Science Angel Syndicate Partnership

26 April 2022

 

Healthier planet, Healthier people: Early-stage investment as a catalyst for positive social and environmental change

Elbow Beach Capital is pleased to announce that Science Angel Syndicate co-founders, Dr Ben Miles and Dr Johnathan Matlock will be joining its Advisory Board with immediate effect as part of a collaboration agreement.

Elbow Beach Capital (“EBC”) and Science Angel Syndicate (“SAS”) have a shared focus on scientific advancement as a catalyst for improving lives and the environment. EBC is an early-stage investor in decarbonisation, sustainable energy, and social impact businesses, while SAS brings together professional investors looking to scientific discoveries not only for financial returns, but as a force for good worldwide.

EBC and SAS have already collaborated to back modular bioenergy start-up, WASE and will announce further co-investments in the coming weeks. The partnership, which pairs EBC’s commercial skillset with SAS’s deep understanding of frontier science, may involve:

• Syndicate Participation: EBC to co-invest in early-stage ventures alongside other members of a syndicate

 

• Deal flow generation: SAS to identify opportunities that require a significant capital injection and share with EBC

 

• Due-Diligence and Advisory: SAS, as part of EBC’s Advisory Board, to provide scientific due diligence on potential investee companies and support in an advisory capacity following investment

 

The collaboration between SAS and EBC will centre on the Science Equity asset class which focuses on industrial technologies and deep science. Science Equity involves businesses which are developing fundamental advances in our scientific understanding across a range of scientific disciplines such as nanotechnology, quantum computing, industrial biotech, robotics, and advanced materials. This asset class works to solve the most significant challenges facing humanity through scientific innovation. The partnership will target pre-seed and seed stage deep science companies who require support in venture building, capital investment and commercialisation strategies.

Science Equity is not part of EBC’s core investment thesis, however EBC recognises the indirect environmental benefits that scientific advancement can enable in the long-term. As very early-stage enterprises, some of the businesses evaluated will not yet have immediate commercial applications with much of their value being drawn from their intellectual property. EBC and SAS are therefore looking for UK-based companies that have unique and defensible IP, operate on the frontiers of science, are developing solutions that could be applied to existing environmental or social issues, have global-scale ambitions and require between £500,000 and £2million of outside capital.

Dr Johnathan Matlock, Co-founder of SAS, commented:

“When we founded SAS, we were looking for like-minded investors who could complement our scientific and venture building expertise with a proven track record of commercial success. We were also looking for partners who aligned strongly with our mission of supporting businesses who can secure the future health of people and our planet. Between Jon, Tom and Nick, EBC have a highly differentiated skillset and commercial offering that we are delighted to support, and we believe this will be beneficial to companies funded through our partnership.”

Jon Pollock, CEO of Elbow Beach Capital, added:

“We are delighted to welcome Johnathan and Ben to our Advisory Board. We were fortunate enough to meet the SAS team when exploring our investment into WASE and their combined knowledge not only of science, but also of early-stage investing was evident from the outset. We look forward to working with Ben and Johnathan on a number of exciting projects and drawing on their significant scientific expertise.”

About Science Angel Syndicate

Science Angel Syndicate was founded in 2021 with a mission to source world-class scientific discoveries, provide unique scientific due diligence and help our members to identify exceptional investment opportunities that tackle the most important global challenges. Our collective knowledge helps our members invest in the most exciting companies of tomorrow, founded by leading scientists at the forefront of their fields.

Learn more about Science Angel Syndicate: www.scienceangelsyndicate.com