Episode 1 Enterprise Capital Fund Launches to Support UK Tech Entrepreneurs

LONDON, October 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Entrepreneur and Ex VP of Amazon Europe Turns Venture Investor with a Government Supported Fund of £37.5 million to Help UK Start Up Companies Compete Globally

Episode 1 launches today to support technology entrepreneurs compete on the international stage.  The £37.5 million fund combines public and private money with support from some of the UK's most experienced entrepreneurs including Alex Chesterman, Founder & CEO of Zoopla Property Group, Tom Allason Founder of Shutl, and Nick Austin and Alan Bennie Founders of the Vivid Toy Group.

The Episode 1 Fund will invest between £250k and £2 million into twenty to thirty early stage companies. Each must demonstrate its potential to be disruptive in the Internet and mobile sectors and have satisfied existing customers to validate the proposition.

The three partners behind the Fund - Simon Murdoch, Damien Lane and Adrian Lloyd - are experienced entrepreneurs and investors and have been through every stage of the start-up process, from inception to IPO. As well as investing, they will be actively working with the selected companies to help them succeed.

The Episode 1 partners have been instrumental in identifying and backing some of the most significant tech companies of UK origin of the last 10 years including: Betfair, LoveFilm, Zoopla, Shazam and Shutl. Between them, these organisations have created thousands of jobs and experienced phenomenal growth and profitable exits.

Simon Murdoch comments:

"I know from personal experience how hard it is to start and grow a business, even without the added difficulties of the current economic climate. Raising venture funding is even harder. Our aim is to establish Episode 1 as the best place to come for early stage technology entrepreneurs looking for up to £2m of funding."

Vince Cable, Business Secretary, said:

 "We are determined to give entrepreneurs the financial support they need to grow. This new £37.5 million Enterprise Capital Fund will target a serious gap in the equity market for high growth small firms."

Episode 1 welcomes entrepreneurs to its open office.

About Episode 1 Ventures

Episode 1 Ventures invests in UK software-driven businesses - typically £250,000 up to £1,000,000 - as the first institutional investor in businesses with high growth potential aiming to disrupt large markets at an early stage.

For more information visit http://www.episode1.com.

For more information contact:
Maggie Zaboura - maggie@zaboura.com +44-(0)7990-527278