Mads Jensen

**Key Market Insights** **VC Investment** Some great commentary from Patrick Molyneux of KPMG | Acceleris at the Lancashire Digital Hub event on Friday, outlining VC investment over the first quarter of 2024. AI & ML is still front and central in tech, with 10 of 24 global unicorns sitting in the field. Huge investment has been seen in Cleantech, with regulations dictating necessity for products. The re-emergence of Crypto & Blockchain (5 of 24 global unicorns), with Blockchain tech being adopted in to antiquated/legacy industries. B2B and SaaS products are still sitting top of the tree when it comes to investment. Key takeaways from the current market: 1) A lot of capital is flowing 2) Deal value is ahead of 2019 market 3) Deal volume is behind 2019 market (more being invested in fewer businesses) 4) M&A market looking busier and the first signs of the IPO window starting to creep open. A read through KPMGs Venture Pulse, would be advised; https://lnkd.in/dpTZSJZ6 #tech #AL #ML #Cleantech #Blockchain #VC #Investment [email protected] Building teams that deliver.

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As the due diligence planning starts off, buyers will typically scope out financial and tax, legal teams and commercial due diligence but rarely is tech included, despite the potential significance tech can have on any deal. Similarly post-acquisition plans rarely anticipate IT work streams beyond replacing the systems of one company with another. This ‘black box’ approach to tech in acquisitions can be extremely expensive, leading to significant unplanned post acquisition cost and delay. Find out more in our blog - https://lnkd.in/eWdTxzcc #tech #acquisitions #duedilligence

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"Funding Collapse sends investment in start-ups to six year low" The Times today covering the shocking stats that VenturePath uncovered, with our partner Beauhurst. Great quotes from supporters Michael Moore CEO, BVCA and Julian David CEO, techUK. * UK VC funding at Series A is -44% from last year, and worsening * Q3 24 is down a staggering 57% from Q2, itself down from Q1 * 9 in 10 seed funded startups cannot access Series A VC funding, the next 'rung on the funding ladder' * Just 32 future scaleup companies across the whole of the UK were able to access their first VC funding round in Q3...a 6 year low * Half a billion less capital is going in to UK scaleups at Series A, than just 2 years ago! As the UK scaleup funding gap widens, we are losing ground against other countries, at both startup stage (a position the UK worked hard to achieve, since 2011), and for scaleup support. OECD data: 13th in the world for scaleup support, and that's before Series A funding access dried up. I get that its confusing. Another report (BBB, Nations & Regions) released this week spoke of positive trends in private investment, stating "The data for Q2 2024 shows that investment value has continued to grow". Great, I love to see optimistic data. But under analysis that bundles venture with private equity (later stage), where a few megadeals skew the numbers. Otherwise the exact opposite is true. Our independent research here, for the UK ScaleUp Investment Mission, is laser beam focussed on Series A. The funding round where companies move from the c.1m startups launched each year, through the 2,179 that access seed funding, into the rarefied category of being recognised as future scaleups, attracting Series A funding (£2-10m). The UK venture landscape is currently funding just 248 pa of these companies, and declining. We've been sharing this urgent call for support with the new Government since the day after the election. I've personally met with several Ministers, and spoke to all the relevant Government departments. I will shamelessly repeat loudly what is at stake. UK scaleup funding at Series A has nearly halved in a year, and continues to decline steeply, more than halving in the last quarter. VenturePath developed The UK ScaleUp Investment Mission to convene the scaleup support ecosystem and £7bn of funders to help address this problem, to improve nationwide access to VC investment, and create more venture-backed successes. We have clear support, clear recommendations to reverse this decline in UK scaleup investment, and have made a clear ask of Government for participation in this, to ensure immediate action is taken to create the conditions for success for UK scaleups, ensuring the focus on growth isn't undermined by lack of capital, or equitable access to it. Government decision makers, we'd love your interest, to progress to action. HM Treasury: Rt Hon Rachel Reeves Spencer Livermore James Murray & CC Poppy Gustafsson (welcome to the debate).

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🌱 Looking to Connect with Leading VCs and Early-Stage Investors? 🌱 At Virtualnonexecs, we don;t only work with PE firms - we are also proud to be working with some of the UK’s most active early-stage investors to help them find the top board advisors and chairs who can drive impact. If you're a non-executive or chair looking to connect with the heart of the startup ecosystem, take note of the names below. Here are 10 of the UK's most active early-stage investors and the incredible numbers that back them: 1. Octopus Ventures - Backed 100+ startups, with a portfolio value of over £1.3 billion. 2. Seedcamp - Over 400 startups funded, including unicorns like Revolut and TransferWise 3. LocalGlobe - Invested in 300+ startups across deep tech and fintech. 4. Playfair - Early backer of companies like Stripe and Anduril. 5. Passion Capital - Early investor in Monzo Bank, managing £100M+ in assets. 6. Ascension - Over 100 startups backed with a focus on social impact and fintech. 7. Frontline Ventures - Backed 80+ startups across Europe with a key focus on B2B. 8. MMC Ventures - £500M+ under management, supporting 60+ innovative growth companies. 9. Balderton Capital - Invested in 220+ startups with notable exits like THG. 10. Entrepreneur First - 500+ startups built, including companies now worth over $10 billion collectively. ✅ To join Virtualnonexecs: https://lnkd.in/eXBj687 ✅ If you are a VC or company looking to hire: https://lnkd.in/d3na7CEC #NonExecutiveDirectors #Chairs #VentureCapital #Startups #Virtualnonexecs #BoardRoles #Leadership #BusinessGrowth

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How Business Leaders Can Take Control of Their Business With Data This article delves into the critical role of vertical integration in harnessing data insights effectively. Key takeaways: 1. Quality over quantity: While businesses have access to vast amounts of data, the real challenge lies in ensuring its quality and coherence across various tech stacks. 2. Vertical integration: Inspired by Tesla's model, vertical integration streamlines operations and offers businesses greater efficiency and control over their data, leading to more informed decision-making. 3. Holistic insights: By adopting a vertically integrated approach to data, leaders gain a comprehensive view of their business, enabling them to uncover hidden patterns and make strategic decisions with confidence. Don't let fragmented data blindfold you. Embrace vertical integration to gain clarity and steer your business towards success. #DataInsights #VerticalIntegration #BusinessLeadership

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Interested in developing your value at board level? Or just understanding how to create more value for your partners or clients ? This is a really helpful, easy to read and practical blueprint for success from Callum Laing ! Very much worth a read 📗📗👍 #entreprenuership #growth #motivation

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We had the pleasure of speaking to the inimitable Gordon Sanghera, co-founder and CEO of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, valued at around $6.8bn in 2021. Gordon somewhat accidentally ended up as an entrepreneur, breaking the conventional VC wisdom around 'born founders'. The technology is wild - democratising access to genomic sequencing giving us a new understanding of living organisms. In the episode of Riding Unicorns, we cover: 00:00 Defining Entrepreneurship 00:55 Understanding Oxford Nanopore's Technology 06:10 Gordon's Journey to Founding Oxford Nanopore 12:09 Commercialization Challenges and Strategies 16:27 Building a Strong Founding Team 20:55 Navigating the Ups and Downs of Deep Tech 25:54 Innovative Applications of Nanopore Technology 28:57 Company Culture and Operational Insights 35:05 Attracting Talent in a Competitive Market 37:22 The IPO Experience and Future Outlook https://lnkd.in/eQZVSGeK

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🚀 Technology and Software M&A Update July 2024 🚀 As of Q1 2024, the Technology and Software sector has witnessed significant activity, with a median transaction value of $45M. Notably, 95% of the deals involved strategic buyers, highlighting the aggressive push for growth and consolidation in the space. Here are some key publicly announced M&A transactions from 2024: 🔹 Blue Yonder Group| acquired One Network Enterprises for $839M in March. 🔹 Francisco Partners| secured Jama Software for $1.2B in March. 🔹 Renesas Electronics Corporation| completed a $5.9B deal for Altium Limited in February. 🔹 Synopsys| acquired Ansys for an impressive $33.5B in January. 🔹 Hewlett Packard Enterprise| closed on Juniper Networks for $15.4B in January. The tech landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace. Strategic buyers are seizing opportunities—2024 is shaping up to be a record year for M&A activity in the sector. #MergersAndAcquisitions #TechnologyM&A #Software #Growth

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Get up to speed on the latest news from the early-stage startup ecosystem 👇 💼 UK government extends tax relief until 2035, giving investors more incentives to back early-stage startups, according to UK Tech News 🚀 Startup acquisitions surge in the U.S.—39% of M&A deals are now made up of larger startups buying smaller ones, as reported by Crunchbase 🏠 Growth is expected for fintech startups within the mortgage industry as lower US interest rates create more opportunities for lending, based on TechCrunch 💡 OpenAI raises $6.6 billion, pushing its valuation to $157 billion, spotlighting the continuing AI boom, as mentioned by Fortune Swipe through the carousel and stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks 📣 #ConnectdNewsRound #Founder #Startup #StartupNews #Entrepreneurship

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Talking Tech: “Exit, pursued by a Bear” In this edition George O'Connor looks at tech sector TSR, best & worse performing companies, Valuation, the 'US and them' valuation gap, Indices, IPO performance, tech spending, tech salary rates and employment trends. The ‘numbers’ are mostly of a recovery bent and suggest an ameliorating view into 2025. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g7ZuHT-H

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The British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) Accelerate conference 21 - 22 May is ground zero for the UK and Europe’s smartest investors and founders. With #VentureCapital money harder to find than Taylor Swift concert tickets, #venturedebt is having a moment! My panel on Day 2 moderated by Leon de Bono is a can’t-miss. We’ll unpack how founders can sensibly leverage debt to extend their runway and ease the path to an exit or next round. The seasoned investors joining me (Stephen Fahy & Stephanie Heller (Galantine) have deployed serious capital into some of Europe's biggest scale-ups. Whether you're a founder preparing to raise your next round or an investor, you need this VC alternative in your mental model. See you there. www.bvca.co.uk/accelerate #Fundraising #Venturedebt #venturecapital #acelerate2024 Fuse Capital BAFTA 195 Piccadilly

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The last week's update on Virtualnonexecs and DealDirect... DealDirect saw 50+ deals (some yet to be verified and released)... Some, however, are already in discussions with funders and potential acquirers. Key Insights: ✅ Technology is the most dominant sector, involved in nearly every deal type. ✅ Digital is another frequently appearing sector, often linked with Technology and Marketing. ✅ Environmental and ESG sectors are significant, reflecting a growing focus on sustainability and governance. ✅ Capital raises and business exits are almost ranking pari-passu ✅ There is a robust interest in funding new or growing ventures If we take the deal flow and annualise it, (before we start to market the service widely), here are a few numbers that blow my mind: Summary Insights: ✅ Total Estimated Deals: Approximately 2300 deals annually. ✅ Capital Raises Would Dominate: Approximately 1300 capital raises vs. 1000 business exits. ✅ Technology and Digital Sectors Lead: The most frequent sectors, indicating strong activity and growth potential. ✅ Significant Focus on Environmental and ESG: Reflecting ongoing trends towards sustainability. If the average raise stays in line with week 1 over the 12 months re Capital Raises: ✅ Average Raise is c.£300k ✅ Number of Raises Over £1 Million: 130+ deals (10% of total capital raises). ✅ Total Annual Capital Raise Sum: £676,200,000 Taking the average EBITDA data from the initial Business Exit cases: ✅ Average Profit: £1.71 million per year (Some are break-even or no data is held). To say it's been a huge week is an understatement. 🔥 And we haven't even started! See: https://lnkd.in/eha-9Zxq Steve Benson Mike Critchley Sarah Mann Michele Jackson Michael Selander #DealDirect #OffMarket #DealFlow #SellSide

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📣 We’ve got a big ESG_VC event planned for Tuesday next week – featuring the latest updates to our measurement framework, news of our 2025 benchmarking with the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA), and an introduction to our new platform partners… 📣 On the afternoon of Tuesday 26 November, we’ll be gathering 200+ VCs for the latest update on the ESG_VC Measurement Framework – from what it covers to how it informs industry-leading research, and how you can now work with our accredited data collection partners. This will be our first event delivered in partnership with our cohort of platform partners: Apiday, Novata, and PortF. I’m excited to share with our members how these partners can support a big step up in your ESG initiatives. Join us for a jam-packed event that will feature: 🟢 An update from Suzi Gillespie of the BVCA on how you can take part in our 2025 research – we analysed ESG performance in c.600 VC-backed companies in 2024 and we’re looking to deliver an even more ambitious piece of research next year… 🟢 Insights from Emily Havers of Fidelity International Strategic Ventures on the updates that have been made to the framework and what it means for our members, their portfolio companies, and the broader ecosystem. 🟢 Perspectives from Emily Matthews of Oxford Science Enterprises and Nina Foote of Volution on how the ESG_VC Measurement Framework has supported their work on ESG. 🟢 Presentations from our platform partners: Edouard Audi of Apiday, Conor O'Laoire’Laoire of Novata, and Alex Lu of PortF. It’s going to be a good one so do register. Link to sign up in the comments! #ESG_VC #sustainability #venturecapital

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Value creation is based on developing and applying value drivers (sometimes called ‘value builders’) that help articulate commercial development and also support higher transaction values. By not drawing on the experience of best practices successfully applied by other businesses, founders can risk leaving money on the table. Find out more about value creation in our blog. https://lnkd.in/exBvk87n #sellyourbusiness #value #money

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💼 UK Budget 2024 Breakdown: Key Impacts for the Tech Market 💼 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled the 2024 Budget, promising a decade of "national renewal". But how does this budget support, or challenge, the UK’s technology sector, especially for start-ups and scale-ups? Let's dive in: 📈 Employers’ NI Rise: The 1.2% increase to 15% from April and reduced secondary threshold might impact hiring costs, especially for tech start-ups scaling up 👍Pros: Increased funding for public services, appealing to skilled tech professionals who value a strong social infrastructure. 👎Cons: Could deter small tech companies, raising costs and potentially slowing headcount growth. 💼 Capital Gains Increase: Rates rise from 10% to 18% (lower) and 20% to 24% (higher) 👍Pros: Modest changes keep the UK competitive internationally, maintaining attractiveness for tech investors. 👎Cons: Inheritance tax freezes on business assets could deter multi-generational tech entrepreneurs from retaining business control. 💰 Sector-Specific Investment: £6.1bn is committed to engineering, biotech, and medical sciences, including £2bn for electric vehicle support 👍Pros: Encourages tech advancement in green sectors and supports the development of high-impact technologies. 👎Cons: No dedicated fund for emerging digital or AI sectors; may feel insufficient for digital-first start-ups. 📉 Wage Impact: A 6.7% hike to £12.21/hour 👍Pros: Higher wages may boost consumer demand for tech products and services. 👎Cons: Smaller tech firms and bootstrapped start-ups could struggle with increased payrolls, affecting hiring plans. 📚 Education Funding: £6.7bn, including a real-term increase and £1bn uplift for special needs 👍Pros: Enhanced education supports future tech talent, critical for sectors reliant on high-skilled workers. 👎Cons: Short-term relief, with tech firms potentially still experiencing a gap between skill needs and availability. ⛽️ Decision to Freeze Fuel Duty: Keeps transport costs stable 👍Pros: Positive for tech firms reliant on logistics, such as last-mile delivery start-ups. 👎Cons: Missed opportunity to reallocate funds towards green initiatives, potentially affecting sustainability-focused tech sectors. 💸 Non-Dom Abolishment: Non-domicile status will end in April 👍Pros: Levels the playing field, promoting a fairer tax environment across sectors. 👎Cons: Could deter international tech investors who were previously drawn to the UK for tax advantages. 🏥 NHS Funding: £22.6bn boost with structural investments planned 👍Pros: Opportunity for med-tech and health-tech start-ups, aligning with the government’s prioritisation of health service innovation. 👎Cons: Real impact remains to be seen; without systemic NHS changes, tech-driven efficiencies may be limited. What are your thoughts on the latest budget? How will this shape your business in 2024?👇💭 #UKBudget #Budget2024 #UKTech #TechIndustry

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Navigating the capital landscape can be a make-or-break challenge for startups. Our latest blog post dives deep into the world of startup funding in the UK, exploring: > The diverse funding ecosystem, from bootstrapping to VC > Government schemes that could boost your startup > Key challenges in accessing capital > Strategies to improve your chances of securing funding > Emerging trends shaping the future of UK startup finance Click the link to read the full article! 👇 https://wix.to/EI7D55M #UKStartups #StartupFunding #EntrepreneurialJourney #VentureCapital #InnovationFinance #BeYourOwnBoss #Pulse #PulseIsHere

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ARC Advisory Group reports a dramatic shift in the #manufacturing #OT space, creating new markets for new wave of #AI startups specializing in Closed-loop AI optimization (#AIO) of industrial processes. The #industrialAI company Intelecy is identified as a leader in the new product category by the renowned ARC industry analyst PETER REYNOLDS. Intelecy's userfriendly #nocode tools are based on advanced #deeplearning models. Process engineers and operators receive recommendations based on #realtime process control data to optimize processes, reducing waste and energy consumption and improving quality of the products. Intelecy pioneered the nocode industrial AI space, and was also among the first to deploy an autonomous closed-loop process control solution governed by deep learning algoritms in regular operation. The Intelecy platform is preferred by its users, and it is already validated by by customers in many process industries: #chemicals, #foodandbeverages, #aquaculture, #materials, #minerals, #metal, #mining, #energyproduction, #oilandgas, #watertreatment The company is led by an experienced management team with long tenuere and a strong track record from the AI industry: CEO Camilla Gjetvik, CTO Bertil Helseth, COO Anna Olsson, CRO Sanjeev Kumar

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Yesterday I had the pleasure of appearing on CNBC to talk about the state of tech in the UK and Europe, touching on the state of IPOs vs PE acquisitions, sectors to watch and where the opportunity lies. Thanks for a great discussion Arabile Gumede! Some thoughts from the interview: Signs of Success: The acquisition of UK tech companies by prestigious private equity firms like Thoma Bravo is a testament to the strength and success of the UK tech sector. It's a clear indicator that UK companies are building substantial value and attracting significant international interest. Vibrant Ecosystem: Despite challenges, the UK and Europe boast a vibrant tech ecosystem, particularly in AI, cybersecurity, and fintech. The market has now stabilised post-pandemic, offering a fertile ground for emerging companies to thrive. Opportunity for scale-up investment: Looking at investment into SaaS companies, Europe is on par with the US in the early stages. It is at the scale-up stage that a divide appears – support and more investment into Europe and the UK’s growth companies will further strengthen the region’s tech scene. Watch a clip from CNBC here: https://lnkd.in/d7J8_FNP #Oxx #UKtech #VC #growth

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