NiCap vows to improve finance landscape for high-growth smaller businesses

Investor Forum will provide access to global investor network

Some of the most experienced operators in the access to finance ecosystem in Northern Ireland have united to help connect innovative businesses to a network of global investors.

NiCap is a collaboration of organisations and individuals committed to improving the access to finance landscape for smaller high-growth businesses.

It was established in May 2021 by British Business Bank senior manager for NI Susan Nightingale, Tech Nation Investment Lead Gary Davidson and former director of funding at Catalyst, Alan Watts.

With a mission to map the funding and support pathway for ambitious NI founders to scale, NiCap has begun work on its three main initiatives.

The NiCap Investor Forum, a forum of highly experienced investment individuals that, following an initial assessment, will provide NI companies that require access to external funding, with introductions to a network of UK, US and global investors.

The NiCap Accelerator Network is a network designed to improve collaboration between NI’s business accelerators - the organisations who provide mentoring, investment and training to start-up and early-stage businesses.

The final core workstream will see the development of the NiCap Interactive Roadmap which will aim to provide guidance to scale-ups to source suitable funding and support.

The Investor Forum and Accelerator Network both launch this month and will operate on a pilot basis through to the end of April 2022.

NiCap Chair, Susan Nightingale, said: “We have many organisations and individuals across NI working tirelessly to improve access to finance for our smaller business population. Forming NiCap and developing these initiatives is a positive intervention that harnesses the membership’s collective resources and multiplies our effectiveness through true collaboration.

“With such an impressive list of organisations and individuals involved, there is a great opportunity to make a real difference to those high growth businesses that require access to global investment and bespoke support.”

Alan Watts believes the Investor Forum has the power to improve the connectivity between investors and the founders of innovative high-growth businesses in NI.

Alan explained: “NI is home to a number of innovative start-up businesses who have real potential to compete on the global stage, and while we have a healthy and evolving equity landscape here in NI, when it comes to larger investment rounds there can be a reliance on external investors.

“The NiCap Investor Forum will provide an excellent opportunity for smaller businesses to get support from a very experienced group of individuals completely free-of-charge as well as offering invaluable introductions to a network of UK, US and global investors, who, we know, are keen to invest in high-growth companies from NI.”

Hoping to see an increase in the number of investment deals between NI companies and global investors Gary Davidson, continued: “We want announcements like Cloudsmith’s recent $15m Series A funding round led by Tiger Global to become the norm here in NI. Working with the stellar companies we have here, the Forum has the potential to make this happen. If you think you fit the bill then don’t hesitate to apply, if we can help you, we will.”

Commenting on the associated launch of the NiCap Accelerator Network, Gary, added “Whilst it’s the accelerators that will participate in this programme, the improved collaboration and communication that it will deliver is for the ultimate benefit of NI SMEs. The Annual Founders Meet Up will be a core part of the accelerator network initiative and will offer founders from across all participating accelerators the opportunity to come together, network and share best practise with others outside of their own programmes which, we believe, will add to the overall development of their businesses.”

Members of NiCap include: Alan Watts (ex-Director of Funding, Catalyst), Gary Davidson (Investment Lead, Tech Nation), Gillian McColgan (ex CTO HilCo IP Merchant Bank / Angel investor), Kieran Dalton (Head of Scaling, Catalyst), Richard Reaney (Lending & Investments Portfolio Manager, Innovate UK), Mary McKenna (Global Deal Maker, DIT / co-founder Awaken Hub / Angel investor), Michael Black (experienced CFO), Michael

McQuillan (CEO Enterprise NI), Susan Nightingale (Senior Manager NI, British Business Bank), Wayne Horwood (Director, HNH) and William McCulla (Director of Corporate Finance, Invest Northern Ireland).

For more information on NiCap and if you are interested in receiving support from the NiCap Investors Forum simply visit the website, www.nicap.co.uk, fill out the application form and a member of the team will get in touch with you.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you