213. CFO Stories: Navigating Deep Tech & Venture Capital with Stuart Mellis

CFO 4.0 - The Future of Finance

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In this episode of CFO 4.0, Hannah Munro speaks with Stuart Mellis, CFO of Optalysis, about his journey to CFO, the challenges of scaling deep tech startups, and navigating fundraising, investor relations, and financial planning in an emerging market.

Key topics covered:

• Private equity vs venture capital – key differences in expectations and investment approaches
• Managing investor relationships – balancing trust, communication, and transparency
• Fundraising in deep tech – navigating challenges and pitching to the right investors
• Financial planning & budgeting – setting realistic growth targets in an emerging market
• Advice for new CFOs – the importance of coaching, board management, and asking the right questions

Links mentioned:

• Stuart's Linkedin
• Learn more about Optalysis

• Explore other CFO 4.0 Podcast episodes here.
• Subscribe to our Podcast!

Chapters

1. Cfo 4.0 (00:00:00)

2. Building Trust and Effective Communication (00:08:06)

3. Navigating Board Relationships and Trust (00:17:20)

4. Navigating Fundraising and Investor Relationships (00:23:30)

5. Navigating Startup Investment Challenges (00:30:55)

6. Balancing Profit and Technology in Startups (00:36:16)

7. Learning and Leadership in Finance (00:44:55)