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Press releases — 22nd July 2004

MTI Partners to sponsor Europe's leading Business Angel Network

MTI Partners, the UK’s leading early stage hi-tech venture capital investor, today announce a sponsorship package for Oxfordshire Investment Opportunity Network (OION), Europe’s most successful technology business angel network. The package is designed to foster closer relations between the business angel and venture capital communities.

MTI’s sponsorship provides OION with core revenue and support for its activities. These centre on monthly investment meetings at Oxford University’s Said Business School, where selected companies are given the opportunity to present their business plans to over 100 investor attendees.

MTI joins OION’s portfolio of sponsors, including HSBC, Grant Thornton, NESTA, Business Link, law firm Manches and patent agents Frank B Dehn.

Jon Cox, Manager of OION, said:

"It is great news that OION has secured MTI as an additional sponsor. The closer links that result from our arrangement with MTI should result in a win-win situation, increasing access to larger capital sums for the innovative companies that approach OION and providing good quality deal flow for MTI. During the last four years OION has helped 61 companies raise £14.8m and celebrated a particularly successful year to 31 March 2004, brokering 18 deals, raising a total of £5m."

David Ward, Partner at MTI, commented:

"OION is one of the most successful angel investor groups in the UK. Providing easier links for growing companies to make the transition from the angel finance stage to venture capital investment is vital for the future development of those businesses, and is equally important for MTI - providing us with access to high quality future investment opportunities."

Press Release Ends

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Press enquiries to: Margaret Henry, OION PR Manager.
Tel: +44 (0)1865 811199  E-mail: Margaret Henry

  1. ABOUT OXFORDSHIRE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY NETWORK (OION) www.oion.co.uk

    Oxfordshire Investment Opportunity Network is Europe’s most successful technology business angel network that links investors with entrepreneurs seeking business development funds from £150,000 to £2m. OION holds monthly meetings where selected companies can pitch their proposals to OION’s members, which include over 150 active business angels, VCTs and venture capitalists.

    Many of these companies are university spin-outs and OION is uniquely positioned to help them. OION holds regular joint presentation meetings, and has strong links with, universities with a reputation for spinning out quality technology companies such as, Warwick, Oxford, Bristol, University College London and Imperial College London.

    OION is managed by Oxford Innovation Ltd (www.oxin.co.uk), the UK’s leading operator of innovation centre premises for start-up companies, and sponsored by HSBC, Grant Thornton, Laytons, Frank B Dehn & Co, NESTA and Business Link.

  2. MTI Partners

    Press enquiries to: MTI Partners — David Ward Tel: 01923 250 244
    Waughton — Robin Hepburn Tel: 020 7796 9999

    MTI provides specialist venture capital to British high technology companies that are at an early stage in their development.

    MTI's strength lies in its appreciation of hi-tech companies coupled with the experience to provide quality business advice. All its executives are well-qualified technologists who have a passion for helping young companies, and their management teams, evolve and grow. They have enjoyed success in commercial business environments at the most senior levels of management before joining MTI.

    MTI's overriding motivation for investment is a company's potential for commercial success, determined by the quality of its technology, potential market, and the calibre of its management.

    MTI has been supporting UK early stage technology since 1983, and is currently actively investing from its fourth, £105m, fund. It typically provides between £500,000 and £5 million, with return on investment sought principally in the form of capital gain over a 3 to 7 year period.