FSE & Critchleys Announce Cooperation for Angel Activity

Finance South East (FSE) is pleased to announce that it will be holding regular investment events with Critchleys Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers, in the Oxford area.

Critchleys have a track record of helping early stage businesses secure funding and advising Angels on investing and obtaining EIS relief. They established a strong Angel Network in the Oxfordshire area in 2010 and are looking to expand the range of opportunities available to their network. The cooperation between FSE and Critchleys has therefore resulted in a programmeof Investor forums which will be held every six weeks at Critchleys Officesand will showcase between four and six investment ready companies, as vetted and proposed by FSE.

Sally Goodsell, Chief Executive at FSE said:

“Member feedback indicates a demand for an Oxford based venue and with thanks to Critchleys support, we are now able to provide investors more access to FSE’s high quality, vetted portfolio in synergy with our investor network group.”

Justin Ray, Director of Corporate Finance at Critchleys added:

“We are finding that, in the current financial climate, businesses are turning more to alternative funding sources, with angel finance being key to many funding strategies. Similarly, we set up our angel network in response to individual services clients seeking new ways to invest their funds.  Keen to bring something fresh to our network, we approached FSE, whose expertise in the area of preparing companies for this type of investment is well established.”

FSE was introduced to Critchleys at an event to raise awareness of angel investing within the finance professional community, which it held with the South East division of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW).  Fay Webster, ICAEW South East Regional Manager commented:

“We are delighted that our introduction has led to this joint activity between two companies we know well – it is great to see that we can help to establish new relationships that can bear fruit in the financial sector right now, and we look forward to continuing to work with FSE to spread the word about angel investing amongst our members.”

The FSE Investor Network was established in 2004 to enable private investment into quality high growth companies. A member of the British Business Angels Association, the FSE Investor Network includes, in addition to its generalist network operating from Camberley, the following investor clubs: Eastern Capital Alliance (ECA), Kent Investor Club, Suffolk Investor Club, and Incito Ventures.

For further information on the networks and upcoming events please go to the Finance South East website.

Notes to editors

About Finance South East

Finance South East (FSE) is an independent fund management organisation which provides growth finance to ambitious young businesses.

The organisation has a strong track record of achieving significant results through relatively small investments. An economic impact study in 2009 found the companies that FSE invested in grew almost five times fasterthan the national average.

FSE has a unique business model. Whilst its funds are managed on a commercial basis to meet investor requirements FSE is a not-for-profit entity that does not distribute surpluses. With offices in Camberley and Ipswich, the organisation works across the South East of England and surrounding areas. The team has won many awards for its innovative approach to funding SMEs.

For further details about Finance South East contact Donna Cooper on +44 (0) 1276 608513, email donna.cooper@financesoutheast.comor visit www.financesoutheast.com