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Deepbridge delivers over £12m in funding to 22 North West companies

Deepbridge, the Chester-based tax-efficient investment manager, has today (8th January 2018) announced it provided over £12 million in funding to 22 companies based in the North West during 2017. The investments were made specifically in technology and life sciences-focused firms, via Deepbridge’s range of Enterprise Investment Schemes (EIS) and Seed EIS (SEIS) propositions. The investment manager currently operates four EIS/SEIS – these are: · Deepbridge Technology Growth EIS. · Deepbridge Life Sciences EIS. · Deepbridge Life Sciences SEIS. Finally, in 2017 Deepbridge launched the new Deepbridge Innovation SEIS which provides seed-stage funding to a portfolio of innovative, technology-focused companies. Deepbridge invests across the UK in businesses based nationally from Aberdeen to Sandwich, however being based in Chester it has a specific level of experience, a natural affiliation and a strong network in the North West. This allows it to form strategic partnerships with the likes of Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool, supporting the commercialisation of digital healthcare initiatives, and with internationally-renowned science and innovation campus, Sci-Tech Daresbury. Such partnerships have allowed Deepbridge to broaden its funding right across the North West and to work with companies such as: · vTime – based in Liverpool, vTime is focused on developing and publishing highly-innovative virtual and augmented reality engagement software. · Liverpool ChiroChem (LCC) – based at the University of Liverpool, LCC supplies specialist chemical Chiral building blocks that enable laboratory based researchers to discover and build new drug molecules. · Zilico – with its head office in Manchester, Zilico has developed an innovative and patented cancer diagnostic device technology that improves cancer screening programmes. · SurveyMe – Stockport-based SurveyMe offers a disruptive mobile technology that enables businesses globally to quickly capture bespoke, real-time consumer and employee feedback. · Connect Childcare - Burnley-based Connect Childcare has developed innovative nursery management software systems for the childcare sector. Ian Warwick, Managing Partner at Deepbridge, commented: “The North West of England is a hotbed of technology and life science innovation. It is therefore no surprise that Deepbridge has been able to support a number of companies in the region to find the funding they require to grow, create jobs and develop unique innovations which can be exported globally. “Last Autumn’s Budget reinforced the Government’s support for the Enterprise Investment Scheme and Seed EIS. The Chancellor also refocused EIS/SEIS investments towards ‘knowledge-intensive’ companies, with areas such as technology innovation and life sciences considered to be sectors which EIS/SEIS should be focusing on. In these sectors, the need for such funding has never been greater, nor have there been more opportunities for investors to make a real difference and share in the returns potentially available from supporting growth businesses. “We look forward to continuing to work with our strategic partners throughout the region during 2018, and beyond, in order to support the next generation of North West-based innovations. This is an exciting time for the North West region, for the tech and life sciences sectors and for Deepbridge.”