SHOWCASING INNOVATIVE NEW ZEALAND COMPANIES THAT ARE SEEKING TO FUND THEIR NEXT STAGE OF GROWTH.
The Investment Showcase is a partnership between NZTE and the Angel Association NZ and will be held on the opening night of the 2016 Angel Summit.
Guests include Angel Summit delegates, local and international investors and other key stakeholders in the NZ investment community.
It can often be a struggle for New Zealand start-ups to find the right partners and raise finance that can turn a business idea into a reality. However, a unique gateway has now opened for Kiwi businesses to access angel investment, manufacturing and distribution opportunities in China.
New Zealand based company FunderTech.com has forged a relationship with a Chinese investor club with offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Chengdu. The relationship provides the opportunity for 5-8 businesses a month from around the world to pitch in front of a selected group of 500-800 Chinese Angel Investors. Kiwi start-ups also get the opportunity to meet visiting venture capitalists who present at the summit each month.
This week’s Enterprise Angels meeting saw funding pitches from three companies, including Bay of Plenty-based Balex Marine.
Balex is looking to close out its third funding round of $900,000 and has already raised $415,000 in a rights issue from shareholders in its latest round.
Enterprise Angels (EA) is also about to begin beta testing its new online funding platform, AngelEquity, which will allow any qualified investor in New Zealand to take part in an angel investment deal either originated by or syndicated through the early stage BOP funding group, said executive director Bill Murphy. EA has members from Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo and the Waikato.
Balex Marine has been developing its production and distribution channels for its Automatic Boat Loader (ABL), which allows for remote controlled launch and retrieval of trailer-boats. The ABL is now being used in the NZ market, with 21 marine dealers, four trailer manufacturers and three boat manufacturers on board.
The company has also lined up a distribution deal with Forge UK for Europe and the Middle East, and is developing its Australian network.
To date, in addition to seed and early stage capital from founders and friends of the company, Balex has completed a first round of $600,000, a second round of $1.2 million, and is now almost halfway through its third round of $900,000, with $415,000 raised in a rights issue from existing investors, including Enterprise Angels members.
“The company is looking to raise funds from new shareholders, including EA members that are new to the deal,” said Mr Murphy.
Paul Symes, Balex’s chief executive and a major shareholder, said it was possible the company could complete the latest round through EA members.
“We’re continuing to work closely with Enterprise Angels,” he said.
“However, we are also going to be casting our net a little wider and will be working with other potential investors, including crowdfunding options such as AngelEquity when it goes live.”
Balex will be taking part in the Sydney International Boat Show where it will share a display with Sydney-based Watersports Marine, which is a key dealer for Dunbier Trailers, Australia’s biggest boat trailer company. Balex is currently in discussions with Dunbier on Australian distribution.
This week’s EA meeting also saw funding pitches from Agersens, a fenceless farming agri-tech startup developing a virtual shepherd, and Synthase Biotech developing a proprietary technology known to neutralise lipid peroxides, which could extend the life of bull semen used in artificial insemination.
Mr Murphy said Enterprise Angels had been busy this year with eight follow-on investments and a number of new deals under way.
In the following interview with David Chen, conducted at the Asian Business Angels Forum and AANZ Summit 2015, he talks about Angel opportunities in China.
You can meet a quality network of investors and experts in early-stage company growth, acquisition and exits in person by registering your place at the 9th Annual NZ Angel Summit 2016.
The following interview with David Chen, co-founder of AngelVest in China, was conducted at the Asian Business Angels Forum and AANZ Summit 2015.
David Chen talks about what are the key element for successful cross-boarder deals.
You can meet a quality network of investors and experts in early-stage company growth, acquisition and exits in person by registering your place at the 9th Annual NZ Angel Summit 2016.
We interviewed Eric Wikramanayake, chaiman of the Lankan Angel Network, at the Asian Business Angels Forum and AANZ Summit 2015.
In this video Eric tells us what he thinks of New Zealand entrepreneurs and angels.
You can meet a quality network of investors and experts in early-stage company growth, acquisition and exits in person by registering your place at the 9th Annual NZ Angel Summit 2016.
