Technology venture fund

QinetiQ Group plc 27 June 2007 QinetiQ Group plc 27 June 2007 QinetiQ launches new technology venture fund in partnership with Coller Capital QinetiQ today announces the creation of a new technology venture fund (QinetiQ Ventures LP) to accelerate the development and realisation of seven of its venture investments. The fund has been launched by QinetiQ and Coller Capital, a leading global investor in corporate venture assets. QinetiQ has established the new fund to drive faster growth from its venture portfolio by creating an independent team with exclusive management focus and long term capital commitment. The creation of the fund is expected to enhance value creation for the QinetiQ Group and is a logical step in the commercialisation strategy which QinetiQ set out at IPO. The fund, which will be structured as a Limited Partnership ('LP') managed by an independent Investment Manager, will have initial assets of £40m. QinetiQ and Coller Capital will each contribute up to £20m of follow-on funding to accelerate development of the fund's portfolio companies. Depending on the performance of the fund, QinetiQ will own up to 75 per cent of future economic value. The new fund's portfolio will comprise partial or wholly owned interests in seven venture assets. QinetiQ's core venture businesses - such as QinetiQ Airport Technologies (with its Tarsier runway debris detection systems) and the high-sensitivity GPS business - will remain within QinetiQ's internal venture structure. The creation of the new fund will free QinetiQ's existing venture team, led by Hal Kruth (Chairman, QinetiQ Ventures) and Mike O'Connor (Managing Director, QinetiQ Ventures), to bring greater focus on incubating core businesses and developing QinetiQ's pipeline of new commercial ventures. Stephen Lake will leave QinetiQ to become a managing partner of Cody Gate Ventures LLP, the Investment Manager of the new fund and will be joined in the managing partner role by Michael Summers, a former Vice President of SRI International, based in Menlo Park, California. Collectively Michael and Stephen have more than 55 years' experience in forming, accelerating the development of and realising value from a wide range of early-stage technology ventures. Hal Kruth, Chairman of QinetiQ Ventures said: 'The creation of QinetiQ Ventures LP reflects a continuing focus on enhancing QinetiQ's value creation from cutting edge technologies. It enables us to accelerate value creation within our existing portfolio and provides a long-term model for scaling up our future venturing activities. He added: 'Coller Capital brings to the partnership not only additional capital but a wealth of experience in accelerating value creation from corporate technology venture portfolios. The new fund will allow us to focus QinetiQ's internal resources more effectively on creating a steady pipeline of additional venture opportunities.' Jeremy Coller, Chief Executive Officer of Coller Capital whose corporate venture activity includes British Telecom, Shell and Lucent said: 'QinetiQ is a world leader in cutting-edge defence and security technologies. Through this joint venture, we will help QinetiQ to make more money faster through an enhanced engagement with commercial markets.' The assets to be transferred into QinetiQ Ventures LP at inception (and QinetiQ's interest in these businesses pre-transaction) are: • Aurix Limited - Real-time audio mining (88 per cent subsidiary) • Metalysis Limited - Manufacture of high value metals from low-cost oxides (16 per cent investment) • Omni-ID - Low cost passive RFID technology that works anywhere (100 per cent owned) • QinetiQ Nanomaterials Limited (QNL) - Nanomaterials IP creation, design and manufacturing (100 per cent subsidiary) • Quintel Technology Limited - Next generation antenna systems for mobile networks (50 per cent joint venture) • Stingray Geophysical Limited - 4D sea bed reservoir monitoring systems (19.9 per cent investment) • ZBD Displays Limited - Zero power point of purchase display solutions (31.6 per cent investment) Completion of the transaction is expected by the end of July 2007 and is conditional upon the transfer of certain of the Ventures' assets into the fund. The LP will be accounted for as a joint venture by QinetiQ using the equity method of accounting. Cody Gate Ventures LLP, the Investment Manager of the fund, is in the process of obtaining final FSA Authorisation. QinetiQ is also hosting an investor and analyst site visit at its Malvern site today. The visit will be hosted by Graham Love, Group Chief Executive. For those attending the site visit a presentation about this transaction will be given at 12.45pm as part of the site visit. This presentation will be broadcast via a teleconference facility for analysts and investors not at the event and can be accessed by dialling +44 (0) 20 8322 3196, quoting 'QinetiQ' as the password. The presentation materials will be available on the QinetiQ website www.QinetiQ.com in advance of the teleconference. No other new trading or price sensitive information will be disclosed during the site visit. Notes to Editors: About QinetiQ: QinetiQ (pronounced ki net ik as in 'kinetic energy') is a leading international defence and security technology business that was formed in July 2001 from the UK Government's Defence Evaluation & Research Agency (DERA). QinetiQ has approximately 13,500 employees, who deliver technology-based services and exploit QinetiQ's strengths in technology research by selling systems solutions, products and licences to government and commercial customers in a spectrum of defence, security and related commercial markets. In February 2006, QinetiQ Group plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange (main market) and joined the FTSE250 in June 2006. In the year to 31 March 2007, QinetiQ delivered a 17.4 per cent rise in underlying operating profit before tax to £106.0m on turnover which rose by 9.3 per cent to £1,149.5m. For further information see www.QinetiQ.com About Coller Capital: Coller Capital is the leading global investor in private equity secondaries and corporate venture assets. The firm, founded in 1990, has approximately $8 billion under management. It has positions in more than 200 private equity funds and stakes in over 2,000 private companies worldwide, investing from $1 million to $1 billion plus in individual transactions. Contacts: QinetiQ Investor Relations: Adrian Colman +44 (0)1252 395366; +44 (0)7740 432699 QinetiQ press office: David Bishop, +44 (0) 1252 393500, djbishop@QinetiQ.com, PressOffice@QinetiQ.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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