TUESDAY 1 JULY 11.15 – 12.30

Oxford Early Investments Presentations

A series of short presentations by companies seeking funding

Oxford Early Investments links investors to companies with high growth potential who are seeking funding from £25k - £150k+. The network offers access to a rich source of investment opportunities in early stage ventures.

The Oxford Early Investments (OEI) presentation meetings are one of the most successful ways of linking companies to investors, where companies provide an overview of their proposition to prospective investors.

11:15

Welcome

Eileen Modral, Manager, Oxford Early Investments

11:20 – 11:30

Cryox

John Vandore (Didcot)

Funding sought: £150k

Cryox is a new company focused on commercialising cryogenic technology. Based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire and backed by the STFC Research Council, Cryox aims to exploit cryogenic technologies developed on projects in particle physics, astronomy and space, building on an existing platform of invention, patenting, licensing and trading in the STFC Labs. Opportunities are being pursued for new cryogenic equipment employing electro-mechanical cryocoolers to eliminate the need for increasingly scarce and expensive liquid helium. Demand for cryogenic technology is also growing in the application of high temperature superconductors in electric power, including generators for offshore wind turbines.

11:30 – 11:40

Alchemy Healthcare

Ian Harrison (Oxford)

Funding sought: £300k

Unlike other nasal devices Alchemy Healthcare’s system, using patented technology platforms, can deliver dry powder containing vaccines or therapeutics of the optimal particle size, in the right dose to the right area of the nasal passages. This has positioned the company as a strong contender for pharma companies looking for products that are easy-to-use alternatives to the oral and injection routes.

We are targeting a gap in the market for small, easy to use unit-dose products that can efficiently deliver dry powder formulations to vascular and lymphatic areas.

Alchemy Healthcare’s team of experienced pharmacists, physicists, engineers and pharma marketing staff use specialised sub-contractors to achieve quick results.

After winning a SEEDA R&D Grant in 2007 to achieve proof-of-concept, our formulations for vaccines and therapeutics are to undergo in vivo work from late 2008. We are approaching pharma partners this summer, clarifying their individual needs.

11:40 – 11.50

Swing Zone

Vince Ashe (Banstead)

Funding sought: £100k

Swing Zone is the first company to provide an integrated and completely web-based golf coaching system that is easy and convenient for both golfer and golf pros to use. The PGAs of Europe have formally endorsed the Swing Zone and will market it to their 15,000 golf pros around the world, whilst a number of consumer channel and media partners are being recruited to promote the Swing Zone to golfers and golf communities.

The total funding requirement for the business is £100k. The funding will be used firstly to adapt and finalise the “back end” software and the Swing Zone website; and secondly to provide a marketing budget.

11:50 – 12:00

Growth Engineering Ltd

Simon Blackburn (Windsor)

Funding sought: £150k

“I don’t use the phrase “world-class” often but we have certainly found this product to be exactly that.”
Sales Director, Wish Communications

sales-development-zone.co.uk:

a technology platform providing an online learning management system enabling clients to create an own-brand training academy including their own material
a sales training library containing 150 modules which are being validated by Kingston University for academic accreditation.

Launched in November 2007, the company has six clients (including Bell Micro and Wish) and around 85 prospects (e.g. Allianz Insurance, Black & Decker) and is seeking investment of £150k to expand the sales function, complete the academic qualification process and create e-learning modules.

12:00 – 12:10

Digital Media Productions Ltd

Xavier Keeling (Bristol)

Funding sought: £150k

The company, a new-media design agency, has developed a product capable of changing the fundamental structure of the marketing and design industries worldwide. ‘Putty’ is a software-and-server-technology product that hands over digital communication content management control to non-technologists. Putty1.0 has generated £120k in sales since inception in 2007 with minimal marketing and customers include blue-chip companies. First-round funding of £150k is required to expand the technical team, effect the sales and marketing required to tap into significant UK/global markets, and exploit ongoing opportunities for product development for additional applications.

Following the presentations, delegates are invited to meet and talk to the presenting companies in the networking area located in the Venturefest Village marquee.

Organised by Oxford Early Investments

(Return to Programme at a Glance)

Financial Services and Markets Act 2000
The fund raising sessions at Venturefest provide an opportunity for investors to meet entrepreneurs and companies seeking investment and enables investors to receive information on investment opportunities of interest to them. The Networks do not advise on the merits or risks of specific investment proposals. The responsibility for the decision on specific investment lies with the parties concerned.