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SPACs (special-purpose acquisition companies) give start-ups an alternative to listing publicly. They are essentially public investment vehicles with a mandate to buy large stakes in start-ups. Instead of listing on a public exchange, start-ups can be bought by a SPAC – securing a large capital raise as well as allowing early shareholders to cash in. […]

After an improbable comeback in the second half of the year, the US IPO market delivered the decade’s biggest year in terms of exit value. Richly valued tech offerings pushed the value of all 120 VC backed IPOs in 2020 to a combined valuation of nearly $260 billion. These mega- IPOs have refashioned the relationship […]

The primary trends set to shape the emerging tech VC market in 2021. Agtech – expect field robotics to receive a record level of VC investment in 2021 The pandemic has exacerbated labour shortages in the agricultural industry leading to rising long-term food demand on a global scale. Field robotics and smart field equipment could […]

Venture capital focuses on funding small, early-stage and innovative firms that are deemed to have high growth potential. It is often considered a catalyst for job creation and economic growth. Investment focus in 2021 will be on new highly innovative start-ups and companies that have benefited from the disruption caused by the pandemic with follow-on […]

With Airbnb set to IPO next week with a price range of between $44 and $50 per share, the company could raise as much as $2.5 billion with a target valuation of $32 billion. If the company can achieve the top end of its targeted valuation, it will once again underline the extent to which […]

The crisis has forced us to work in accordance with new procedures using new technologies. Business processes, such as alternative investment capital, were redesigned in an unplanned revolutionary manner and at unprecedented speed. A positive effect of the pandemic has been the rocketing digital adoption with levels that previously took several years to achieve being […]

Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger of Berkshire Hathaway fame are widely heralded as the greatest investors of all time.  Their tried and tested investment strategy is centred on buying securities in typically well-established, non-tech companies identified through their investment model as under-priced.  Whilst Berkshire Hathaway has its own number crunching fundamental analysis to identify investment […]

Since the liquidity crisis in March, as the S&P has rallied to all- time highs this summer there has also been a strong correlation between the index and the price of Bitcoin. In our latest blog, we ask whether this statistical relationship suggests the fate of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency has become tied to the […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all parts of the global economy. Venture Capital (VC) across Europe has remained surprisingly resilient with investment on target to exceed previous records set in 2019.  Below we look at the figures for the first six months of 2020 and what can be expected for the second half of the […]

The last week of August saw seven high profile US tech unicorns announce upcoming Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) with a combined valuation in the region of $44 billion.  Add into the mix Airbnb filing for its long-awaited public offering and these look like very exciting times for the US IPO market.  However, not all is […]

Smaller companies will tend to be more vulnerable to the pandemic and its economic turbulence.  Most have little or no financial reserves and sell a limited range of products.  However, well-funded smaller companies have a major advantage over larger firms as they can change direction much quicker and this flexibility could prove vital as they […]

Previous downturns show that the investments made post downturn and in to the early stage of recovery can benefit from lower prices, less competition and a macroeconomic tailwind.  As a result these investments will normally significantly outperform those made at higher prices pre downturn. Right now, the balance of power is favouring investors and this […]