Investor Relations
Octopus Ventures
Established in 2000, Octopus Investments is a leading investment specialist, providing investors with access to a growing range of innovative investment solutions including a discretionary management service, a range of single manager funds; equity OEICS, venture capital trusts, enterprise investment schemes and inheritance tax solutions. Since inception, Octopus has grown its customer base to over 22,000 with funds under management of over £1.7 billion. Octopus was voted ‘VCT Provider of the Year’ in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 (Source: Professional Adviser Awards).
Octopus manages £300 million in VCT funds and over £200 million in EIS portfolios as well as £32 million in the Octopus Capital for Enterprise Fund. Octopus typically invests from £500,000 to £6 million per investment and is a leading player in the UK venture capital industry. Octopus is a generalist investor, preferring to back exceptional entrepreneurial teams rather than specific sectors and backs businesses which can create, transform or dominate an industry.
Octopus was voted the top UK financial services company to work for in the Sunday Times survey of ‘Best 100 SMEs to Work For’ in 2008 and was re-listed in the top 100 companies for 2009. Additionally, the Company won the ‘Badenoch & Clark Business of the Year’ award and the ‘3i Growth Strategy of the Year Award’ at the 2008 National Business Awards, Regional Finals, South East of England, in July 2008, and the ‘Business of the Year’ award at the 2009 National Business Awards, Regional Finals, South East of England, in July 2009. Octopus has over 160 staff with 40+ investment professionals.
Find out more at www.octopusventures.com
South East Seed Fund
The South East Seed Fund is managed by Finance South East, a regional funding organisation, backed by SEEDA and privately governed. With access to a breadth of public and private resources, FSE specialises in the identification, funding and development of ambitious businesses with high growth potential. By providing a unique funding service to these companies across the South East, FSE helps them grow through direct investment. FSE has directly invested £12½m in SE companies and has helped them raise a further £30m.
Find out more at www.financesoutheast.com
Iceni Seedcorn Fund
The Iceni Seedcorn Fund was established under the University Challenge Fund scheme to help commercialise innovation and technological development derived within the partner institutes; the University of East Anglia, the University of Essex, the John Innes Centre, the Sainsbury Laboratory, the Institute of Food Research, and Plant Bioscience Limited. The Fund was established in 2002 and to date has invested in ten spin-out companies and licensing opportunities.
For further information please visit www.icenifund.com