Julie Meyer: The face behind speed dates for start ups

Julie Meyer came to Britain in 1997. A year later she set up her business First Tuesday to bring together start-up businesses and financial backers. In 2000, she sold up for £33m and founded Ariadne Capital.

Julie Meyer is best known for appearing as a dragon' in the online version of the BBC TV show, Dragons' Den. But the American has been a firm feature in business circles since 1998.

Following stints working and studying in the US and France, Meyer came to Britain in 1997. She used "relentless networking" to find a job and when she eventually landed one, with NewMedia Investors a venture capitalist firm backing internet start-ups she celebrated by throwing a huge networking party. "I invited around 100 key people in the UK technology scene." Shortly afterwards, one of those guests, Lastminute.com founder Brett Hoberman, was approached by two entrepreneurs, Nick Denton and Adam Gold, who were planning to start a networking business. Too busy to become involved himself, Hoberman suggested that they contact Meyer. The trio came up with the idea for a "place where entrepreneurs met the money to fund their internet ventures".

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James McKeigue

James graduated from Keele University with a BA (Hons) in English literature and history, and has a certificate in journalism from the NCTJ. James has worked as a freelance journalist in various Latin American countries.He also had a spell at ITV, as welll as wring for Television Business International and covering the European equity markets for the Forbes.com London bureau. James has travelled extensively in emerging markets, reporting for international energy magazines such as Oil and Gas Investor, and institutional publications such as the Commonwealth Business Environment Report. He is currently the managing editor of LatAm INVESTOR, the UK's only Latin American finance magazine.