100 Building a venture firm, assessing founders and science-based investing with Mark Beaumont of Eos Advisory

Eos Advisory are rapidly building a solid reputation in science-based venture capital investing. In this episode, Partner Mark Beaumont discusses their roots, philosophy and how that translates into practice, with lots of real-life examples.

In an in-depth discussion, Mark talks about:

• how the Eos investment philosophy developed
• the strengths of the Scottish venture capital eco-system
• what makes good founders and how he assesses that
• getting alignment between managers/investors and founders
• determining whether there is a big enough market
• how to give a company an international outlook as early as possible
• the mistakes founders make
• changing management mindsets as a company progresses

Mark's background gives him a very different perspective, both individually and as part of a team that brings very diverse experiences. His insights into the people side in particular are tremendous. There is much for any founder or investor to learn here.

01:00 Mark introduces himself

04:50 where Eos is now

07:20 how their investment philosophy developed

10:30 lack of competition for deals in Scotland

11:50 Scottish eco-system - current strengths

16:20 what they are looking for in founders

20:30 separating people from company

24:20 alignment between founders, investors and managers

27:40 how do you determine a market

32:15 internationalising - when and how

36:15 how to line up international investors

38:40 what mistakes founders make

41:00 challenges of funding

44:50 changing mindsets in companies as they progress

49:25 favourite questions

Links

Eos Advisory website - https://eos-advisory.com/

Subscribe to the EIS Navigator podcast on most services here: https://the-eis-navigator.captivate.fm/listen

Suggested books and media

Coffee First, then the World by Jenny Graham

Bio

Mark Beaumont,

Partner, Eos Advisory

Mark Beaumont became a Partner at Eos Advisory in 2019 and has helped lead the business through a period of significant growth, investing in predominantly Scottish science and technology companies addressing key global issues in healthcare and environmental health. Mark Beaumont spent the first chapter his career building teams around sporting success and is publicly known as an athlete and BBC broadcaster. He still holds the 18,000-mile circumnavigation cycling record in a time of 78 days. Mark’s degree education was in Economics & Politics, and for a decade and a half worked with a leading UK mid-market private equity firm. Mark is Patron for Entrepreneurial Scotland, Honorary President for Scottish Student Sport, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and was honoured in the Queens New Year’s honours for services to sport and charity.