Don’t miss out on being part of ‘The Next Big Thing’

More than 150 angel investors who wanted to make sure they were in prime position to be part of ‘the next big thing’ gathered in London on Thursday 10 May to meet six exciting businesses looking for early-stage investment.

Organised by Envestors LLP and held at Coutts in Strand, London, this bi-monthly event - ‘The Next Big Thing’ - sees six companies seeking finance experience the real Dragons’ Den.

Since it was launched in August 2004, Envestors has been successfully bringing together exciting early-stage investment opportunities with members of its Private Investor Club looking to invest up to £2m. In the last 18 months, Envestors has assisted 30 companies raise total funding of £10.6m.

“We currently have around 320 members in our Private Investor Club - all of whom enjoy a range of benefits, including exclusive access to some of the best business opportunities around,” says Envestors partner Oliver Woolley. “We engage formally with our client companies and ensure that they are fully ‘investment ready’ before marketing them to our investors and funding contacts.”

Envestors is supported by a number of sponsors, including Coutts & Co, the International Private Banking arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland with over 100,000 clients worldwide.

“We recognise that many already proven and successful entrepreneurs are interested in investing in start-up and early stage businesses,” says Perry Littleboy, head of marketing and business development at Coutts. “Some choose to share their wealth of knowledge and experience by acting as board members, while others enjoy the thrill of reliving the ‘start-up; experience. That’s why Coutts is delighted to be sponsoring this event.”

Being part of the Envestors’ Private Investor Club gives members the opportunity to see the very best business opportunities.

“We review up to 100 proposals a month at Envestors, from which we select the three or four we believe to be the most exciting investment opportunities,” says Oliver Woolley. “We then invite six companies along to ‘The Next Big Thing’, where they make a strictly timed eight-minute presentation.  Investors appreciate the fact that presentations are kept short - as it avoids the risk of entrepreneurs droning on for hours. To add a bit of drama, we use our ‘Time Lime’ to count off the eight minutes. Our unique lime-timer slices away at a segment per minute before the company is hauled off - kicking and screaming on some occasions…”

Following the presentations, there are drinks and canapés and a further opportunity for companies to display their wares and for investors to find out more about the opportunities available that night.

Since August 2004, Envestors has viewed over 2,000 business plans and it continues to receive between 60 and 100 proposals a month.

The six companies which Envestors introduced to investors on 10 May were:

1.Art of Accessorising Ltd. Based in Buckinghamshire and looking for £150,000 of funding, Art of Accessorising draws together a stunning ensemble of high quality, distinctive and unique fashion accessories from around the world, which are sold to female consumers via highly trained independent consultants in a in-home setting.

2.ConnectFilms. This London-based company is creating a single platform for video sharing, music, news, views, releases, downloading and community activities with a Bollywood and Hollywood theme, aimed at the Indian, Indian sub-continent and related community markets. The company, which has two websites in its portfolio, including Desitara.com, an online talent competition, is looking for funding of £150,000.

3.Escapism Media. This exciting company has created an at-the-table food and drink ordering and entertainment system for the retail hospitality sector. Escapism Media has developed a unique, award-winning, wholly-owned software platform which utilises interactive touchscreen technology to provide an attractive and easy to use ordering system - the ‘Escape Pod’. Escapism Media is looking for funding of £1.5m, of which £500,000 has been circled.

4.Enigma Glass Ltd. This Birmingham-based company has established a market for glass tiles as a cost effective alternative to ceramic tiles for use in residential and commercial buildings. Enigma, which is looking for funding of £500,000, has leapt from supplying 150 outlets UK-wide to over 1400 outlets, with export sales in the Benelux, Spain, Portugal and Eire. It has several potential developments in the pipeline – including a glass electrical plate.

5.Lifestyle Space. London-based Lifestyle Space has developed a personalised space capsule, branded Oculas, which is an ultra luxurious one person pod, offering the user a private and personalised space of their own to work, relax or play. To date, the company has sold £400,000 for its first version and has recently re-engineered a second version in partnership with McLaren F1. Lifestyle Space is looking for £500,000 of funding.

6.Terra Plana. Founded by two members of the Clarks family in 2001, Terra Plana is one of the most exciting and fastest growing shoe designers and retailers in the business. The company already has offices and shops in London, New York, Vienna and China and is looking for £1m of additional funding.

“All the companies that presented at the event captured the attention of our investors in some way and many of the businesses are now organising further meetings with investors who are keen to know a little bit more,” says Oliver Woolley. “As usual, it was an exciting event – and we are very grateful to Coutts for hosting the evening in their stunning Garden Court.  We are looking forward to watching the six companies grow further with, hopefully, some addition funds under their belt. And, of course, we wish all our investors well with any future investments they make.”

For further information please contact:

Jo Thorne, Regional PR Manager, Coutts & Co. Tel: 020 7957 2650, mob: 07766070859, or email: joanna.thorne@coutts.com

 Notes to Editors

·Coutts is the international private banking arm of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is one of the world's largest banking groups.

·Coutts manages the wealth of 96,000 high net worth clients worldwide through a network of over 40 offices globally.

·The first Coutts regional office to be opened was Eton in 1961. Today, Coutts has regional offices in Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Eton, Guildford, Hampshire, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford and Tunbridge Wells.

·Coutts offers clients a range of products and services covering sophisticated investment products together with expertise in trust and fiduciary services and UK tax and banking services.

·Coutts & Co is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Coutts & Co Registered in England No 36695Registered Office 440 Strand London WC2R 0QS.

·Calls may be recorded.

www.coutts.com