Paul has worked in the semiconductor industry for over 25 years including two years as Director of Engineering for Pace Networks where he led a multidisciplinary, 70 strong, product development team creating a broadcast quality video & data mini-headend. Before this, he worked for Jennic Ltd as VP Operations, successfully building the team from scratch as the company transitioned to a fabless model. Prior to this, he was responsible for the engineering team and before that he led a team for Fujitsu Microelectronics supporting ASIC customers in Europe and Israel.
Asen Asenov (FIEEE, FRSE) is a founder and CEO of Gold Standard Simulations (GSS) Ltd. GSS is the leader in physical simulation of statistical variability, statistical compact model extraction and generation technology and statistical circuit simulation. The GSS customers include three of the largest foundries, two of the most influential IDMs, a fabless company and three design IP startups. As a James Watt Professor in Electrical Engineering and Leader of the 30 members strong, Glasgow Device Modelling Group, Asenov directs the development of 2D and 3D quantum mechanical, Monte Carlo and classical device simulators and their application in the design of advanced and novel CMOS devices. Asenov has more than 620 publications and more than 170 invited talks in the above areas.
Mark is a commercial board level Finance Director with considerable experience working in a financial and commercial environment with particular focus on scaling SME’s to a trade sale. He has held a variety of senior financial positions at Samsung, APW Inc, Invensys Plc, NXP and Jennic and lately as CFO for technology startups Secure Thingz, Faradion and Additive Manufacturing Technologies. Mark is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and has a Bsc. (Hons) in Finance and Accounting.
Capital-E is an early stage venture fund focused exclusively on micro-electronics as well as new materials related ventures in Europe. Through its entrenched relationship with IMEC, the largest independent research centre in micro- and nano-electronics in Europe, Capital-E and its ventures can directly rely on the support of over 2000 scientists and engineers, as well as leverage on IMEC’s 500+ worldwide partners to cost effectively promote adoption of highly innovative products.
The fund is managed by an independent team with expertise in electronics and materials and a balanced mix of entrepreneurial, industrial and VC experience.
www.capital-e.com
The Seedcorn Fund aims to back early stage technology-based ventures which have the potential to become “beacon companies” for the region. The fund fills a gap in the local finance market for ventures that are often seen as too risky for mainstream providers or which require more hands-on support from a specialist investor. Clients will be companies that are based on new and innovative technology with ideas that have strong potential and once in the market, are capable of rapid growth and returns of many multiples of their original investment. The fund can provide investment over the lifetime of those companies that show the most commercial potential. It also provides specialist support to those growing businesses in return for a share of the eventual returns.
www.finance-yorkshire.com
Mercia is a national investment group focused on the creation, funding and scaling of innovative businesses with high growth potential from the UK regions. Mercia benefits from 18 university partnerships and six offices across the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland, providing it with access to high quality, regional deal flow. Mercia is quoted on AIM with the epic “MERC”.
Mercia’s “complete capital solution” investment model initially nurtures businesses via its third party funds under management (expanded to circa £220 million following its acquisition of Enterprise Ventures Group) and then over time Mercia can provide further funding to its emerging stars thanks to its ability to deploy direct investment follow-on capital from its own balance sheet.
www.merciatechnologies.com