Member Directory

Sapphire Capital Partners LLP (“Sapphire”) is a multi-award winning firm based in London and Belfast which specialises in SEIS and EIS funds. Sapphire currently manages over twenty SEIS and EIS funds across a wide variety of sectors. The partnership, founded in 2009, is authorised by the FCA (FRN: 565716) to act as an investment manager. Sapphire is also a Home Office approved endorsing body to provide start-up and innovator visa endorsements.

Sapphire’s services are delivered by an experienced team that provide quality services in a cost-efficient way. The individuals behind Sapphire have a considerable breadth of knowledge in the financial sector.

Sedicii enables confidential data collaborations between organisations without any data being shared. It is a collaborative data processing protocol that uses advanced cryptography (based on secure multiparty computation and zero knowledge proofs) to enable financial institutions and businesses securely share insights they have, about clients or transactions, without disclosing any underlying data or information outside their organisation. The protocols can be used for collaborative AML & KYC compliance activities in financial and insurance services while remaining fully compliant with GDPR and other similar legislation governing privacy. Additionally, Sedicii has developed an advanced customer onboarding platform to enable the verification of personal identity data and corporate information used in a digital onboarding process. The platform has almost 10,000 identity document templates and can verify company information directly with companies registers in over 130 companies globally.

The one-stop Governance Platform specifically designed for scale-up and early stage firms, to help them grow their businesses. Investors get a concise dashboard of governance and compliance status, deal room and key metrics of their portfolio.

Seneca Partners is an FCA regulated investment management and corporate advisory services business, dealing with UK based companies in the turnover range of up to £100m per annum. Seneca was formed in 2010 by a senior group of accountants, bankers, stockbrokers and investment management specialists to provide services for high net worth individuals, entrepreneurs, companies, charities and trusts.

In early 2014 we acquired Miton Capital Partners, (now Seneca Investment Managers), a traditional, risk rated, upper quartile fund management business. In the same period we also acquired Manchester based corporate finance boutique and fellow EISA member, Acceleris, who have specialised in the provision of growth capital and earlier stage company funding since 2000.

Seneca currently has assets under management in excess of £0.5bn. Investment management activities are provided in a range of asset classes including private equity, secured income, property bridging finance, turnaround & special situations and growth capital in a mix of senior debt, mezzanine finance and equity. We are fund manager to the Seneca EIS Portfolio Service which invests in profitable, growing UK companies. We are also investment adviser to an IHT Portfolio Service via Seneca Secured Lending Ltd, a BPR qualifying company whose trading activity is the provision of short and medium term secured loans.

SFC Capital (formerly Startup Funding Club) is a leading early-stage investment firm providing capital and support to British startups. By combining its Angel Network and Seed Funds, SFC has created a unique model that allows investors to get exposure to SEIS- and EIS-qualifying businesses, either directly or through a diversified portfolio curated and managed by SFC’s expert team. SFC is backed by an impeccable track record and recognised by Pitchbook as the UK’s most active VC, and has received a £10m allocation from Business Investments as part of the Regional Angels Programme.

Shakespeare Martineau is a full-service UK law firm with global reach. The firm has a strong private equity and corporate finance practice. We act as solicitors to numerous EIS funds (and companies in receipt of EIS investments) with a particular expertise in EIS fund launches and transaction structuring for EIS investments. Shakespeare Martineau has been voted Best EIS Legal Adviser on several occasions by the EISA. The firm has also been a leader in the VCT market since the mid-90s and is one of the largest providers of legal advice and assistance to the sector. What sets Shakespeare Martineau apart is our uncompromising commitment to know our clients, their business and the regulatory and commercial environment in which they operate and to cultivating long-term relationships with our clients; rather than being a faceless firm that just provides legal advice. Our reputation as a firm that cares and that can be trusted is based on these qualities. Our clients and competitors describe us as having an “approachable, informative and clear style”, being “extremely diligent” and providing “very good, concise (and economical) advice with a good level of commercial thinking”.

Tom is a partner in the tax department at Shoosmiths LLP and heads up the firm’s enterprise investment scheme and venture capital trusts practice. Tom is a Solicitor and Chartered Tax Adviser with extensive experience advising a wide range of investors and investee companies on structuring and implementing tax efficient investments, reorganisations and exits in compliance with the EIS and VCT regimes. Shoosmiths LLP is a major UK law firm with 10 offices across the UK.

SIS Ventures is an impact investment firm based in Edinburgh. Authorised by FCA and following best impact practice, as Scotland’s first signatories to the Operating Principles for Impact Management.  The fund ensures impact considerations are integrated throughout the investment lifecycle and align commercial growth and impact potential.

It invests in innovative purpose-led businesses that are focussed on social and environmental impact across United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  Sector agnostic but typically the portfolio invests in IP-rich companies across life sciences, climate tech, circular economy and agri-biotech.

Investment opportunities are eligible for tax reliefs under the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) or Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS).