Oxford Investment Opportunity Network

The following four companies are seeking investment via the Network as a result of the 7 June 2011 OION investment meeting at Venturefest. The descriptions available summarise the investment proposal made by the company. The information is provided by the company and has not been vetted in any way by OION.

If you are interested in receiving further information on any of the companies then please contact us.

Company A has a franchised energy saving solution for businesses that floods a building with online smart meters and then remotely analyses the data using sophisticated server based software. An “Energy Coach” can then remotely make recommendations on how the business can save money through both behavioural changes and through a modular range of upsell solutions. Two international franchise areas have been sold already and marquee customers include IBM, Honda, the World Wildlife Fund, Bradford and Bingley, UK central Government and many schools & universities.

The team is headed by an Oxford based serial entrepreneur who has taken two companies to market, a two times winner of the queens award for export and a board level smart metering consultant to the big six energy companies.

Company A is seeking EIS funding of £400k for working capital and to expand the franchise network. A trade sale to one of the larger technology or energy companies will be sought in 2016 and an EIS friendly liquidity event beforehand if appropriate.

Company B created a prototype social alarm which renders obsolete the “red button” neck pendant speaker-box alarms. A £250,000 order is in place. The patented “intelligent-wearable” has speech, falls temperature and video functionality for the frail and elderly. “Red buttons” stigmatise the wearer – they take them off when visiting or receiving guests or simply because they knock against things. The “speaker box” only works inside; no efficient automatic fall, temperature or mobile call/GPS functions are available and no person-to person Tele-Care Plan is offered. Alternatively Company B will provide all these from what appears to be a decorative brooch linked to UK, US and EU call centres.

This low risk 75% margin business is a conduit to the physiology-monitoring telehealthcare industry where Company B's technology can provide a wireless alternative to Ultrasound, ECG, Respitrace and lab-based blood analysis using micro-accelerometer, laser and photoplethysmographic techniques - referred to by NHS Innovations as “..truly innovative .. enabling better care; assists disease management, case management; is likely to be useful in hospital admission controls; [and] exemplifies a range of uses that are pro-adoption”.

Hence investment in Company B's product is also a safe and structured route to profit from their innovations for wireless telehealthcare applications.

Bridgestone Tyres estimate tyre under-inflation across the EU wastes 2 billion litres of fuel a year, adding 4.8 million tons of CO2 emissions.

As a Shell Springboard National finalist and a The Carbon Trust “fast track Company”; Company C has developed an innovative road-mounted instrument housing sensors, electronics and communication software. The system can determine tyre pressure, load distribution, vehicle weight and vehicle speed without any equipment on the vehicle.

Company C aims to install 5000 devices in depots across the EU. To speed adoption and overcome customer objections to capital expenditure and technology risk Company C will retain ownership and customers will pay a monthly fee, generating annuity revenues over the five-year life of the devices.

Company C own all of the intellectual property, including the core sensor technology, firmware and analytical methodology. The first patent was filed in 2004 and granted in 2009, a further application was made in 2009.

A demonstration system is operational at their test facility and is being shown to global multinationals. Field trials will follow with major operators during 2011. Potential forecourt applications are being explored with a global fuel company under an exclusivity agreement.

Founded in 2002, Company D is an innovative and commercial life science company specialising in the development of prescription pharmaceuticals, OTC products and functional ingredients (cosmetics, nutraceuticals), derived from plants. It is seeking to raise £1m of acceleration capital to commercialise its portfolio.

Company D’s portfolio has the following attributes:
- Good balance of products with short, medium and long term revenue potential
- Starting to generate revenues
- Low development risk
- Significant upside
- Addressing large, high-value markets
- IP protected

The portfolio consists of:
- Five functional ingredients with short-term potential including four fully developed products with marketing underway for moderation of glucose levels, fatique, liver health and skin lightening;
- Five OTC candidates with medium-term potential that have entered the MHRA’s regulatory process with registration dossiers under development for arthritis, colds & flu, sleep and pain relief; and
- Two pharmaceutical candidates with long-term potential, Product 1 in Phase 2 clinical development for post-operative ileus (temporary paralysis of the intestine following abdominal surgery), addressing a $1 billion+ global market with few treatment options; and Product 2 a topical treatment for MRSA and Acne in advanced preclinical development.
Validation of the efficacy and the commercial upside of the product pipeline is confirmed by Company D’s collaboration agreements and its negotiations with a number of global healthcare, food and personal care companies.

Company E is a Thame-based startup focused on making TV better by connecting audiences to each other and TV makers with audiences. They create great ways for audiences to interact with their favourite shows, and their app that connects you with others in the audience of a TV show.

Customers include ITV, talkbackThames digital (part of the Fremantle Media group), Sky, ESPN and Liverpool FC TV.

By engaging audiences with TV shows Company E adds value to TV show producers by providing a more engaged audience with the show, together Company E and TV companies can increase revenue for TV shows with sponsorship and sales directly to engaged viewers.

The Company is now seeking to leverage its technical skill and market knowledge by entering the much larger companion animal MRI market. Detailed market research has revealed a clear opportunity and the company is developing an MRI product to fill this requirement. It requires additional finance to support the development and early commercialisation of its companion animal MRI scanner with a view to an exit in 3 years.

The Company ‘s operations are expected to be strongly cash generative over the next 3 year period and its is expected that an exit via a trade sale will realise valuations considerably higher than current levels.

Company G makes it possible for retailers to visualise their supply-chain, from finished product to primary production, using a secure, online subscription service allowing batch-level product information to be shared easily. This visibility enables our customers to make considerable cost savings and measure their sustainability performance.

Company G is raising £750,000 to scale up engineering and operations to support the first of many global contracts just won with major clients including M&S (worth several £m/year in recurring subscriptions), Speedo and the Forestry Stewardship Council.