Sponsors
NorthStar Equity Investors
NorthStar Equity Investors Backing high growth, early stage companies across the North East since 2004 NorthStar Equity Investors is a venture capital firm that specialises in creating and building early stage high-growth businesses across the North East of England. NorthStar currently manages two Funds; the £30m North East Co-Investment Fund (COIF), offering investments of up to £1m into high growth companies, and the £12m Proof of Concept Fund (POC), targeted at the pre-seed stage of investment, supporting entrepreneurs with up to £90,000. Since their inception, NorthStar’s Funds have enjoyed great success with 200 opportunities backed by POC, while over £28m has been invested into 39 high growth potential businesses on behalf of the COIF. Typically, NorthStar invests in companies developing innovative products and technologies in areas that reflect the core strengths of the region, from digital, IT and communications, to healthcare, biotech, chemicals, process industries and renewables and the environment. NorthStar invests on a strictly commercial basis, syndicating its equity deals with private sector investors ranging from individual angels to international venture capital houses and corporate investors. Our recent achievementsThis year, NorthStar picked up the Insider Dealmakers North East Private Equity and Venture Capital House of the Year Award for the third consecutive year in recognition of our achievements in the region. NorthStar also won a prestigious pan European award at the Investor AllStars Awards in London as further testimony to NorthStar’s increasing acknowledgement and success in the venture capital community. NorthStar has recently completed a number of exciting new equity deals. Investments include amBX UK Ltd who raised £720,000 to establish a new regional centre in Middlesbrough’s Boho One development. Licensed amBX devices enable content creators to add real-world effects using light, colour, sound, rumble and even air flow, to the virtual worlds of computers, games, music, movies and TV entertainment. Neil MacDonald, amBX CEO, describes the technology as “creating a connection between the creative and human senses.” amBX is working closely with Digital City and the University of Teesside to help develop a centre of excellence and create career opportunities for local graduates and specialists. Cogenta Systems Ltd raised £800,000 to open a data management centre in Newcastle. The company, which sits in the price comparison sector, has developed a market-leading technology which gathers product price and availability information. As a result, it is able to look at 2.9 million prices per day from the leading high street retailers. The North East opening will be followed by the company launching an email service ensuring shoppers are kept up to date with deals and price movements. Vertical Wind Energy (VWE) raised £1.2m to develop a vertical axis wind turbine built out of scaleable components, which can deliver power at a number of output ratings ranging from three to 25KW. This enables them to offer the most cost effective micro-wind generation system currently on the market. The £1.2m round of investment will enable the company to fulfil a strong pipeline of orders and accelerate the development of new products. VWE identified the North East as a key area for its technology and is leveraging the considerable renewables expertise in the region. The company is setting up in the North East and they are working with local fabricators to manufacture key components bringing more wind generation-related manufacturing into the region. This year, NorthStar has made 26 POC investments into early stage opportunities including Take Publishing, FScan, Parking Solutions and Durham Mag Lev, the brainchild of scientists at Durham University, who have developed technology which can magnetically levitate vehicles when being tested aerodynamically in wind tunnels. The system is positioned towards the Formula One market and eliminates the problem caused by the interference of struts usually used to hold vehicles in place. Scientists behind the new technology have secured £60,000 in financial backing from NorthStar’s POC Fund which will be used to build a full-scale prototype. NorthStar are always keen to speak to ambitious entrepreneurs with market-focused business ideas. NorthStar Equity Investors LimitedMaybrook House
27-35 Grainger Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 5JE
Tel 0845 301 1496
www.northstarei.com/