LBA investment helps Crowd Vision to close substantial funding round
London-based crowd analytics software specialist, Crowd Vision (http://www.crowdvision.co.uk/), has closed a substantial funding round with participation from a syndicate of London Business Angels Investors and the Angel Cofund which will enable the business to expand international sales activities and execute product development plans.
The company offers a highly innovative software product that extracts crowd insights from video feeds in busy locations, enabling customers to understand and intervene in their crowds. The software has already been deployed at scale in Mecca where it helps to keep millions of pilgrims safe as they attend the Hajj. Beyond crowd safety it can provide accurate crowd counts, improve pedestrian flows and help businesses optimise their operations based on live and accurate crowding data.
Fiona Strens, Crowd Vision CEO, comments, “Crowding is a global phenomenon of our time. Whether struggling through commuter crowds or soaking up a festival atmosphere, we all experience crowding in everyday life. Crowd Vision provides unique, actionable data on crowd numbers, patterns and dynamics helping our customers turn a challenge into a business opportunity. Crowd Vision is committed to enabling our customers to deliver Safer Crowds and Smarter Cities across the globe. We were delighted that funding offers exceeded our target, as this investment provides us with the means to execute aggressively to address increasing demand.”
Anthony Clarke, London Business Angels Managing Director, comments, “when Crowd Vision presented to the LBA network on 17 May 2012 they had received pledges for 50% of the round and an independent value-added lead angel investor had been identified. LBA investors were able to support the lead and expressed such interest in the round that they had to be scaled back. This is a very good example of how a company with a clear and well organised funding strategy can effectively close a round. This is also the second time this year that the Angel CoFund has coinvested with London Business Angels investors.”
London Business Angels
Anthony Clarke, Managing Director
Tel: +44 (0)20 7321 5672
E-mail: enquiries@lbangels.co.uk
Web: www.lbangels.co.uk
About London Business Angels
LBA is one of the most experienced private angel networks in the UK. Since the early 1980s the network has been connecting innovating fast growth small and medium sized enterprises with investment through our network of business angel investors. LBA, part of Angel Capital Group, is professionally managed by a highly experienced management team, leveraging over 15 years’ experience in the early stage investment marketplace as established leaders in the development of new angel-led early stage investment initiatives, and nearly 30 years’ investing experience through the LBA network. LBA is a founding member of the British Business Angels Association, the industry's best practice trade association, and is also a member of EBAN, the European Business Angels Network.
About the LBA EIS/SEIS Approved RoundTable Syndicate Funds
The LBA EIS Approved RoundTable Syndicate Fund is the culmination of 30 years’ experience of pioneering innovation in the UK Angel investment market. This FSA regulated HMRC Approved EIS Fund offers LBA Investors an innovative way to acquire a portfolio of investments, while taking advantage of the personal tax relief offered by the Enterprise Investment Scheme. The First £300k LBA EIS RoundTable Fund 2010 was fully invested in January 2011, making four investments in leading edge technologies during the previous year, spread across a range of sectors: Eykona (medtech); Syrinix (cleantech); ipadio (mobile); The Electrospinning Company (nanotech).
Following the successful 2010 Fund, the LBA EIS Approved RoundTable Syndicate Fund 2011-12 closed for subscriptions on 13 May 2011, being 40% larger at £420k. The fund invested in 5 leading edge technologies spread across a range of sectors: Camstent (medtech), Momentum Bioscience (medtech), Phase Vision (high value manufacturing), Michelson Diagnostics (medtech), Isotera (cleantech)
The LBA EIS Roundtable Syndicate Fund 2012, closed for subsciprtions on 5th April 2012, being the largest raised to date at £455k. The fund will seek to invest in 5-6 early stage companies in the forthcoming year.
The LBA SEIS Roundtable Syndicate Fund 2012, closed for subscriptions on 19th October 2012 and will seek to co-invest across 4-5 SEIS eligible deals alongside LBA investors
