EQUITY GAP, the Edinburgh based business angel syndicate, reports its 2019 performance, which saw the firm deliver 23 funding rounds, add 5 new companies to its portfolio and win the UK Business Angel Association’s ‘Most active investor in the regions’ award.
Equity Gap invested £3.6m last year, taking the total portfolio value since it was founded in 2010 to £16.2m. Factoring in the involvement of partners and other stakeholders, this activity leveraged a record total investment into the portfolio of £21.5m for the year.
The organisation has leveraged a total of £71m into its portfolio companies since it was founded in 2010. This success has seen the company expand its operations, ahead of marking its 10th anniversary later this year, with a move to new city centre premises and the appointment of four new specialist roles.
New seed investments include compliance software firm Amiqus Resolution, smart security solution Boundary and aviation medical emergency technology provider MIME Technologies. Four follow-on rounds were transacted at more than £1 million including those for fintech lending specialist LendingCrowd, and remote sensoring technology company Synaptec.
Equity Gap is one of several Scottish angel investment groups who have delivered a strong performance in 2019, despite market uncertainty, reflecting the strength and quality of early-stage businesses and entrepreneurship in Scotland.
Jock Millican, director of Equity Gap and chairman of the LINC Scotland angel capital association said: “Investing £3.6m during 2019 came on the back of a record year in 2018.
“Our successful co-investment partnerships with other business angel syndicates and support from the Scottish Investment Bank, continue to evidence a positive funding environment and the availability of capital for scale-up opportunities across a wide range of sectors in Scotland.
“Most of these companies simply would not get funding without the support of the business angel community. The funds raised have given our portfolio companies the ability to grow, create quality employment opportunities, especially for graduates, and build prosperity across the wider Scottish economy.
Even those companies that complete a successful exit, tend to maintain their operations here.”
Equity Gap continues to attract a diverse range of new investors through its open and inclusive culture and will continue working with LINC Scotland, UK Business Angels Association and Women’s Enterprise Scotland to encouraging wider participation in angel investment.
Fraser Lusty, Equity Gap director, added: “It is important to us to continually to look at ways in which we can more effectively interact with and attract a more diverse investor base. This year, on the back of our UK Business Angels Association most active regional investor award, we have been fortunate to see good organic investor growth from a variety of new geographies, including Germany, USA and Australia.
“Equally, it is key for the syndicate to help our portfolio companies grow smoothly and look to bring forward the right exit deals and this in turn, has invigorated our desire to build stronger cross-border relationships with venture capital and M&A specialists.”
