Expert Profile
Lesley Anne Rubenstein founded ***** ***** to work with small to medium technology- and innovation-led companies, creating routes to market to get their products and/or services into the UK, European, Australia, NZ and US commercial markets. She also helps them to get ‘investment-ready’. In addition, she writes business guide books and frequently lectures on business-related topics.
Previously, Lesley established and managed the first technological incubator in Israel, which was initially set up as a charity and later on privatized. Shortly after she left, it was the first incubator to be floated on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange. In all, she has led three business and technology incubators and innovation centres in Israel and the UK. She has a Master’s degree in Management and a Master’s degree in Medical Sciences, as well as electronics technician training in the military.
***** *****, 2008-
Founder/Owner
• Creating routes to market for overseas SMEs
• International business development in the UK, Europe, Australia, NZ and USA
* Helping companies to become investment ready
Thames Innovation Centre Ltd, SE London
*****
Chief Executive
• Established and managed the Thames Innovation Centre, a 50,000 sq.ft. facility having 54 offices, 4 workshops, a conference, training & meeting venue. We provided all of the business support & training for LB of Bexley businesses and residents.
• Turned around the ThinkBig & Business Solutions innovation & technology programmes (grant funded by LB of Bexley, ERDF & LDA), which had been significantly under target and under spent.
• Managed a team of 15 employees & consultants during the ThinkBig & Business Solutions programmes
• Performed role as head of sales & marketing, in additional to CE duties
• Led letting negotiations for over 30 companies
• Established comprehensive website***** and led marketing campaign
• Results:
One of the companies was bought out within months of our business support
Others have received equity investments, loans and grants
Several tenants won several revenue contracts soon after becoming a tenant
Canterbury Enterprise Hub, University of Kent, Canterbury *****
Director
• Established and managed the Canterbury Enterprise Hub on behalf of SEEDA, the University of Kent and Canterbury City Council.
• Formed partnerships with all the ‘great and good’ of Kent
• Focused on security, biomedical and nanotechnology sectors
• Worked intensely with 21 technology-led companies
• Established a comprehensive website www.canterburyhub.co.uk
• Established a business network comprising over 150 members
• Steering committee member of the proof-of-concept PoCKeT fund and advisory board member of the Catalyst fund, panelist for the region's CASE awards, and steering group member of the University of Kent's GRIST loan panel
• Chaired the finance committee for the SEEDA hubs and sat on its Strategic Committee
• Arranged a gala black tie event to celebrate three years in business
• Results:
One of the companies was bought out within months of start-up
Others received equity investments and grants, including the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, Facilitated a sales contract worth hundreds of thousands for a client; introduced and facilitated an investor/partner for another client.
Four companies finalists, one of which won the Kent Innovation Challenge (cash prize £25k, in-kind prizes £75k)
Maayan Ventures Ltd, Beer-Sheva, Israel *****
Managing Director
• Established and managed the first mixed not-for-profit business incubator for start-ups in Israel; raised funds from Israel Ministry o*****& Trade, Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) to match seed capital.
• Focused on all technological fields, with a preference for life science and IT ventures
• Raised additional revenue funding from Israel Ministry o*****& Trade, Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) from 1996
• The not-for-profit established a wholly-owned limited-by-guarantee company to take equity and royalties in the start-ups and to reduce costs by 17% (VAT) in 1997.
• Led negotiations and due diligence preparation to privatise Maayan in 2002, enabling an influx of $2.24m to cover the incubator revenue costs for the following three years and to invest funds in the start-ups (matching government grants), in return for equity and royalties. Led non-profit Board of Directors resignation to form new Board of Directors of the investors (new shareholders)
• Received Project of the Year award from the OCS for graduate company Yitran Communications Ltd (*****)
• Negotiated an $8m investment on behalf of a client
• Post privatisation: 100% track record for getting government R&D grants for client companies.
• Few months after I left, Maayan was floated on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange where its prospectus included a vast majority of the companies that had received grants and investments under my directorship
• MSM, Master of Science in Management, Boston University/Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, *****
• M(Med)Sci, Master of Medical Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, *****
• BSc Biology, Biochemistry Major, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, *****
OTHER
• Electronics Technician (Stage Nine), Israel Air Force: Maintenance and repair of all the equipment in airbase control towers, in particu*****, ground-to-air transceivers, *****
I find and seal deals with distributors, strategic partners, resellers and sales for SMEs and have helped numerous companies raise grants and equity fnance throughout my career.