Executive Summary This dissertation is focused on solving the need of Blue Sky Forum to find new areas in which to hold its specialist events. This is due to the lack of investor activity and interest in high-technology companies in Cambridge (where Blue Sky Forum is based). In order to do this new locations were investigated in terms of relative investor attractiveness, with the hope that an alternative location would be found that has sufficient funding resources and an event would be both appealing and useful to investors and high-technology companies. The locations investigated were Oxford as a potential alternative location and London as a control measure. Using qualitative surveys of investors and quantitative surveys of high-technology companies in these three locations it was found that Oxford does indeed have the potential for an appealing and useful event. With the various opinions gathered over the summer of 2003 it is shown that there is an excellent track record of investment in Oxford, the level of support offered is such that Blue Sky Forum would make a positive impact there and the optimism for the future is greater than both Cambridge and London. The course of action this dissertation suggests is that Blue Sky Forum conducts preparatory research and promotion for an Oxford Life Sciences event and ultimately holds this in the near future. Contents Page Executive Summary Preface List of Tables and Figures List of Appendices 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Title 1.2 Null Hypothesis 1.3 Problem 1.4 Introduction to Blue Sky Forum 2.0 Aim ......................... 2.5 Possible Outcomes 3.0 Methodology 3.1 Investor Survey ............................. 5.0 Analysis 5.1 Funding Section 5.2 Resources Section 5.3 Future for Start-Ups ............................... 8.0 Appendix 51 9.0 Bibliography 74 Leo Buncombe Dissertation 5 List of Tables and Figures Figure 2.0 Page 13 ................................. Figure 5.21 Page 44 Figure 5.22 Page 44 Table 6.0 Page 47 Figure 7.0 Page 50