The EIS Navigator 127 How to invest venture capital into manufacturing effectively with Stephane Mery and Hannah Wade of Everquest Capital Partners
Deep maketech is not well known to investors, but is the theme that Everquest Capital Partners focus on. In this episode, Partners Stephane Mery and Hannah Wade discuss this blend of technology and manufacturing and its attractions to investors.
Amongst other topics, we talk about:
- what deep maketech is
- what's needed to make restoring of manufacturing work
- the current schemes around to support this
- working with university spinouts
- how to help companies optimise manufacturing processes
- the challenge of building robust supply chains in the current environment
- managing capital intensity in businesses
- bringing the right partners on board
- how AI is being used
Stephane and Hannah brings great insights with lots of real life examples from their investments. Enjoy!
01:00 Stephane and Hannah introduce themselves
02:25 introduction to Everquest and CPI
04:15 What is deep maketech?
06:00 How reshoring manufacturing can work
08:45 What is Catapult Network and why it matters
10:40 Challenges of getting good management teams spin outs
12:30 How working with companies can give good diligence
14:45 How to select areas of focus for investment
15:45 Example of how to optimise processes
20:30 Challenges of building robust supply chains
22:30 Managing capital intensity in manufacturing
25:40 Finding the right partners
26:40 How this can generate partial exits
28:00 Role of AI in manufacturing
32:30 What areas are still hot?
39:10 Favourite questions
Links
Everquest Capital Partners website: https://www.everquestcapital.com/
Subscribe to the EIS Navigator podcast on most services here: https://the-eis-navigator.captivate.fm/listen
Suggested books and media
The Medici Effect by Frans Hohansson
Welcome to the War Economy by David Baverez
Bio
Dr Stephane Mery
Stephane has over 20 years’ experience in private equity and entrepreneurship.
He was CEO of BBSF an early-stage fund behind the success of Spirogen (sold to Astra Zeneca for $400m) and Endomagnetics (sold for $310m to Hologic). He was also partner at Beringea leading investments in Life Sciences and Renewables including Biovex (sold for $1bn to Amgen).
Stephane turned around and successfully exited a company manufacturing and selling laboratory monitoring equipment.
Stephane is a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine, a Veterinary Pathologist and holds an MBA from INSEAD.
Hannah Wade
Hannah is a Partner and has over 20 years experience.
She is also Managing Director at CPI Enterprises and established CPI’s investor engagement and ventures arm in 2019. Under her leadership, CPI has built a strong portfolio of investments.
Through her long engagement at CPI, she has developed a strong network within the innovation sector. She leverages this network to cultivate a strong pipeline of investment opportunities for investors, attract strategic partners and connect portfolio companies into the infrastructure and research organisation ecosystem for technical, business and funding support. She is also passionate about promoting female entrepreneurship and is a member of the Lifted Project’s North East board.
A qualified lawyer, Hannah has a law degree from Leeds University and was a solicitor in private practice for nearly 10 years before joining CPI as in house legal counsel.
Disclaimer
Please note this podcast/interview does not constitute a financial promotion and is provided for informational purposes and should not be construed as an invitation or offer to buy or sell any investments. Please be aware that investments into unquoted companies are high risk, long term and illiquid investments. Your capital is at risk. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Target returns are not guaranteed and forward looking statements are illustrative only and must not be relied upon. Investors should only invest on the basis of reading the full offer documentation.