Publisher nabs best venture pitch

P UBLISHER KELLIE Magnus captured the venture capital pitch award after selling her idea of creating a publishing house with a difference to an elite audience of investors participating in the Jamaica Stock Exchange’s 2014 Investment and Capital Markets conference in Kingston last week.

Magnus said she has bought the rights to some 60 titles which she intends to market regionally and internationally.

She walked away with the sum of $300,000 granted to the deliverer of the most persuasive pitch at the investment conference.

What the publisher really wants, however, is venture capital of US$ 200,000 in exchange for a “negotiable” portion of Jackmandora, the company created to develop a stable of 25 titles.

It was highly possible, she suggested, to duplicate the success of Harry Potter with tales originating in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Her competitors at the venture capital pitch included Anthony Jones of Micro- Check Laboratories, Richard Spence of Instant Save Limited, Tricia Williamson of Wattz Smart, Julian Patrick of iNSIGHT Financial Services and Jennifer Stevenson-Best of Amajen’s Food Processors Limited.

Spence got second prize for his pitch on toilet fixtures, which cut use of water by a minimum 50 per cent. Spence is already in business and is seeking $10 million in capital. He says he is willing to take on a working partner who will get 51 per cent of the company in exchange for US$10,000 of investment.