DATE
Thursday
29 October 2026
Time
14.30 arrival
15.00 – 16.30
Venue
Mansion House
Walbrook, EC4N 8BH
Places
100 available
VCT investments are high-risk and place your capital at risk.
Please click here to understand the key risk factors
The tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.
Professionals only
The page is for Professional Intermediaries, as defined by the FCA, and should not be relied upon by Retail Clients
Retail Clients can view Mercia’s investment opportunities available for them here.
Why attend
The briefing falls the day after the Budget, at the start of a planning season shaped by changes to the pension and tax landscape from April.
Hear directly from Mercia’s investment team, meet some of the businesses we are backing and discover more about the current Northern VCT and Mercia EIS opportunities.
- The Budget, read the next day
What it means for advisers and for tax-efficient planning, while it is still fresh. - Pensions and tax from April
The changing environment and where it leaves clients who have exhausted conventional allowances. - The UK early-stage environment
Where valuations, funding conditions and the opportunities are heading. - The companies themselves
Management teams from the portfolio are in the room, so you can see what the capital actually backs.
The afternoon
-
14.30
Arrival and registration
Portfolio company exhibition open. Meet the management teams before the formal session. -
15.00
The Budget: what advisers need to know
Delivered the day before, read while it still matters. -
The changing pension and tax environment from April
And what it may mean for tax-efficient investment planning. -
The UK early-stage investment environment
Where valuations, funding conditions and opportunities are heading. -
Investment perspective from Mercia
Market and portfolio commentary from the investment team. -
Mercia’s current opportunities
The Northern VCT and Mercia EIS offers, set in the context of everything above. -
15.45 – 16.30
IFA networking
Close at 16.30.
Meet the companies
A range of management teams from recent Mercia investments will be at Mansion House for the afternoon including:
Flok Health
Health & Life Sciences · Cambridge
A digital healthcare provider specialising in AI-enabled physiotherapy services. The Northern VCTs invested £3.0million in April 2026 to accelerate scaling and expand its clinical and geographical scope.
£3.0m · April 2026
Astral Systems
Deep Tech
Astral Neutronics has developed compact fusion reactors for medical and industrial use. The Northern VCTs invested £6.6million in March 2026, the largest new investment of the year, to scale its nuclear fusion technology.
£6.6m · March 2026
Ben
AI / HR Tech
Ben is an AI-powered employee benefits platform helping global enterprises manage benefits across more than 140 countries. Mercia Ventures led a £20.8million funding round in September 2026 to accelerate product development and support the company’s continued international growth.
£20.8m · September 2026
givestar
Software & AI
TapTap Giving trades as givestar, a digital fundraising platform enabling charities and fundraisers to collect donations through mobile and contactless technology. The Northern VCTs invested £2.5million in August 2026, with a further £4.5 million to follow subject to FCA clearance.
£2.5m · August 2026
What the capital has returned
Four recent realisations from the Northern VCTs' portfolio, covered in the investment commentary. The full realisation record since December 2019 is in the adviser pack.
7.2x
The Beauty Tech Group
First backed as CurrentBody in 2018, rolled into Project Glow in 2021 and listed on the London Stock Exchange in October 2025. The Northern VCTs sold 30% of their holding for £7.1million, with a further £7.9million realised to 31 August 2026.
6.9x
Idox
A combined £0.8million invested by Northern Venture Trust and Northern 3 VCT in May 2007 in software underpinning planning, building control, environmental health and licensing. Exited in January and March 2026 for £5.3million.
5.8x
Pure Pet Food
£1.5million invested in March 2019 with £3.0million of follow-on capital. The Cleckheaton business now employs over 100 people and has grown sales by more than 200% in two years. Around 15% of the holding was sold to Felix Capital in June 2026 for £4.0million.
1.7x
Send Technology
£3.0million invested in October 2022 with £3.1million of follow-on funding in 2024 and 2025, in an underwriting workbench for insurers and managing agents. Realised in July 2026 for an initial £10.3 million, rising to 2.0x with £1.7 million of expected deferred proceeds.
Mercia's current opportunities
Two routes into the same investment engine, covered at the end of the session once the wider context is set.
VENTURE CAPITAL TRUST
The Northern VCTs
Offers for subscription in the 2026/27 tax year, seeking £30 million across Northern Venture Trust, Northern 2 VCT and Northern 3 VCT. Open since 30 September, with a first allotment deadline of 23 November.
- Target raise £30million
- Minimum investment £6,000
- Upfront income tax relief 20%
ENTERPRISE INVESTMENT SCHEME
Mercia EIS
Single-company exposure to the same regional sourcing network and investment team, for clients whose planning calls for EIS treatment rather than a listed trust.
- Offer terms evergreen with periodic closes
- Minimum investment £25,000
- Upfront income tax relief 30%
The adviser pack
The full document pack for the 2026/27 Northern VCT offer. Mercia EIS documentation will be available at Mansion House.
To download any of the offer documents click on the buttons below:
To view the key information documents click on the buttons below:
Getting there
Address
Mansion House
Walbrook
London
EC4N 8BH
Please note:
There is no visitor parking at Mansion House.
Nearest stations
- Bank – 3 min walk. Central, Northern, Waterloo & City, DLR
- Mansion House – 4 min walk. Circle, District
- Cannon Street – 5 min walk. Circle, District, National Rail
- Monument – 6 min walk. Circle, District
- Liverpool Street – 12 min walk. Elizabeth line, Central, Circle, National Rail
Register to attend
Thursday 29 October 2026, 14.30 arrival for a 15.00 start, finishing at 16.30. Mansion House, Walbrook, London EC4N 8BH.