Investment strategy
Parkwalk invests in high growth British companies, seeking to utilise and commercialise some of the >£5bn annual publicly-funded research investment made through our Universities and other R&D intensive institutions.
The University of Cambridge alone has spun-out 15 companies that now have a market capitalisation of over $1bn, of which two are over $10bn.
Parkwalk Funds are risk venture capital funds seeking tax free capital appreciation through the EIS. To help mitigate these risks we believe we have strong selection criteria and investment processes and procedures.
The Opportunities Fund (similarly to Tech Funds I-VII) generally co-invests with other large VCs who have the financial ability to cornerstone future funding rounds where necessary.
Parkwalk UK Tech Funds I & II have both returned, in cash, more to investors than the total cost of their subscriptions into each Fund. Funds III, IV, V and the Opportunities Fund have all also had cash distributions from a successful exit.
The Opportunities EIS Fund and each of our UK Tech Funds I – VII have invested across a spread of technologies and innovation ranging from high-tech through to software, algorithms, chemicals, energy, renewables, materials, med-tech, clean-tech, genomics – the list is extremely varied.
What they all have in common is commerciality and the potential to generate successful returns.
The Opportunities EIS Fund and each of our UK Tech Funds I – VII also have a spread of company maturities from early stage through to AIM-listed, with each Fund having at least one ‘pre-IPO’ or AIM-listed stock.
The University of Cambridge Enterprise Funds, the University of Oxford Innovation Funds and the University of Bristol Enterprise Funds generally make more early-stage investments.
Parkwalk portfolio companies have commercial management teams sourced from relevant industry to commerialise a particular patent, know-how or process.
Generally, the researcher behind the project becomes Chief Scientific Officer or Chief Technology Officer while new management takes the product to market.
Focused Strategy
Parkwalk is focused on investment returns, and brings a professional, institutional investment strategy to the EIS sphere. The Firm brings institutional service levels and standards, including transparency, quality and reliability, to its investors. Parkwalk Funds’ fee structures are designed to genuinely align Parkwalk with investors through performance fees on cash returns to investors. Parkwalk management and employees invest in the same funds as investors, paying the same charges for the same investments.
Experienced Management
The Management have long careers in investment banking, capital markets, corporate finance and fund management. They have worked together for over 18 years, including ten years managing Lazard’s highly successful European Capital Markets operations. The Parkwalk team bring together fund managers, investment bankers, analysts, accountants and venture capitalists.
Unparalleled Access
Parkwalk provides investors access to some of the most financially viable and exciting deal-flow emanating from world-class British R&D intensive institutions. Parkwalk utilises academic, technology transfer, venture capital and personal networks developed over many years, to gain access to the highest calibre deal-flow.
Parkwalk has investments in companies spun-out of twelve Universities, and manages funds in conjunction with the tech-transfer departments of the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and the University of Bristol.
Parkwalk generally co-invests alongside other large investors in this space, including Amadeus, Baillie Gifford, Cambridge Innovation Capital, Touchstone (Imperial) Innovations plc, Invesco Perpetual, IP Group plc, Oxford Sciences Innovation plc and Woodford IM.
Follow-On Funding
By their nature, EIS Funds fully invest in a short period of time, not holding funding back for follow-on financing rounds in investee companies. Parkwalk believes it overcomes this by co-investing with other large institutional investors and by utilising Parkwalk’s network of HNWs, UHNWs, Wealth Managers, Family Offices, Private Equity, Venture Capital and Hedge Funds to provide portfolio companies with larger pools of finance in later stages. Parkwalk has not failed to support a follow-on financing round to date.
Parkwalk can also help portfolio companies raise funding, list their shares on a stock exchange or through an acquisition by working with in-situ advisers and brokers to bring an extra dimension and layer of deep knowledge and experience to assist in transactions.
Parkwalk Search
In response to the talent acquisition requirements of its portfolio, Parkwalk has established an Executive Search team with experience across a number of sectors, with
access to the potent, current and relevant networks generated across the Firm. For more about Parkwalk Search click here.
Integrity and Transparency
Parkwalk is built on an ethos of establishing strong relationships with its investors and investee companies. The Firm maintains these through clarity, integrity and innovation. Parkwalk generally does not, and seeks to avoid, charging portfolio companies fees (completion fees, monitoring fees, director’s fees and so on). Parkwalk’s fees and charges are clearly stated and the Firm is aligned with investors through performance. Parkwalk keeps investors informed of developments in investee companies, positive or negative. Parkwalk publishes the Net Asset Values of its funds on this website, which can be seen
here.
Governance
Governance, Compliance and Risk Management are at the heart of Parkwalk’s operations. Parkwalk offers transparent disclosure to wealth managers and advisers who wish to invest clients in Parkwalk Funds. Please click
here to contact Parkwalk compliance for disclosure and due diligence information.
Share Centre Custody
Parkwalk investors’ cash and securities are held at the custodian, the
Share Centre and their Nominee, Share Nominees. Both the Share Centre and Parkwalk are FCA regulated and covered by the
Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
At the investment level, Parkwalk believes its investment strategy mitigates some of the risks associated with early-stage venture investing. Portfolio companies generally have deeply-embedded intellectual property (IP) and commercial potential. Risk is moderated by investing alongside other large specialists whose intensive investment research augments ours and who can be expected to follow their money in future investment rounds. External, relevant, management is brought in to develop commercial traction. There is more on our investment strategy
here.
Investor Services
Parkwalk believes it offers investors an efficient, professional service. Please call the team on 020 7759 2285 or email by clicking
here for further information on investing with Parkwalk, updates on portfolio companies, EIS certificate queries or any other questions or queries.
Independent Reviews
Parkwalk Funds have been reviewed by both the Tax Efficient Review and the Tax Shelter Report.
Click here to contact the Parkwalk funds team to request further details or call us on 020 7759 2285.
