New: Maven Income and Growth VCTs’ 3x exit of McKenzie Intelligence Services

In July 2026, Maven completed its profitable exit of McKenzie Intelligence Services (MIS).

Geospatial intelligence company MIS helps the insurance industry map, track and assess global disaster damage in real time. It analyses data from satellites, drones and ground sensors during catastrophes.

Maven invested £636k in MIS in 2023 to support the company's growth in the UK and US, as well as further product development.

Its sale to NASDAQ-listed insurance risk analytics firm Verisk delivered a 3x return for the Maven Income and Growth VCTs.

Maven has seen a flurry of exits in recent years. In the last five years to August 2026, the VCTs achieved 26 full and partial exits, generating proceeds of £138.9 million against a cost of £77.8 million. The most notable exit was the sale of Quorum Cyber in June 2024, realising proceeds of £9.9 million, for a 8.2x return. Past performance is not a guide to the future. There were also been 9 failures over the same period.

What is its proprietary technology, which serves global customers like Lloyd’s of London? Why did Maven choose to invest in MIS?  How might you invest in similar companies?

MIS monitors catastrophic events such as active wildfires, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and military conflicts – receiving real-time data and imagery (collected through satellites, drones and ground sensors) from its global network of geospatial partners.

MIS’s analysts evaluate and run the data through its proprietary cloud platform, Global Events Observer (GEO).

Described as "Google Maps on overdrive", GEO overlays data layers on a global map to provide comprehensive insights. It can forecast total financial losses for insurance providers within hours of any catastrophic event – and compile more granular reporting (such as building-level damage assessments) in a matter of days. This can help clients quickly understand the scope and impact of events – how their portfolios are affected – and expedite the claims process and support policyholders in need.

Maven manages the four Maven Income and Growth VCTs, as well as funds for British Business Bank and the Scottish Government. The highly regarded fund manager invests across the UK via a nationwide network of offices.

Maven aims to invest in sectors it considers ‘defensive' – that is, relatively insulated from any changes in discretionary consumer spending. This would include cybersecurity, software, data analytics, fintech, Insurtech (such as MIS’s) and specialist engineering.

The Maven Income and Growth VCTs made a six-figure investment into MIS in December 2023.

At the time, the geospatial analytics and catastrophe insurance markets were forecast to continue a double-digit annual growth over the next 5-10 years, driven by severe weather events happening more often globally. Maven considered that insurers, anticipating the level of claims, would be turning to technology solutions – like that of MIS – to assess claims more accurately and cost-efficiently.

The company’s innovative platform GEO offered industry-first features like detailed ground-level imagery, which could reportedly facilitate faster and more effective post-disaster response.

MIS had built a strong pipeline of over 100 opportunities in Europe and the US, and Maven believed it had the potential to become a global market leader in a sector having to quickly adapt its approach to risk management.

In the three years following Maven’s investment, MIS established a foothold in the US market, won a number of significant contracts and invested in enhancing its market leading technology platform.

The Maven Income and Growth VCTs are currently closed, but plan to launch the next offer this Autumn – you can register your interest to hear as soon as the offer opens.

The Maven VCTs give investors exposure to a well-diversified portfolio of over 130 private and AIM-quoted companies in defensive or counter-cyclical sectors with recurring or contractual revenue.

The VCTs target an annual dividend yield of 6% of NAV – dividends are variable and not guaranteed. Over the five years to 30 June 2026, the VCTs produced NAV total returns (including dividends) ranging from -1.3% to 10.1%. Past performance is not a guide to the future.