UKRI seeks to establish a tailored investor readiness programme that educates and prepares under-represented and overlooked founders/co-founders or key decision makers in raising and securing equity investment.

The central objective of the investment readiness programme is to help businesses understand and prepare for raising equity investment.

The purpose of the programme is to level the playing field for diverse innovators, equipping them with the knowledge and understanding of what it takes to secure private investment.

The programme will help companies to: - Understand what private investment is and whether it is the best route for them. - Understand what it takes and the process to navigate and secure private investment. - Be equipped with the tools to sustainably navigate funding rounds - Understand how their business will be perceived by external audiences and be equipped to negotiate with potential investors There is extensive and growing evidence that underrepresented innovators/founders experience inequalities and barriers to be successful innovators and successfully grow their businesses, barriers include access to private investment.

Some of these barriers and challenges can be specific to certain communities or groups.

This Prior Information Notice is being issued in order to undertake a market consultation exercise with regards to the current view of requirements detailed above.

If you believe that this will be of interest to you and your organisation, please register your interest by sending an email to the following email address: coreservices@uksbs.co.uk By registering and attending you will be engaging in non-competitive dialogue which will enable UKRI to develop and assess the market's appetite, concerns, and views on formulation of its requirements.

Please register by 22nd March 2023.

The estimated value excluding VAT is £500,000 - £1,000,000 We anticipate the new provision being a 12 month agreement with the option to extend for a further 7 months.

The supplier engagement days will be held online via Zoom on 28th March 2023, time to be confirmed.

The format of the Supplier Day will be confirmed in advance and an agenda of the day will be provided.

About the contracting Authority - UK Research and Innovation Operating across the whole of the UK and with a combined budget of more than £6 billion, UK Research and Innovation represents the largest reform of the research and innovation funding landscape in the last 50 years.

As an independent non-departmental public body UK Research and Innovation brings together the seven Research Councils (AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC, STFC) plus Innovate UK and a new organisation, Research England.

UK Research and Innovation ensures the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

This is done by creating the best environment for research and innovation to flourish.

For more information, please visit: www.ukri.org