ever. We’ve had more mainly British VCs and angels than ever wanting to take part — asking to speak, to be on stage. Relationships are at the heart of everything, with finance as the catalyst that brings people together. The more I see it working, the more excited I become.
So the keyword here is the connection between businesses, VCs and angels.
Exactly. It’s like returning to a restaurant you love. You might not know what will be on the menu each season, but you know you like the place, the atmosphere, and you feel you can trust the management. That’s why you return.
We try to do the same with relationships. We build them on the financial side so that businesses — and we with them — can evolve as demand changes. In the end, you have connections with people you can speak to openly, who understand what you are doing.
How did HBBA Global build the network represented at this event?
HBBA Global is now in its fourth year. We work with many organisations in the UK and in Hungary – the Embassy of Hungary in the UK, HEPA, HIPA, Hungarian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Tokeportal, OUVC and others. Many have found us organically. We are very well connected in the UK, including within the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, IoD International Trade Group, and among company directors.
We constantly speak to a huge number of highly connected people. So those connections expand year after year.
How does Investor Fest support networking?
It’s fundamentally an investment conference, including a powerful networking event, supported by speakers, pitches, presentations, and keynote sessions. In the evening, we go together to a large pub in Whitehall, directly opposite the Prime Minister’s residence.
The idea is based on our previous experiences that people will be talking to each other throughout the day within the confines of Hungary House. In fact, sometimes it's hard for us to end a conversation with people because the talking is going on and on.
So, in your personal view, networking isn’t something that needs directing — it happens naturally, and HBBA Global provides the platform.
If you are an SME or startup looking for British investors, you could place an advert in the Financial Times: 'Businness in Hungary wants to meet VC investor in London.'
Or you could meet 20-30 investors and other companies face-to-face for a modest time and cost. Of course, you have to be competent, you have to be prepared to talk to other people. But that's how I think you will generate a lot more interest in what you are doing. You've got to go out there and network.
The business matchmaking is part of our activity as we get a lot of requests for direct introductions. Also, making pitches on the stage can generate direct connections.
Describe a typical startup or scaleup that would be relevant to Investor Fest’s investors. What should a business offer besides its desire to expand in the UK?
Be relevant and pertinent with what you're doing, and like any business, you’ve got to show that there is demand for what you're doing. AI is a perfect example: the real value is not about being an AI company, but about what AI actually enables you to do. To develop a platform, technology, service, or industry that enables you to do something quicker, faster, and cheaper.
If you can demonstrate demand, generate revenue and look for a credible growth path — whether towards the UK, Canada, the UAE or elsewhere — Investor Fest becomes an ideal platform for you.
Have there been any concrete success stories emerging from Investor Fest?
I think success is kind of an ongoing process. Some of the companies we spoke with one or two years ago have not yet entered the UK — only one or two have done so. Market entry is not an overnight decision. And I think it’s natural. Because even planning to come to the UK or vice versa is not an overnight decision.
What we are doing at HBBA Global is helping with market entry. We're helping with questions such as 'Where am I going? What do the finances look like? What do investors look for? What do the other services look like? And who can I trust to save me time on that journey?'
Investor Fest is about bringing all those trusted people together in one place, because you are planning your journey and haven't arrived yet.
Would you like to highlight any speakers?
We have two keynote speakers. One is Andy Palmer, former president and group CEO of Aston Martin, a quite massive firm. He’s highly influential in the British automotive sector and deeply interested in Hungary’s battery and automation industries.
The other one is Melanie Seymour, Global Head of Client Experience at BlackRock Finance, who brings fifteen years of experience working with both major corporations and SMEs. She is also coming along to give us her take.
We are honoured that Ambassador Ferenc Kumin has made the Welcome speech so far and H.E will welcome our guests on the 29th of January again.
Beyond them, we’ll host numerous with numerous speakers. The panels are designed around finance, legals, being prepared to come to the UK, brand, sales, marketing, every element and people that an SME or startup in Hungary, thinking about coming to the UK could be interested.
We’re offering an opportunity to reach many trusted partners, and we are here to save you time and money because these are biggest challenges.
What you can rely on is that because HBBA has been curating this for four years now, is that the quality and the honesty will be there. This is the way we put our slogan into practice: “Breaking the boundaries, making connections and building bridges.”
PICTURES: Photos from 2024 HBBA Global Investor Fest event. Source: HBBA Global
