Technology investment fund roadshow to be held in Stirling

The first investment fund of its kind is to be showcased next week in Stirling.

Stirling Council will join ESM Investments at an event on 23 Friday at the Codebase offices in the city.

The collaborative £25 million ESM Capital Growth Enterprise Investment Scheme Fund is being set up to support “innovative growth and scale-up technology orientated companies” across Stirling, Scotland and the north of England.

Theten-yearfundisexpected to launch later this year with a five-year “investment period” in a series of businesses followed by a five-year “maturity period” where the values of the stakes, at that point, will be realised and delivered to investors.

The initial target of £25m is sought from a mix of private and public-sector investors, and will include investment from the ESM Investments syndicate, led by founder and chief executive Steven Morris.

The fund will subsequently look to make investments of between £500,000 and £2m in a series of “strongly managed dynamic technology enterprises” that may be struggling to access capital for further development.

Morris said: “It is clear that many viable, dynamic enterprises with innovative products and services, strong business plans and capable management teams, struggle to access the investment that will allow them to develop their businesses.” 0 Steven Morris is founder and CEO of ESM Investments