Mercia named as top European venture capital investor

Julian Viggars

Mercia Asset Management has been named as one of Europe’s top seven venture capital investors in terms of the number of domestic deals it has funded in recent years.

During the period from 2018 to the end of the first quarter this year, Mercia made 251 VC investments and completed 41 exits, according to new research by the financial data company PitchBook.

Mercia, which is based in Henley-in-Arden, was ranked in seventh place in the list. It was one of only three UK investors to make the European top ten – with the others being SFC Capital of Norwich and London-based Seedcamp – but was the only UK investor able to provide a wide range of funding through to Series A and beyond.

The figures cover VC investments in domestic deals. According to PitchBook, foreign VCs have been “very active” in Europe but as the downturn his hit, their activity has slowed, leaving a bigger gap for domestic investors to plug.

Julian Viggars, chief investment officer at Mercia, says: “Mercia focuses exclusively on the UK, in particular the regions outside London. Our success is not only due to the quality of our portfolio, but also the ongoing support we provide.

“Through our ‘Complete Connected Capital’ model, we offer different pools of funding to take a business from inception through to scale up and profitability, as well as practical help such as leadership training and access to a talent pool of non-executive directors.

“As our businesses grow, they go on to create jobs within their communities. Mercia’s experience proves that the UK regions can deliver world-class companies, as well as boosting local economies and delivering strong returns for investors.”

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close