Transforming the finance industry by incorporating cutting-edge technology

The FinTech Summit - WBAF 2020 in Istanbul will address the challenges and opportunities of the global fintech ecosystem. Global equity market leaders — family office managers, wealth management executives, stock exchange executives, financial experts, policymakers, academics, active members of early-stage investment markets, bank executives and WBAF delegates — will come together to discuss a wide range of topics related to transformations in the finance industry through the incorporation of cutting-edge technology.

Panel 1: The future of banking: How the digitalisation revolution is changing the role of banks
Panel 2: Opportunities and challenges for fintech startups in emerging markets
Panel 3: The rise of fintech incubation and accelerator programmes in banks and financial institutions
Panel 4: Involving angel investors in the financial road map of fintech startups
Panel 5: Angel advice: Funding your fintech business with smart and patient finance solutions

An opportunity to connect with and learn from hundreds of highly qualified angel investors from five continents

Aside from presentations by renowned thought leaders in the field of entrepreneurship and global angel investors, the Global Startups Summit - WBAF 2020 will feature keynote speeches, fireside chats, presentations and panel discussions. Each one will offer important insights into the start-up ecosystem. The summit will be also an open learning space for entrepreneurs to increase their understanding of the investment strategies of angel investors, fund-raising strategies of successful entrepreneurs, term-sheet negotiation techniques, company valuations, due diligence checklists used by global investors, and ways to access co-investment funds.

Panel 1: Challenges of crowdfunding as a financial instrument to fill the equity gap in the early-stage phase of a startup venture
Panel 2: Innovative techniques to maximise startup potential: Building a disruptive entrepreneur-friendly community through multi-stakeholder engagement
Panel 3: Preparing an equity story for your startup venture: How to convert your jury member into an investor
Panel 4: What is the best finance for startups and scaleups?
Panel 5: Attitudes to entrepreneurial investment: Finding an investment that works for both investor and entrepreneur
Panel 6: Increasing the role of qualified mentors to boost the startup culture and early-stage equity markets

The increasing role of women angel investor networks in early-stage equity markets

The Global Woman Leaders Summit – WBAF 2020 will explore the real reasons for the gender-based funding challenge, ways to overcome the challenge, ways that women founders – while lobbying for long-term change – can operate intelligently in the current ecosystems, how women can be coached on the realities of the market and which institutions should play a more active role in easing access to finance for women entrepreneurs.

Panel 1: Why women-owned startups are a better bet
Panel 2: Future trends: The increasing role of women angel investor networks in early-stage equity markets
Panel 3: Opportunities and challenges for women entrepreneurs in the global innovation value chain
Panel 4: Board Room: Empowering the world economy by including more women in company boards
Panel 5: Women emerging as strong leaders in the 21st century

Current challenges to entrepreneurial innovation financing, the chain of financing, equity gaps, and equity-based investments

The Science, Technology & Innovation Summit – WBAF 2020 will focus on current challenges to entrepreneurial innovation financing, the chain of financing, equity gaps, and equity-based investments. The discussants of the Summit will consider whether new types of investments such as international coin offerings (ICOs), crowdfunding, and angel investment can help bridge the equity gap in financing for innovative projects and under which conditions it is possible. They will also propose ways to bring more innovative ideas to market more quickly.

Panel 1: The financial challenge in the innovation chain: The funding gap between research and the market
Panel 2: The role of science and technology parks in creating a vibrant ecosystem to expedite getting innovative ideas to market
Panel 3: Launching an angel investor network for each science and technology park: A mechanism for accelerating the commercialization of innovative ideas and technology transfer
Panel 4: Developing a suitable intellectual property rights (IPR) strategy to achieve business plan targets: A roadmap for startups

Seeking practical ways to develop a dialogue between FDI ecosystems and startup ecosystems 

The Foreign Direct Investment Summit (FDI) – WBAF 2020 will seek practical ways to develop a dialogue between FDI ecosystems and startup ecosystems to empower local economies through co-investment and to develop innovative financial policies that will enhance the capabilities of FDI and startup investors. It will also explore ways to encourage the FDI ecosystem to engage with the startup economy and ways to create a global awareness about the benefits of collaboration between the world’s FDI economies and startup economies.

Panel 1: Leveraging the competitive advantages of investment promotion agencies and economic development boards in global startup value chain
Panel 2: Foreign direct investment in SMEs from startup to scaleup to exit to boost cross-border investments: How can startups and scaleups contribute to FDI growth?
Panel 3: New role for IPAs: Connecting local startups with global investment markets, easing access to smart finance, and increasing a country’s FDI
Panel 4: Leading and driving the FDI process for startup businesses: A step-by-step road map for investment promotion agencies and economic development boards

Helping the next generation of great companies move forward

At this gathering of angel investors — the world’s biggest angel investment forum — the World Business Angels Investment Forum wants to give 100 start-ups, scale-ups and high-growth businesses an opportunity to connect with hundreds of highly qualified angel investors from five continents. We are therefore allocating a special area at WBAF 2020, where 100 start-ups, scale-ups and high-growth businesses will each have a designated area to showcase their business. They will thus have exposure to highly qualified angel investors, family office executives, co-investment fund managers, angel investment group directors, corporate venture executives, accelerator executives, technopark investment directors and venture capitalists. The mission is to showcase the world’s top start-ups and scale-ups, which, typically, are funded companies in the process of raising of funds with the aim of globalizing. The Global Fundraising Stage 2020 will essentially be a co-investment platform for angel investors, start-ups, scale-ups and high-growth businesses. In addition to opening an exhibition booth, each team will be asked to make a 3-minute pitch to investors on the Global Pitching Stage.

Invest-in-This-Country presentations on the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Stage

The Foreign Direct Investment Stage (FDI) is a global convergence of various entities ranging from economic development board leaders to investment promotion agency executives, all of whom come to share with global investors the unique opportunities in their respective countries. The FDI Stage is tasked with identifying emerging trends and furthering the Forum’s mission of easing access to finance for projects that have high potential for delivering a good return on investment.

WBAF 2020 offers a unique occasion to selected investment promotion agencies and economic development boards to present opportunities in their countries for global investors on the FDI Stage on18 February.

The next cohort of the certification program will start immediately after WBAF 2020

An intensive course will be held in Istanbul at the Swissotel The Bosphorus 19 - 21 February, which will provide an opportunity to be recognised as Qualified Angel Investor. For anyone new to angel investing, this is an invaluable course that covers the most important aspects of investing and ways to avoid the pitfalls angel investors may encounter.

• This course is for professionals (including CEOs) from listed companies or anyone who has an entrepreneurial background 
• university students, start-ups, and entrepreneurs who want to learn what angel investors are looking for when they are planning to invest in new businesses,
• directors of business angel networks, acceleration and incubation centres and technoparks, and
• anyone who wants to set up a business angel network or create a business angel investment group.

Fostering the kind of creative thinking that leads to innovation by open learning and skill development

The WBAF Business School offers a wide variety of workshops at WBAF 2020, using a range of inputs (case studies, panel discussions, and presentations, to name a few), all of which encourage active participation and interaction on the part of those attending.The WBAF 2020 Masterclasses &  Workshops serve not just business angels; all types of stakeholders are welcome, ranging from entrepreneurs and SMEs to banks and stock exchanges to incubation and acceleration centres. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the development of skills and expertise and to foster the kind of creative thinking that leads to innovation and eventual success in the ever-changing market environment of the 21st century.

Saluting those who stand out in imagining, discussing, and shaping the future of an entrepreneurial world

With its Excellence Awards, the World Business Angels Investment Forum looks beyond borders. It seeks to promote and nurture start-ups, scale-ups, high-growth businesses, SMEs, angel investors, and a dynamic business community throughout the world. From business angels to policymakers to academics, the Awards salute those who stand out in imagining, discussing, and shaping the future of an entrepreneurial world. Given the diverse challenges the world is facing in the twenty-first century, it is important to recognise that entrepreneurship and angel investment can have a major impact on our future, offering new ways to increase economic opportunities and to foster social justice. The World Excellence Awards of WBAF 2020 will be presented to the winners at the VIP Gala Dinner on the evening of 17 February 2020 after a VIP Reception and Red Carpet Walking.