IPO Tip-sheet: Insights from CEOs for your IPO

Explore our IPO Tip-sheet, featuring insights and advice from a selection of CEOs in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, finance and technology, who have successfully grown their business on AIM – the world’s leading growth market.

Doug Doerfler

CEO, MaxCyte

MaxCyte

MaxCyte is an international healthcare business based in Maryland, USA.

Read Doug's IPO tips
"Take time to select the right team of advisers."
Sector: Healthcare, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology
Headquarters: Maryland, US
Founded: 1990
IPO on AIM: 2016

The Right Advice

"Take time to select the right team of advisers. There will always be issues and times when you need the best advice."

Be committed

"Make a commitment to the UK and AIM. It is on my routine travel schedule to come six times a year to meet investors and advisers."

Thinking Long-term

"You have to make the commitment. This is not just a financing platform, it is a way of doing business. It has to be taken seriously. You have to allocate the time."

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Steve Flavell

CEO, LoopUp

LoopUp

Headquartered in London, LoopUp is a global technology company providing remote meeting solutions.

Read Steve's IPO tips
"Your strategy is core to everything"
Sector: Software
Headquarters: London, UK
Founded: 2003
IPO on AIM: 2016

Don't Delay

"Start the process early. Go for pre-marketing with investors; we did three rounds. I would wholeheartedly recommend it."

Think Long-term

"Be prepared to work at building liquidity. Unless you are a large IPO, you won’t get much early on. It has to be a journey over a number of years. Spend time if it matters to you."

Be prepared

"Get as much of the work done as possible before you start. If you are too caught up in the process, the performance of the business could slip."

Strategic Thinking

"You need to come up with a differentiated product and strategy. Your strategy is your reason for existing and is core to everything."

Read our AIM Guide For Entrepreneurs

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Kym Denny

CEO, hVIVO

hVIVO

hVIVO is a London-based specialty biopharma company.

Read Kym's IPO tips
"Understand why you are going public"
Sector: Biotechnology
Headquarters: London, UK
Founded: 1988
IPO on AIM: 2012

Have a Compelling Vision

"Take the time to craft your message. Technical people believe the product is all-important and tend to over-message. You have half-an-hour in front of investors – you need to tell a compelling story."

Plan In Detail

"Project-manage the IPO. The bank gave us a high-level project plan, but I developed a detailed landing plan in order to hit our target date."

Know Your Objectives

"Understand why you are going public. You have to explain why you are doing this and what you are going to do with it."

Look Ahead

"Learn about post-float life. This was a massive gap in my case. I had to learn how you work the market – the importance of news flow and tying fundraising to news flow."

Be Flexible

"I see it more as a journey, and navigating that journey is my job. Most importantly, I have never let myself get entrenched with a single idea about the business. Keep it flexible and look at what the market wants."

Read our AIM Guide For Entrepreneurs

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Peter Brodnicki

CEO, Mortgage Advice
Bureau

Mortgage Advice Bureau

Mortgage Advice Bureau is a Derby-based finance company offering expert mortgage advice.

Read Peter's IPO tips
"Consider the strength of your team."
Sector: Finance
Headquarters: Derby, UK
Founded: 2000
IPO on AIM: 2014

Long-term View

"Understand your motivation and your timescale. It is a long-term commitment and you have to understand the time and cost implications."

Expert Talent

"Consider the strength of the team you are taking to market. My COO and FD are of immensely high quality. You have to be aware of the liabilities and risks – and you need to share the burden internally."

Trusted Advice

"Carefully choose the advisers you will be working with – don’t rush into it. Be careful how you negotiate and make sure you like them, because you will be spending a lot of time with them. Speak to people who have gone through the process."

Read our AIM Guide For Entrepreneurs

Find more insights and advice from CEOs of AIM-quoted companies.
Download our Guide For Entrepreneurs

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