Launch event for Venta Angel Investment Initiative 16th November

[Norwich Research Park press release]

Now is an exciting time for angel investment: there are many interesting opportunities emerging from the research community and tax incentives from Government for those that support early-stage businesses. The Norwich Research Park is hosting an angel event on 16th November to launch its new Venta programme.

The Venta programme is designed to bring early-stage science businesses and investors together in a series of angel investment days.

The launch day is supported by the Cambridge Capital Group, a highly regarded group of business angel investors, which invests in disruptive technologies. Recent successes have included the acquisition of Phonetic Arts by Google and the launch of Ubisense Group on AIM.

Walter Herriot, chair of the ‘Enterprise from Innovation’ Board at Norwich Research Park, says:

The Enterprise Investment Scheme offers tax breaks for investors of up to 30%, and with low bank interest rates this is becoming an appealing option for some individuals. Angel consortiums such as Cambridge Capital Group offer a good way of reducing the risk of investment. We hope that Venta will provide a vehicle for allowing more people to consider angel investment.

The day will include presentations by early-stage science-based companies and an overview of the future plan for the Norwich Research Park. George Freeman MP, a strong advocate of the potential of UK’s science and enterprise to unlock huge opportunities in the global food, medicine and cleantech markets, will be giving a short presentation at the event.

Over a networking lunch there will an opportunity to meet representatives from a number of the Business Development teams from the Norwich Research Park Partners and also to meet other commercial companies and organisations already based on the Park, with products and services as varied as drug testing through fingerprints, paternity testing, and improved prescribing.

John Irving, from the NRP Innovation Centre, says: “Venta provides an excellent opportunity for new or established science-based businesses to meet with business angels. Angels can assist their growth through a combination of funding and management expertise.”

John went on to say: “We plan to hold more Venta events and would encourage any science based businesses looking for funding or business angels looking for new investment opportunities to get in touch.”

Norwich Research Park encompasses six leading research institutions, and over thirty commercial companies. A £26m grant from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills was awarded through the BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) to Norwich Research Park earlier this year to help deliver further state-of-the-art buildings and the necessary infrastructure to benefit new and established science-based companies looking for the facilities and support needed to grow.

If you are interested in commercial and investment opportunities at Norwich Research Park please contact venta@nrpic.com or enquiries@nrp.org.uk or visit the websites www.nrp.org.uk and www.nrpic.com.