Jason Ball's TechBytes

I was interviewed yesterday about university spinouts, seed funds and angels for a report focusing on the “Equity Gap” in the UK. Normally, I don’t have much to post about angels, but this tech:gigger post over at alarm:clock caught my eye earlier in the week.

Now, our conversation centered on comparing US angels to UK angels/entrepreneurs recycling their cash and know-how, which we see plenty of through the London Business Angels network – and their involvement in some of our investments has been invaluble. The fact that most UK entrepreneurs may not be worth $100s of millions like in the US doesn’t really matter, they are worth £10s of millions, and they do have the time, skills and money to put to work.

But, just when I thought the UK was catching up with the US, something like the post above comes along and blows me away. I can’t imagine an angel from our network posting an open offer like those… it just shows how those two regions (Bay Area and Seattle) continue to set the pace.

Filed under: Venture Capital

alarm:clock has highlighted two new VC blogs from Nic Brisbourne (Esprit Capital Partners) and Fred Destin (Atlas Venture), both UK based.

One is the loneliest number, so I was delighted when I met Paul Fisher last year, even if he’s on the advisory side, he’s still intimately familiar with this end of the market. Then Max Bleyleben at Kennet joined and now Nic and Fred. I’m glad to see we now have 4 VC bloggers- from Seed up to Growth capital commenting on what’s happening in the UK.

(There are also rumors that one of the guys at Amadeus has a blog in stealth mode…we’ll see when he makes an official appearance.)

I’m always impressed by the prolific blogging of my fellow Americans back in the US. I can get a post out once per week at a push- I simply don’t have the time. Maybe now with a bit of a blogging community I’ll be pressed to get out there and blog more…

Filed under: Venture Capital

alarm:clock has highlighted two new VC blogs from Nic Brisbourne (Esprit Capital Partners) and Fred Destin (Atlas Venture), both UK based.

One is the loneliest number, so I was delighted when I met Paul Fisher last year, even if he’s on the advisory side, he’s still intimately familiar with this end of the market. Then Max Bleyleben at Kennet joined and now Nic and Fred. I’m glad to see we now have 4 VC bloggers- from Seed up to Growth capital commenting on what’s happening in the UK.

(There are also rumors that one of the guys at Amadeus has a blog in stealth mode…we’ll see when he makes an official appearance.)

I’m always impressed by the prolific blogging of my fellow Americans back in the US. I can get a post out once per week at a push- I simply don’t have the time. Maybe now with a bit of a blogging community I’ll be pressed to get out there and blog more…

Filed under: Venture Capital

The Shell Springboard fund is now open for a second round, giving a cash boost to small businesses with a product or service that helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Awards of between £20,000 and £40,000 will be available in early 2007. To be eligible:

• Your product or service must reduce greenhouse gases, be innovative and commercially viable
• You must have been in business for at least three months, as a sole trader or a company employing fewer than 250 people
• You must be based in the UK

Last years winners include:Scotrenewables for its innovative turbine system which extracts energy from tidal currents.

The runner-up was Mantle Panel Ltd in Surrey for its building system based around an innovative insulating material.

The other UK finalists last year were:

• Derbyshire-based NetComposites for LoPlas, a new plastic enabling car manufacturers to build lighter vehicles that give off fewer emissions.
• EA Technical Services in Lancashire for its Clean Heat ultra-efficient heating pump.
• Luton-based Chalmor for its simple heat-saving device for householders.
• Water Innovate in Cranfield for N-Tox®, a new low-cost monitor that detects nitrous oxide emissions in wastewater

The application deadline is 10 November 2006. Go to www.shellspringboard.org to find out more.

Filed under: Venture Capital

The Shell Springboard fund is now open for a second round, giving a cash boost to small businesses with a product or service that helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Awards of between £20,000 and £40,000 will be available in early 2007. To be eligible:

• Your product or service must reduce greenhouse gases, be innovative and commercially viable
• You must have been in business for at least three months, as a sole trader or a company employing fewer than 250 people
• You must be based in the UK

Last years winners include:Scotrenewables for its innovative turbine system which extracts energy from tidal currents.

The runner-up was Mantle Panel Ltd in Surrey for its building system based around an innovative insulating material.

The other UK finalists last year were:

• Derbyshire-based NetComposites for LoPlas, a new plastic enabling car manufacturers to build lighter vehicles that give off fewer emissions.
• EA Technical Services in Lancashire for its Clean Heat ultra-efficient heating pump.
• Luton-based Chalmor for its simple heat-saving device for householders.
• Water Innovate in Cranfield for N-Tox®, a new low-cost monitor that detects nitrous oxide emissions in wastewater

The application deadline is 10 November 2006. Go to www.shellspringboard.org to find out more.

Filed under: Venture Capital

The Shell Springboard fund is now open for a second round, giving a cash boost to small businesses with a product or service that helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Awards of between £20,000 and £40,000 will be available in early 2007. To be eligible:

• Your product or service must reduce greenhouse gases, be innovative and commercially viable
• You must have been in business for at least three months, as a sole trader or a company employing fewer than 250 people
• You must be based in the UK

Last years winners include:Scotrenewables for its innovative turbine system which extracts energy from tidal currents.

The runner-up was Mantle Panel Ltd in Surrey for its building system based around an innovative insulating material.

The other UK finalists last year were:

• Derbyshire-based NetComposites for LoPlas, a new plastic enabling car manufacturers to build lighter vehicles that give off fewer emissions.
• EA Technical Services in Lancashire for its Clean Heat ultra-efficient heating pump.
• Luton-based Chalmor for its simple heat-saving device for householders.
• Water Innovate in Cranfield for N-Tox®, a new low-cost monitor that detects nitrous oxide emissions in wastewater

The application deadline is 10 November 2006. Go to www.shellspringboard.org to find out more.

Filed under: Venture Capital