Research conducted by the EIS and SEIS representative organisation, the EIS Association suggests that Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) are hesitant about advising clients to invest in SEIS opportunities due to the perceived risks associated with the product, as well as concerns about the impact on PI Insurance and compliance. Notwithstanding these concerns PI and Compliance specialists spoken to by the EISA both felt that neither should be an issue.

Seneca Partners, the specialist SME investment business based in the North-West, has announced the launch of its new AIM focussed EIS Fund – the Seneca AIM EIS Fund (the Fund).

The QUBIS Innovation Fund has been established specifically for university spin-out and start-up companies operating in the UK’s fastest growing sectors. The objective of the Innovation Fund is to enable more efficient deal closing for high potential companies through co-investment with aligned partners. Investments will qualify for SEIS and / or EIS tax relief (Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme and / or Enterprise Investment Scheme ), helping to incentivise investors to back these early-stage ventures.

Seneca Partners, the specialist SME investment business based in the North West, has invested £1.2m into biotech company, SolasCure to support the development of their wound cleaning product, Aurase® through the Seneca EIS Portfolio Service and Seneca Growth Capital VCT.  Seneca’s investment comes as SolasCure is developing proprietary technology leveraging biomimicry and evidence-based medicine to empower health care professionals to treat patients with chronic wounds. 

The Enterprise Investment Scheme Association (EISA), in conjunction with Capital Pilot, has launched an investment platform for new growth businesses looking to attract fund investors. In its first year the platform, branded Curated Capital, is targeting £10m of investment to be made available to over 100 of the country’s brightest growth businesses.

Manchester venture capital investor Praetura Ventures has unveiled a £15m commitment from British Business Investments, 

Aberdeen based EBar is raising a glass after closing a £670,000 equity round that will accelerate the roll-out of their self-service drinks dispensing technology to busy venues across the UK & Europe. The funding was led by the Seedrs crowdfunding platform and Irish events entrepreneur Robert O’Dowd, with follow on investments from Jenson Funding Partners, Equity Gap and Gabriel Investment Syndicate.

The successful close of the second round of the GAS EIS Climate Change Fund on 15th July suggests that investors are waking up to the seriousness of the climate crisis, according to GAS CIO, Antoine Pradayrol. Exceptional heat waves in Canada, the north-west US, northern Europe and Siberia and raging wildfires, as well as the most recent horrific floods in Germany and Belgium, cannot be ignored.

The Calculus Creative Content EIS Fund, together with other funds managed or advised by Calculus, has invested in Brouhaha Entertainment, a newly formed production company combining the slates of Gabrielle Tana, Troy Lum and Andrew Mason. Brouhaha Entertainment is based in both London and Sydney (Australia) and will have extended reach beyond borders due to the unique connections of the principal producers.

Three quarters (76%) of IFAs believe that their use of Business Relief propositions will increase over the next two years, 

Haatch Ventures launched their first SEIS Fund in March to complement their flagship EIS Fund. The new SEIS Fund was oversubscribed within 2 weeks, showing how popular the Haatch approach to investing has become.

F C Laser Limited has received a £1.5 million loan from Maven Capital Partners through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund and backed by the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).

The business, which specialises in engineering and metal fabrication, is set to use the finance to purchase new technology and enable the automation and expansion of its two sites near Ilkeston in Derbyshire.