Luton Business Startups

The largest city in Bedfordshire is much, much more than car and hat manufacturer. Funnily enough the phrase "Mad as a Hatter" originated from Luton. The hat workers were exposed to Mercury, making them just a little bit crazy!

Probably the most famous son of the town is Sir Alec Jeffrey, born in 1950 he developed the technique now called DNA fingerprinting, other notable individuals include Paul Young who worked at the Vauxhall Factory and Charles Bronson one of the UK’s most notorious prisoners was born in Luton.

The very first Domino's Pizza in the UK opened in Luton in 1985, and talking of Take-Aways feeling famished whilst at Luton Airport actor Antonio Banderas ordered a curry from his favorite Indian restaurant in Mayfair London. The cost £700.

Luton Town football club have been resident at their present ground Kenilworth Road since 1905. The mighty “hatters” can lay claim to having had a famous fan, in one half of the comedy duo of Morecambe and Wise, namely Eric Morecambe. Manager Kevin Blackwell is building for the future and will be looking forward to playing Leeds on September 1st.

9.4 million passengers passed through Luton airport in 2006. Demand of airport services is projected to exceed the 30 million mark in 2030. Luton airports future is clearly a bright one, as it aims to satisfy the increased capacity needs of the South East.

There is lot’s to see and do in Luton and the Nightlife is excellent, it’s often the preferred location for festival and concert organisers, and is hosting Tribal Gathering in 2007.

If you are looking to set up a business in the Luton area, you may need some financial assistance, which is where Business Angels might be the right move for you. Angels are often from an entrepreneurial background, and are willing to invest their own capital into a business to help it achieve its growth plans. Unlike banks and other forms of lending, the Angel will invest in your company in return for a percentage share, or equity stake. On top of this they will provide you with their own industry knowledge, expertise and contacts, in order to further help your growth in the market. With this hands on approach by the investor, it is important that a good relationship is developed between you and the Business Angel, as they look to secure a good return on their investment. Individually, Angels are normally willing to invest between £75,000 and £250,000, but if they operate as part of syndicate then this figure could easily be higher.

When pitching your business idea to an Angel, it is essential to make sure that you have prepared an in depth business plan with all of your estimates and ideas laid out for them to scrutinise. Remember, it is their own hard earned cash that they are putting into the business, so they will want to see evidence that you have put the effort in. It would even help to show them that you have invested as much money as you can by yourself, to prove your commitment and work ethic.

Luton Business Startups