EIS Offers

This media EIS looks for predictable revenue streams to underpin investment. Music publishing, tv production and distribution companies will be the focus. It looks to benefit from music royalty payments and the sale of broadcast rights.

CHF Media Fund will invest in companies that own the intellectual property rights (IPR) to newly developed family, or children’s, television shows. Proceeds from fundraising are used to monetise the IPR. Sir David Jason sits on the board of CHF Media Group as a non-executive director.

Invests across various technology sectors, including energy, medical and business enterprise software. Transparent – investors can see which underlying companies they will be invested in. Targets a return of £1.60 per £1 invested and should be viewed as at the upper end of the risk scale.

Downing's newest venture is growth-focused aiming to invest into a portfolio of technology businesses. Consumer internet, defence technology, software as a service and life sciences will be particular focuses.

Earthworm is an asset and contract-backed EIS fund that invests in businesses focused on processing organic waste (food, garden, wood and/or water waste).

Foresight Group has joined forces with Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited to launch Foresight Williams Technology EIS Fund. The fund invests into early-stage, unquoted companies that are developing disruptive technology and pioneering innovations, which can benefit from Williams’ technical, engineering and commercial expertise.

London Digital, a games business, seeks to raise £4 million under EIS to support the design, development and distribution of PC and console video games. Investors could benefit from 30% EIS income tax relief. Additional downside protection is provided by 20% Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR) and a publishing contract with 50% minimum sales assurance.

The MMC Ventures EIS Fund focuses on technology-enabled sectors. For instance, it invests in financial and business services, digital media, e-commerce and software solutions for business.

This is an interesting new EIS offer. Led by Carl Atkinson, this aims to invest in up and coming consumer brands. Mr Atkinson has previous been instrumental in the success of hair straightener company GHD and the turnaround of Neal's Yard. This higher risk offer will look to back companies in a mix of sectors including food and beverage, beauty products and personal care.

Many consider EIS appropriate for high-risk, high-growth opportunities. Technology companies seem to fit this area well as often they are not capital intensive businesses at launch, but need ongoing rounds of funding to get to market. Oxford Capital typically invest at the first round of institutional funding for these early-stage businesses.

Parkwalk is an interesting high-growth fund that looks to back patented technology with commercial potential coming out of UK universities. Parkwalk's existing EIS investments are currently valued at £40 million. The fee structure incentivises management to seek exits rather than sit on investments.

Par Syndicate EIS is a technology growth EIS fund which co-invests with business angels from Par Equity's well established network. It focuses on the "equity gap" outside London: opportunities that are beyond the reach of an individual business angel but not quite big enough for private equity to be interested.

This EIS service invests in later stage, established growth orientated businesses. Each will typically have an annual turnover in the region of £5 million. It is likely investors will invest in a spread of unquoted and AIM listed businesses.

We consider this a good opportunity to invest in an EIS-qualifying asset-backed managed storage fund operated by an experienced team and fund manager with strong regional presence and knowledge of the market.

The Startup Funding Club SEIS/EIS fund does what the name suggests: it invests in UK start ups, alongside its network of business angels. It has shown encouraging signs to date, although past performance is not a guide to the future. Minimum investment £5,000