Raj Dhonota serial entrepreneur and investor, who appeared on the first series of The Apprentice, has announced that he has £150,000 to invest in the right startup.

Investment and startups are a key focus for this year’s Apps World event at London Excel on the 18th and 19th November 2015. Budding entrepreneurs will be given the opportunity to meet with leading digital industry figures and given the opportunity to secure investment for their business.

London has been named the number one city in Europe for digital entrepreneurs, startups and scale-ups and this success will be evident at this year’s event with an exciting agenda of speakers, workshops and activities.

The Apps World Startup Launchpad on the 18th November will give a selected group of digital entrepreneurs a once in a lifetime opportunity to pitch their ideas directly to a panel of industry experts and investors. Interest in the Launchpad has understandably been extremely high and following an overwhelming response, the initial group of eight chosen startups has been increased to 14. Panelists include Stefano L Tresca who is a bestselling author and mentor of startup companies and also consults for corporations on innovation and investments.

One of the pitching startups is TreatNOW – an application designed to help men and women find really good last minute health, hair and beauty appointments. Founder of TreatNOW, Sara Hill, said: “I’m very excited that TreatNOW has been selected to be part of the Apps World 2015 Startup Launchpad. It’s a fantastic initiative to help new startups get to the next stage. There’s an incredible line up of speakers and exhibitors this year and I can’t quite believe I’ll be amongst them. ExCeL is going to be buzzing – bring it on!”

Another of the pitching startups is the much talked about Kerv, the world’s first contactless payment ring which allows wearers to make payments with a single gesture wherever the contactless symbol is displayed, with no need to carry a wallet or a purse.

In addition to the Startup Launchpad, Apps World is also hosting an Investment Clinic on the 19th November, giving attendees the chance to ask leading investors for their advice on how to secure investment at different levels and stages of business. The investment clinic will include a presentation from a leading UK investor, Russell Buckley of Spring Partners.

Mr Buckley said, “Cities should be nurturing their up and coming talent and tech events such as Apps World, which can really make a difference to a business that is just beginning their journey. London has been at the forefront of growth and innovation for years so it makes perfect sense for some of the best entrepreneurs in the industry to be present at Apps World in London. I wish all of the participants the very best of luck with their pitch.”

Raj Dhonota added: ‘I’m always on the lookout for people with great ideas that may need investment to help them develop and launch their business. I’m hoping to hear from anyone with a great app idea who needs investment up to £150,000 to make their idea a reality. Come and talk to me at the Apps World Investment Clinic.”