Giovanna Forte: Make Sure You Raise Enough Money

Giovanna Forte is MD of Funnelly Enough Limited, the company that developed and sells Peezy , the medical system invented by her GP brother Dr Vincent Forte. The business launched when Peezy won the first Medical Futures Innovation Award, presented by Nichola Horlick, in 2002. NHS aproved, British-made Peezy offers Right-First-Time urine sampling for women, the elderly and the very young. It reduces contamination and retest rates, saves money and improves front-line care and infection control. The dignity and hygiene Peezy brings to an unreliable process has made it attractive to UK healthcare markets; on trial in France, Portugal and Korea, it has also excited interest from the USA. You can find Giovanna on her blog and on Twitter @Giovanna_Forte

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The Startup Visa is Important

When I first went to Ireland, I worked hard on a business plan & got a business visa for many years through the Justice Department.  It was a long process but it was doable.  I had been trying to get funding for an online matchmaking business in London for 4 years and finally had to close the business down last year due to the difficulties in achieving that goal.  It appears that English & Irish investors are incredibly conservative and do not seem to be comfortable with technology or online business.  

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