Oxford Investment Opportunity Network

The following five companies are seeking investment via the Network as a result of the 24 February 2009 OION investment meeting at The Said Business School in Oxford. 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 is developing the next generation of cervical cancer diagnostics to provide results at the point-of-care. Clinical data on 500 women has demonstrated superior performance over existing diagnostic procedures and a multi-centre clinical trial in 2009 is expected to underwrite the effectiveness of Company A’s products.

Highlights:
• Currently both cytology (smears) and colposcopy are highly subjective and inaccurate. Company A’s products are objective, painless and provide results in real-time.
• Products under development:
o APX 100; is positioned for colposcopy as a tool to help gynaecologists better direct biopsies. This is a market worth $300m today (13m women go for a colposcopy each year). One in three biopsies are negative. Product launch in 2010.
o APX 200; targeting the point-of-care market ($1.7bn in Western World with 110m women screened with a potential 450m worldwide). Product launch in 2013.
• The products employ electrical impedance which delivers objective results on the state of the tissue.
• Attractive health economic outcomes.
• Whilst vaccines will reduce the incidence of cervical cancer they will not eradicate it and therefore screening will still be required.
• Platform technology can be applied to other opportunities e.g. oral cancer.

The Company was the first to develop the concept of Product X - i.e. the simultaneous provision, from a single, broadband connection to a set top box, IPTV, on-demand content, Internet browser and telephony. The system comprises a set top box together with a convenient to use standard TV handset and mini keyboard. The product is connected to a voice enabled ADSL router, which plugs directly into an ADSL telephone socket and provides one or more output sockets for the Broadband and telephony.

The core of the system is the personalisation engine making Product X unique in the market. It simply provides advertising and content direct to each individual live profile on the system.

The technology is fully developed and needs simply a re-design of the GUI (graphical user interface) to a commercial standard in order to deliver content to a signed up operator complete with content to go to over 2,000 homes in the Leicester area as an initial start.

The Company is looking to raise £500K in two tranches. With the first £250K to be utilised in finalising the product to launch status and the second £250K tranche to expand sales.

Company C has developed an evolutionary step in telecare monitoring, providing a breakthrough service for those needing care while maintaining their independence. Our stylish wristwatch solution combines mobile communications, location tracking and fall detection, providing cover both inside and outside the home at very affordable service levels.

Our initial target market will be the rapidly expanding population of older people across Europe, but key patent protected communication and user interface features offer considerable scope for further mass market opportunities, including children and lone workers, as well as asset tracking and remote monitoring applications.

We have put together a core team comprising some of the best talent from the Finnish mobile telecoms and wristop computer sectors. Seed funding from the founders and government grants has enabled the development of a breadboard prototype. This funding round will enable commercialization of the prototype. Funding will be significantly amplified by government match funding and further grants.

Company C will change telecare in the same way that mobile phones changed personal communications and the iPod changed the desirability and ease of use of wearable consumer electronics.

Company D aims to become a world leading Carbon fibre composite tooling company. Its technology reduces customers' mould tool costs by up to 90% and time to market by up to 40%. Company D's products are patent protected and capable of being sold at high margins which lead management to anticipate significant growth to £2.1m PBIT over the next four years providing shareholders with a highly attractive return on investment.

£1.1m funding has been raised to date for research, development, patent, market education, trials, manufacture and generate sales. The company is currently raising a further £750k round to capitalise on its existing pipeline, achieve type approval with customers, strengthen its team and prepare for a series A round in 2010. This EIS compliant round will also be used to create a larger NPT pin bed and formulate its own customised resin to reduce turn around time and product cost. It is envisaged that the company's exit will be via a trade sale.

Infectious diseases are expensive and difficult to diagnose, and can only be detected by complex laboratory tests that take many days to complete. To overcome this problem, the company has developed a unique point-of-care diagnostic system for rapid (under 20 minutes), inexpensive and accurate diagnosis. The patient sample is loaded directly into a disposable plastic card which is inserted into a small reader instrument, making the system ideal for community health clinics and GP surgeries. The company will sell reader instruments, and have recurrent sales of disposable cards.

The first product will be for the sexually-transmitted disease Chlamydia, and will be followed by tests for other STDs, healthcare associated infections and specific high value veterinary tests. The global market is in excess of £3 billion, and the company’s intellectual property is protected by granted patents and applications in Europe, the USA and Japan.

All members of the experienced management team, and directors, have worked previously in commercial healthcare and medical diagnostics businesses. The company was formed in September 2005 as a spin-out from the University of Bath. It has raised £3 million to date and is now raising £900,000, of which approximately £600,000 is already committed, to commence transfer to manufacture.