Mercia sells stake in The Native Antigen Company
Mercia sells stake in biotech EIS portfolio business spun out from the University of Birmingham Specialist asset manager, Mercia Asset Management PLC which has £800.0million of assets under management including more than £50.0million of EIS capital, has sold its stake in The Native Antigen Company , a leading producer of infectious disease reagents, to global life sciences tools company LGC . The sale of The Native Antigen Company is for a total cash consideration of up to £18.0million. The company, which was spun out of the University of Birmingham and backed by Mercia’s EIS funds since 2013, has generated..Read more
NVM Deal
Mercia completed the acquisition of the venture capital trust fund management business of NVM Private Equity LLP.
Jul 2019 New company name announced
As part of the 2019 Preliminary Results the Executive Team announce a change in name to Mercia Asset Management PLC now employing 85 investment professionals and support staff.
Mercia awarded North East Fund
Mercia Fund Managers is awarded the £27.0million Venture Fund to support businesses across the North East region as part of the £120.0million North East Fund.
Sale of Science Warehouse
Mercia’s second largest direct investment holding, Science Warehouse is sold to Advance Business Software and Solutions Limited for a full cash exit of £16.9million. The Group now employs 63 staff.
Mercia awarded Midlands Engine Investment Fund
Mercia Fund Managers is awarded a £23.0million Proof-of-Concept and Early Stage Equity Fund, part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund.
First closing of EV Growth II
First closing of EV Growth II with initial commitments totalling £45.1million.
New partnership secured with the University of Edinburgh
Non-exclusive partnership is secured with the University of Edinburgh; providing access to Edinburgh Innovations and increasing Mercia’s university partnerships to 19.
New contracts awarded
Group wins significant new contracts totalling £108.5millon with British Business Bank, increasing third-party funds under management by nearly 50% to over £336.5million. The Group now employs 54 staff.
£40.0million placing completed
Placing of new Ordinary shares at a price of 46 pence per Ordinary share raising, in aggregate, £40.0million.
Sale of Allinea to ARM
Allinea Software is sold to ARM Limited for £18.1million.
AIM-listing for Concepta
Concepta PLC lists on AIM by way of a reverse takeover.
18 university partnerships
Mercia increases number of university partnerships to 18.
Acquisition of Enterprise Ventures
Mercia acquires Enterprise Ventures Group Limited, creating a go-to provider of early-stage and growth capital in the Midlands, the North of England, and Scotland, operating from six regional offices.
New offices and partnerships
Mercia opens an office in Edinburgh. It also begins Scottish partnerships with the University of Strathclyde and Abertay University, as well as three partnerships across the North of England with the Universities of York, Liverpool, and Liverpool John Moores University, taking its universities to 14 and now employing 20 staff.
Mercia Technologies lists on AIM
Mercia Technologies PLC listed on AIM, raising £70.0million. Mercia Fund Management becomes the wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercia Technologies, providing Mercia with a ‘Complete Capital Solution’ for technology businesses.The Group employs just 7 employees.
Nine university partnerships
Mercia Fund Management increases the number of university partnerships to nine across the Midlands, with £22.0million under management through third-party funds.
Relocation of offices
Mercia Fund Management relocates from Birmingham to Forward House in Henley-in-Arden (West Midlands).
First EIS/SEIS fund raised
Mercia Fund Management raises the first hybrid Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) fund to come onto the market.
Launch of Complete Capital Solution
Forward Group becomes a shareholder in Mercia Fund Management. It launches the full funding model of early-stage investment from third-party funds to follow-on direct investment from the balance sheet (the Complete Capital Solution).
Mercia Fund Management created
Management buyout leads to the creation of the third-party fund manager Mercia Fund Management with 3 employees and £12.0million of AuM
Collaboration with Forward Group
Forward Group establishes a collaboration with WME on the basis of their common interest in supporting and investing in the UK’s leading university spinouts.
Eight university partnerships
Mercia Fund Management expands university partnerships to eight.
Launch of MF1
WME launches Mercia Fund 1 (MF1), a £4.0million evergreen seed fund providing support and capital to spinouts from the Universities of Birmingham and Warwick.
WME established
WM Enterprise Limited (WME) is established in 1982 as a venture capital provider.