Most startups and spinouts require equity funding to finance their research, development and commercial activities. Although this can come from a mix of sources (including grants, competitions and loans), high growth companies often fund most of their early activities via equity investment. Alongside financial support, investors often bring experience, sector-specific expertise and a deep network of contacts. Supportive investors can also provide early-stage companies with the confidence to be ambitious in their growth plans. Edinburgh Innovations (EI) has a small team of investment specialists who support EI clients and the wider Enterprise Services team to understand investment topics and engage with investors. The team also manages the following: Old College Capital Old College Capital (OCC) is the University of Edinburgh’s in-house venture investment fund. We aim to support the University’s research, staff and students by investing in high-growth, early-stage businesses associated with the University. At the time of writing, OCC has £14m committed funds under management across 26 companies, with more than £50m in partner co-investment. Wobble Genomics Image Wobble Genomics is a spinout of the Roslin Institute The University of Edinburgh. It will commercialise biochemical and software technologies that greatly increase the efficiency and accuracy of RNA sequencing. RNA sequencing is a key technique for studying gene expression, which can give scientists and clinicians unprecedented insights into disease. In September 2021 Wobble Genomics secured an investment of £1.2 million, led by St Andrews-based Eos Advisory alongside Old College Capital. This investment formed part of a £2.15 million seed round including a deeptech venture capital firm, and a small number of private investors. Benefits of working with OCC We invest on behalf of the University of Edinburgh, a globally recognised brand. We invest for the long term with any returns used to sustain OCC's activities supporting early-stage companies associated with the University. OCC follows a co-investment model, partnering with experienced private sector investors to leverage the greatest support for companies within the University of Edinburgh ecosystem. We have strong working relationships with a wide range of investors, including angel syndicates, venture capital and corporate venture capital firms. We have a reputation as a supportive, fair and responsible investor and are used to working collaboratively with investment partners and management. We do not charge arrangement, research or ongoing monitoring fees on invested funds. We are run by a supportive team of investment experts, with an external investment committee made up of sector and early-stage experts. We are able to leverage the expertise and networks of University alumni, portfolio companies, co-investment partners and our ecosystem. The Staff Enterprise team can introduce colleagues to EI’s investment team at an appropriate time. This article was published on 2024-07-01
