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Oxford Capital appoints Stephen Hampson as Investment Director

Stephen Hampson 3 cropped cooler

Oxford Capital appoints Stephen Hampson as Investment Director

 – Hampson has over 20 years of experience in building technology companies as both a CEO and investor
– Created more than 30 deep-tech companies as founder and CEO of Powerhouse
– Joins the investment team to manage the ventures strategy – focusing on early stage UK technology companies

Oxford Capital, the alternative investment manager has appointed Stephen Hampson to join the team as Investment Director. Stephen will focus on deal origination and new investments in addition to portfolio development and management focusing on the venture capital portfolio. The portfolio focuses on investing in early stage UK technology companies in sectors which the UK is considered a world leader such as fintech, AI and machine learning and digital health

Stephen has over 20 years of experience in building technology companies as both a CEO and investor with experience in a wide range of industries, technologies, and geographies; including Europe, Australasia and the Middle East.

Stephen has been involved in the creation of more than 30 deep-tech companies as founder and CEO of Powerhouse, an investment company that developed, incubated, and funded spinout companies from universities. Investing at seed stage and supporting founders through scale-up and growth, Powerhouse investments came from a wide range of technology sectors, including digital, robotics, green technologies and life sciences. Stephen led Powerhouse through to a first-of-its-kind listing on the Australian stock exchange.

After gaining a PhD in machine learning and robotics from the University of Canterbury, Stephen continued with postdoctoral research in modern control theory at the University of Bath. He has a close relationship with Bayes Business School in London, investigating how business models can optimise growth while dealing with complexity and uncertainty. He is a member of the International Chartered Governance Institute.

David Mott, Founding Partner, Oxford Capital commented: “We’re thrilled to have Stephen on board, his experience and expertise is invaluable in supporting the growth of our companies from seed stage and throughout their growth cycles. At Oxford Capital we’re passionate about backing founders to deliver meaningful impact in their fields and Stephen brings a huge amount of experience in supporting entrepreneurs throughout their journeys.”

Stephen Hampson, Investment Director, Oxford Capital commented: “I’m delighted to have joined Oxford Capital, the team have backed a portfolio of high calibre companies, from seed stage with a number emerging as strong performers. There is so much to be excited about within the UK start-up tech sector and the pace of change is accelerating rapidly, especially within Oxford, where the university has once again topped the world rankings. I’m looking forward to backing more founders and their teams in companies which have the potential to grow rapidly and deliver real change for the environment, society, health and wellbeing.”

Oxford Capital is passionate about working with founders to back them during their journey and has supported over 50 high growth companies. The investment team uses the depth and breadth of their experience to create situations where the chances of success are increased. Its networks and knowledge help founders shape strategy, recruit key staff and connect the business with potential suppliers, customers and partners.

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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.