QUBIS Innovation Fund

The objective of the QUBIS Innovation Fund is to invest in a portfolio of early stage high-growth companies from Queen’s University and other UK based universities on the North by North West (“NxNW”) ICURe programme, funded by the UK innovation agency Innovate UK. Queen’s University, as the lead partner, facilitates the ICURe programme to be a customer discovery pathway for identifying the most commercially promising opportunities, and to assist them through the Spin-Out stage.

The Fund will aim to invest in a portfolio of early stage start-up companies in order to provide a portfolio of SEIS and/or EIS qualifying companies to Investors. The QUBIS Innovation Fund will seek to fuel the commercialisation of University Spin-Out companies from QUBIS and NxNW ecosystems. These early-stage companies from leading UK universities often address problems at the heart of society. Such companies will often have a national and international economic impact. The result will be a professionally managed source of funding to exponentiate the growth of maturing projects within the QUBIS ecosystem.

The pipeline of opportunities will predominantly come from the Queen’s University ecosystem. The Fund’s pipeline will also consider Spin-Outs from partner universities participating in the North by North West (NxNW) ICURe programme. The programme includes Ulster University, University of Edinburgh, University of Liverpool, University of Sheffield, University of Manchester & University of Leeds. Exceptional companies from other leading UK universities can enter the ICURe programme and will therefore be eligible for inclusion in the Fund. The Fund also reserves the right to consider outstanding alumni and student ventures as potential Investee Companies.

The preferred route for commercialisation is to enrol promising concepts onto two commercial development programmes, the Lean Launchpad and the Innovate UK NxNW ICURe programme. These programmes are used as customer discovery pathways to establish the commercial viability of intellectual property by exploring whether there is a genuine market opportunity that a Spin-Out company can target. The Fund will consider promising companies from these programmes that exhibit market potential.

The Fund will not be bound to a specific sector but, will rather focus on the potential disruptive impacts of commercialised research. Historically, QUBIS has a track record of commercialising research from data analytics, cybersecurity and life & medical sciences however the current QUBIS portfolio includes successful Spin-Outs from various sectors.

To invest, you must be an eligible investor. To be an eligible investor, you must be qualifying as one or more of the following:

• You meet the FCA’s definition of a professional investor.
• You meet the FCA’s definition of a certified high net worth investor.
• You meet the FCA’s definition of a self-certified sophisticated investor.
• You meet the FCA’s definition of a self-certified restricted investor.
• You are a client of an FCA authorised firm that will provide advice on the suitability of the product in question.

Risk Warning

Important information for private investors – Reliance on the information provided here to engage in any investment activity may expose an individual to a significant risk of losing all of the property or other assets invested. Your attention is drawn to the risk section contained within the Information Memorandum. Investments are typically in unquoted shares in small companies, the value of which can be volatile and are often difficult to sell. Nothing on this website constitutes investment, tax, financial, legal, regulatory, or other advice by Sapphire Capital Partners LLP.

The value of an investment may go down as well as up, and you may not get back the full amount invested, and you may therefore lose some or all of your investment.

If you are unsure of the suitability of any investment for your circumstances, please contact your independent financial advisor or other professional advisor authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) who specialises in advising on investments of this type. Tax reliefs depend on individual circumstances. There is no guarantee however that the tax reliefs (such as EIS reliefs, CGT reliefs or IHT relief) will be available on any investment made or that if it is initially available, it will not be subsequently withdrawn. Any references to tax laws or rates are based on current legislation, all of which are subject to change and are provided as a guide only. Prospective investors are advised to take their own investment and taxation advice and should consult their own professional advisors on the implications of investing.

Investments made in investee companies via funds managed by Sapphire Capital Partners LLP are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). For more details, please contact us or refer to their website: https://www.fscs.org.uk

Past performance is not a guide to future returns.