Turning Pensions into Power: Innovation, Defence & the Future of UK Capital

Welcome 👋

Hey Insiders,

This week we’re coming to you from the heart of Mansion House, where public-private collaboration just got real. From pension reform to national defence, it's been a week of roundtables, action plans, and meaningful conversations. You’ll hear how long-term capital is finally starting to align with long-term needs, and why that matters more than ever.

Let’s dive in.

🌟 Weekly Spotlight

European Summer Mode: Activated

Summer has officially arrived in Europe, and we’re leaning into the season with a little less posting and a little more rest and recharge. Expect fewer updates over the next few weeks as we soak up sunshine, reset, and come back sharper.

Thanks for riding with us, see you soon!

💼 VC Perspective

Making the Mansion House Accord Happen: Defence

Yesterday marked a powerful start to a five-part series of exclusive roundtables at Mansion House. Not just policy talk but actually turning that into action.

Too often, UK capital is hesitant, focusing on risk instead of the upside. But history shows us what’s possible. Silicon Valley? Born from US defence investment. Modern VC? A direct descendant.

Now it's the UK’s turn to shine. All the raw ingredients are there and the circumstances are perfect. Why not now?

🎥 Video here

@thetippytopblog

Making the Mansion House Accord happen - Defence. Yesterday we hosted the first of five exclusive roundtables at Mansiom House. This is a ... See more

🚀 Entrepreneur Corner

From TikTok to the City of London: A Financial Literacy Mission

This morning, I stood in for Douglas Hansen-Luke at a special breakfast hosted by the Lord Mayor at Mansion House. Key themes included:

⭐️ Making pensions work for growth

⭐️ Reframing risk as opportunity

⭐️ Taking real action on education

I also shared how I’m using platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn to teach finance and investing, especially to younger audiences. The demand is there (my CFA L1 video proves it), but credible content is scarce.

If we want long-term savings to take off, we’ve got to meet people where they are.

A big thank you to The Rt Hon. the Lord Mayor Alastair King and the guests for such a sharp, forward-focused session.

Photos + more on LinkedIn!

🌐 Common Ground / Industry Trends

Unlocking Pension Capital for National Security

Our afternoon roundtable at Mansion House zeroed in on a bold idea: how to unlock long-term pension capital to fund critical UK sectors, starting with defence.

This was the first of five workshops tied to the Mansion House Accord. The mission? Move from commitment to execution.

I chaired a session on what defence scale-ups really need to thrive. And how investors, government and pension funds can align to support them without compromising fiduciary responsibility.

It’s early days, but the momentum is real. Conversations were honest, ambitious, and—importantly, actionable.

Here’s to turning national priorities into investable realities.

Post here

❓ Ask Alex

This week’s question: JV or IP licensing, what’s better?

Hi Entrepreneur

Thanks for reaching out. I’ll keep it short:

1. A JV can be great if it helps you get to market faster.
2. Licensing IP alone rarely generates big upside. It’s usually better to retain and master your own IP.
3. Be extra cautious about IP theft, especially know-how theft from larger partners.

Good luck, and keep pushing forward!

Want your question featured? Reply here or message me on LinkedIn/TikTok.

📅 Upcoming Events

City Quantum & AI Summit – Oct 8, 2025

Looking forward to this year’s City Quantum & AI Summit, celebrating the UN’s International Year of Quantum.

Big thanks to Karina Robinson FCSI (Hon) for hosting and joining me onscreen!

🎥 Video here

👉 Register here

@thetippytopblog

See you at the City Quantum & AI Summit. Thanks for organising it Karina Robinson FCSI (Hon) and for joining me on screen. Celebrating the... See more

💭 Closing Thoughts

From pensions to national defence to TikTok financial literacy, this week proves there are no silos when it comes to change. Innovation needs capital, capital needs vision, and we all need to work together.

Thanks for being part of the solution.

Here’s to reaching the Tippy Top, together!

Alex

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