FPC Regional’s Huw Sparkes has been named Young Financier of the Year at the Midlands Young Professionals Awards, recognising his outstanding contribution to early-stage investment, founder support, and the wider start-up ecosystem across the West Midlands.
Over the past seven years, Investment Manager Huw has quietly built a reputation as one of the region’s most trusted and impactful investment professionals; sourcing, executing and managing investments into early-stage ventures through two of our regionally targeted funds. With a background in start-up advisory, he works closely with founders to help them scale globally while remaining rooted in the West Midlands.
Building Trust, Not Just Transactions
Huw plays a pivotal role at FPC Regional in strengthening client relationships and long-term loyalty, above and beyond transactional investment activity. His work mentoring founders through the Founding Hero Accelerator, supporting female-led businesses via the 51% Club, and delivering practical workshops at Birmingham and Aston universities has positioned him as a trusted, familiar figure across the region. Beyond his day-to-day investment role, Huw is active across the region’s professional community. He is a co-founder of Colmore Collective, regarded as one of Birmingham’s most prominent young professional networks and mentors emerging tech entrepreneurs and regularly speaks at international innovation forums, acting as an ambassador for the West Midlands’ fast-growing start-up scene.
His active involvement in Innovate UK events and regional roundtables has further enhanced Future Planet Capital’s reputation, helping to build trust, credibility, and lasting relationships across the Midlands start-up community.
Technical Excellence with a Human Touch
What sets Huw apart is his ability to combine sharp financial acumen with a deep understanding of early-stage venture dynamics. Highly skilled in deal structuring, financial modelling and due diligence, he is equally adept at translating complex investment decisions into clear, founder-friendly conversations.
Having advised pre-seed start-ups earlier in his career, Huw brings empathy as well as precision whether that’s navigating cap tables, assessing growth strategies, or guiding teams through funding rounds. This collaborative mindset consistently earns trust and delivers results.
Delivering Measurable Financial Impact
In the past year alone, Huw has played a central role in deploying millions of pounds into early-stage ventures across the West Midlands. His innate ability to identify high-potential founders and structure deals efficiently has driven strong portfolio growth, increased co-investment opportunities, and helped FPC Regional meet both fund performance and regional growth targets.
Equally important, his ecosystem-building efforts have strengthened deal flow and reinforced the firm’s long-term strategic presence in the region – creating value not just for investors, but for the wider community.
Huw is playing a fundamental role in helping to shape the Midlands investment landscape without fanfare, consistently showing up for founders, partners, and peers. His work has been instrumental in building the deal flow and relationships that Future Planet Capital relies on today.
The Young Financier of the Year award is a fitting, and long-overdue, recognition of not just Huw’s technical skill, but his humility, heart, and deep commitment to the region.
