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Oxford Capital wins ‘Investor of the Year award’

Oxford Capital has been named Investor of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Investor Awards.  This category celebrates investors who have made a significant impact in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Investor entrepreneurs are the financial strategists who blend their business acumen with investment savvy. Driven …

The Times Reports – Moneybox doubles its valuation as early backers are cleared to sell

The digital savings and investments platform reveals a £70 million share sale to two new institutional investors The Times By Patrick Hosking, Financial Editor 24 October 2024 Summary: Over 26,000 Moneybox investors will soon have the chance to sell part of their stakes as the …

Oxford Capital’s recent 17x exit is great, but the power and importance of the Enterprise Investment Scheme cannot be understated. 

In October 2024, Oxford Capital, and a number of other investors conducted a partial sale of their Moneybox holdings. For Oxford Capital this represented up to a 17x return on our investor’s original Moneybox shares. However, I want to focus on the wider picture. Rather …

Celebrating 30 Years of the Enterprise Investment Scheme driving UK innovation and growth

Introduction  This September marked the 30th anniversary of the launch of the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS). Over 350 entrepreneurs, investors, and advisers celebrated the occasion, honouring the EIS’ overwhelming influence on the UK’s entrepreneurial landscape.  The EIS has been an essential pillar in transforming entrepreneurship …

The boom in the Oxford cluster

With our base at the heart of Oxford, between the Engineering Department and the new Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, we are privileged to operate in one of the great knowledge clusters of the world. The University of Oxford has been ranked the #1 research …

Why Oxford Capital Invested in HealthKey 

In our recent #backingfounders interview, David Jørring, co-founder of HealthKey, shares insights into the innovative digital health company that aims to simplify and enhance access to healthcare.   HealthKey is described as a “digital front door” focused on preventive and proactive health, specifically designed for employers …

Oxford Capital Nominated for Best EIS Investment Manager at EISA Awards 2024 

We are pleased to announce that Oxford Capital has been nominated for the prestigious Best EIS Investment Manager award at the upcoming EISA Awards 2024. This nomination is a testament to our dedication to providing exceptional investment opportunities and our commitment to excellence in the …

Strategies for Generating Liquidity in Today’s Venture Capital Market

The liquidity challenge…  In private markets, liquidity is the ultimate test and the main mechanism for returning capital to investors. According to Bain & Company, there are $3.2 trillion worth of unsold assets that are blocking returns of capital to investors due to a lack …

Oxford Capital Invests in Noggin HQ to Revolutionise Credit Access for Young People 

Press Release  Oxford Capital Invests in Noggin HQ to Revolutionise Credit Access for Young People  London, UK – Oxford Capital is excited to announce its recent investment in Noggin HQ, the pioneering fintech startup dedicated to transforming the credit system.   Founded by Eva Atkinson …

Illustration of an Oak tree in Oxford

Hometree’s Expansion to Revolutionise UK Home Energy

James Stothard At Oxford Capital, we are proud to back UK start-ups that can make an impact on their sector and the environment.  Today, we are proud to spotlight a significant milestone achieved by Hometree, a cornerstone of our portfolio, which exemplifies our commitment to …

Oxford in 4 seasons

Success isn’t seasonal, five reasons why investors should redefine their investment timelines

Mark Bower-Easton The 2023-24 tax year is over, and a new tax year has begun. For many, tax efficient investments such as EIS will not be a focus again until January to March 2025. However, success isn’t seasonal. Here are five reasons why investors should …

The UK is the home of VC in Europe

David Mott For 25 years, we have been backing founders in the UK. We are proud of this record. Over 100 companies grown, thousands of jobs created, £millions of exports generated and £billions of value created for shareholders.   We are often asked about our geographic …

AI – a paradigm shift for start-ups, and investors

David Mott Every decade or so, a new profound technology changes the landscape for start-ups and investors. AI offers new opportunities.  The capital cost of creating start-ups was transformed with the introduction of cloud computing technologies by Google and Amazon Web Services. When we founded …

EIS Income Tax Relief

EIS Income Tax Relief: What does it entail?

Embarking on an investment journey can be both thrilling and complex, especially when delving into the intricacies of the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS). Beyond the technical jargon lies a valuable opportunity for investors to not only support early-stage UK companies but also benefit from substantial …

Managing your energy not your time is key to startup success

It’s 4pm on a Friday, and you’re racing against the clock to complete a crucial report for the board of directors. In the high-pressure world of startups, where long nights are the norm and time always seems in short supply, the traditional wisdom of time …

10 lessons we learned from co-investing in over 100 start-ups

Our long experience of investing points to the fact that Venture Capital is a team sport and building a VC syndicate is like assembling a sports team. You need members to have complimentary skills, talent and chemistry to become champions. A key feature of our …

Scan.com announces multiple partnerships

Scan.com has announced a series of partnerships to ensure more people can access the diagnostic imaging they need. They have partnered with the AA to provide accessible diagnostic imaging to their 7000 UK employees. In addition they have announced partnerships with YuLife, the tech-driven insurance …

eisa impact award best eis funds

EISA Awards shortlist

We were delighted to be shortlisted for several Enterprise Investment Scheme Association awards – the EISA Impact Award for our work with Oxford BioTherapeutics, a clinical stage oncology company focused on helping more people successfully beat cancer. Congratulations also to Scan.com – shortlisted for Best …

red sift logo

Red Sift expands into Spain with new engineering centre

Red Sift has unveiled a new engineering centre in Barcelona, Spain marketing a new milestone in their commitment to global expansion, innovation and diversification. “Today’s investment and expansion into Spain further enables Red Sift to deliver stronger products across our platform, while providing our customers …

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Wrisk announces funding round and new partnership

Wrisk, the B2B2C insurtech provider has announced that Flow Capital, has closed an investment into the business. Flow’s investment will help Wrisk accelerate its commercial activities, continue its growth in the UK and European markets, and expand globally. In addition, Wrisk has partnered with Mobilize …

Bower Collective raises over £800k in crowdfunding round

Congratulations to portfolio company Bower Collective for raising over £800k in its crowdfunding round – the sustainable home and personal care business will use the funds to accelerate its growth into retail and support its mission to eliminate plastic waste We originally backed founders Nick …

Scan.com raises $12m Series A to increase access to life-saving imaging diagnostics

London, 17/04/2023, 00:01am: London and Atlanta-based diagnostic imaging platform Scan.com has raised a $12 million Series A round co-led by Aviva Ventures, YZR Capital, Oxford Capital, Triple Point Ventures and Simplyhealth Ventures, with participation from Forefront Venture Partners. The business will use the funding to …

Hometree closes $46m equity raise and acquires green home improvement financing platform

London, 12 April, 2023  Hometree Group, the residential energy services challenger brand, has closed a $46m oversubscribed Series B funding round, led by specialist energy & sustainability investors 2150 & Energy Impact Partners, alongside financial services giant Legal & General Capital.  Hometree has seen over …

Why Removing the Pension Lifetime Allowance Isn’t All it is Cracked Up to Be

Sarah Wakefield, Business Development Manager, Oxford Capital   The pension lifetime allowance was a cap placed on the amount held within a client’s pension and for those who reached and breached this limit the financial penalties were substantial. Prior to the budget there had been speculation …

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Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.

What are the key risks?

  1. You could lose all the money you invest
    1. If the business you invest in fails, you are likely to lose 100% of the money you invested. Most start-up businesses fail.
  2. You are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong
    1. Protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), in relation to claims against failed regulated firms, does not cover poor investment performance. Try the FSCS investment protection checker here.
    2. Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA-regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here.
  3. You won’t get your money back quickly
    1. Even if the business you invest in is successful, it may take several years to get your money back. You are unlikely to be able to sell your investment early.
    2. The most likely way to get your money back is if the business is bought by another business or lists its shares on an exchange such as the London Stock Exchange. These events are not common.
    3. If you are investing in a start-up business, you should not expect to get your money back through dividends. Start-up businesses rarely pay these.
  4. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
    1. Putting all your money into a single business or type of investment for example, is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.
    2. A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments. https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart/5-questions-ask-you-invest
  5. The value of your investment can be reduced
    1. The percentage of the business that you own will decrease if the business issues more shares. This could mean that the value of your investment reduces, depending on how much the business grows. Most start-up businesses issue multiple rounds of shares.
    2. These new shares could have additional rights that your shares don’t have, such as the right to receive a fixed dividend, which could further reduce your chances of getting a return on your investment.

 

If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA’s website here.