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Episode 1 Enterprise Capital Fund Launches to Support UK Tech Entrepreneurs
LONDON, October 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Entrepreneur and Ex VP of Amazon Europe Turns Venture Investor with a
Government Supported Fund of GBP37.5 million to Help UK Start Up Companies Compete
Globally
Episode 1 [http://www.episode1.com ] launches today to support technology
entrepreneurs compete on the international stage. The GBP37.5 million fund combines public
and private money with support from some of the UK's most experienced entrepreneurs
including Alex Chesterman, Founder & CEO of Zoopla Property Group, Tom Allason Founder of
Shutl, and Nick Austin and Alan Bennie Founders of the Vivid Toy Group.
The Episode 1 Fund will invest between GBP250k and GBP2 million into twenty to thirty
early stage companies. Each must demonstrate its potential to be disruptive in the
Internet and mobile sectors and have satisfied existing customers to validate the
proposition.
The three partners behind the Fund - Simon Murdoch, Damien Lane and Adrian Lloyd - are
experienced entrepreneurs and investors and have been through every stage of the start-up
process, from inception to IPO. As well as investing, they will be actively working with
the selected companies to help them succeed.
The Episode 1 partners have been instrumental in identifying and backing some of the
most significant tech companies of UK origin of the last 10 years including: Betfair,
LoveFilm, Zoopla, Shazam and Shutl. Between them, these organisations have created
thousands of jobs and experienced phenomenal growth and profitable exits.
Simon Murdoch comments:
"I know from personal experience how hard it is to start and grow a business, even
without the added difficulties of the current economic climate. Raising venture funding is
even harder. Our aim is to establish Episode 1 as the best place to come for early stage
technology entrepreneurs looking for up to GBP2m of funding."
Vince Cable, Business Secretary
[http://vincentcable.org.uk/en/page/business-secretary-home-page ], said:
"We are determined to give entrepreneurs the financial support they need to grow. This
new GBP37.5 million Enterprise Capital Fund will target a serious gap in the equity market
for high growth small firms."
Episode 1 welcomes entrepreneurs to its open office.
About Episode 1 Ventures
Episode 1 Ventures invests in UK software-driven businesses - typically GBP250,000 up
to GBP1,000,000 - as the first institutional investor in businesses with high growth
potential aiming to disrupt large markets at an early stage.
For more information visit http://www.episode1.com.
For more information contact:
Maggie Zaboura - maggie@zaboura.com +44-(0)7990-527278
Episode 1 Ventures
Episode 1 Enterprise Capital Fund Launches to Support UK Tech Entrepreneurs
LONDON, October 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Entrepreneur and Ex VP of Amazon Europe Turns Venture Investor with a
Government Supported Fund of GBP37.5 million to Help UK Start Up Companies Compete
Globally
Episode 1 [http://www.episode1.com ] launches today to support technology
entrepreneurs compete on the international stage. The GBP37.5 million fund combines public
and private money with support from some of the UK's most experienced entrepreneurs
including Alex Chesterman, Founder & CEO of Zoopla Property Group, Tom Allason Founder of
Shutl, and Nick Austin and Alan Bennie Founders of the Vivid Toy Group.
The Episode 1 Fund will invest between GBP250k and GBP2 million into twenty to thirty
early stage companies. Each must demonstrate its potential to be disruptive in the
Internet and mobile sectors and have satisfied existing customers to validate the
proposition.
The three partners behind the Fund - Simon Murdoch, Damien Lane and Adrian Lloyd - are
experienced entrepreneurs and investors and have been through every stage of the start-up
process, from inception to IPO. As well as investing, they will be actively working with
the selected companies to help them succeed.
The Episode 1 partners have been instrumental in identifying and backing some of the
most significant tech companies of UK origin of the last 10 years including: Betfair,
LoveFilm, Zoopla, Shazam and Shutl. Between them, these organisations have created
thousands of jobs and experienced phenomenal growth and profitable exits.
Simon Murdoch comments:
"I know from personal experience how hard it is to start and grow a business, even
without the added difficulties of the current economic climate. Raising venture funding is
even harder. Our aim is to establish Episode 1 as the best place to come for early stage
technology entrepreneurs looking for up to GBP2m of funding."
Vince Cable, Business Secretary
[http://vincentcable.org.uk/en/page/business-secretary-home-page ], said:
"We are determined to give entrepreneurs the financial support they need to grow. This
new GBP37.5 million Enterprise Capital Fund will target a serious gap in the equity market
for high growth small firms."
Episode 1 welcomes entrepreneurs to its open office.
About Episode 1 Ventures
Episode 1 Ventures invests in UK software-driven businesses - typically GBP250,000 up
to GBP1,000,000 - as the first institutional investor in businesses with high growth
potential aiming to disrupt large markets at an early stage.
For more information visit http://www.episode1.com.
For more information contact:
Maggie Zaboura - maggie@zaboura.com +44-(0)7990-527278
Episode 1 Ventures