Investor Profiles

To participate in our investment offering you need to be a qualified investor. This means you qualify as either a high net worth investor, a sophisticated investor, or a restricted investor. Below we explain what the criteria is to qualify for each classification.

Certified as a ‘high net worth investor’ 

Throughout the financial year immediately preceding the date of this request, I have had an annual income to the value of at least £100,000 

OR I have held net assets to the value of £250,000 or more (exclusions in determining values apply). 

Certified as a ‘sophisticated investor’ 

• I have a written certificate signed within the last 36 months by a firm confirming I have been assessed as sufficiently knowledgeable to understand the risks associated with engaging in investment activity in non-readily realisable securities. 

Self-certified as a ‘sophisticated investor’ 

One of the following applies to me:

• I am a member of a network or syndicate of business angels and have been so for at least the last six months,
• I have made more than one investment in an unlisted company in the past two years, 
• or have worked in the past two years in a professional capacity in the private equity sector, or in the provision of finance for small and medium enterprises, 
• or I am currently, or have been in the past two years a director of a company with an annual turnover of at least £1 million. 

Certified as a ‘restricted investor’

• I declare that I qualify as a restricted investor because in the past twelve months I have not invested more than 10% of my net assets in non-readily realisable securities and I undertake that in the twelve months following the date of this request, I will not invest more than 10% of my net assets in non-readily realisable securities (exclusions in determining net asset values apply).

Certification

Providing you answer yes to any one of the statements listed above you are eligible to participate.

Regulation explained

The FCA believes some investments are better suited to more experienced investors or investors with deeper pockets. These types of investments are structured specifically for ‘high net worth’ and/or ‘sophisticated investors’.

Our offering involves investing in an unlisted security. This means that you cannot sell your shares until:

• the company lists on a stock exchange,
• or gets bought out by another company,
• or the directors or someone else offers to buy the shares from you.

Because this investment is not readily realisable, the regulators only want investors to participate who understand that this is a long term investment that involves risk to capital.

If you would like to know more about ‘high net worth’ and sophisticated investor profiles you can click on the enclosed link.

One of the biggest advantages of these types of investments is they tend to qualify for significant tax breaks. This is one of the reasons that many high net worth and sophisticated investors actively seek out investments that qualify for Seed EIS or the Enterprise Investment Scheme.