Press Release 23rd April 2007
Femeda secures £2m investment to trial womens’ health treatment
Femeda Limited has completed a £2m funding round to allow it to develop its new female health
products.
At least one third of all women will suffer during their life from some degree of urinary leakage,
and to date most have had to make-do with pads or resort to pills or surgery which are both
invasive and potentially ineffective
Femeda is developing a new product to help people improve their condition using a simple
disposable device. This product has the potential to significantly increase the quality of life of
women around the world.
The funding round is being led by NorthStar Equity Investors with Stargate Capital Management
and Acceleris Corporate Ventures. Existing investor Enterprise Ventures is also taking part in the
round, via the RisingStars Growth Fund.
Alison Kibble, CEO of Femeda said: “We’re delighted to have such a strong investor group to
back our efforts, our company is a great demonstration of how good investors can help build
companies from the earliest stages.” Alison was formerly CEO of Molecular Sensing PLC.
Richard Watson, Deal Manager at NorthStar Equity Investors said: "We see great commercial
opportunity for Femeda and its ground-breaking products for the female-orientated market, we
are also very impressed with the strength of the team and its intellectual property".
Paresh Shah of Stargate Capital’s Trapezia Fund adds: “Femeda is an impressive young business,
one of the many quality investment opportunities that has been presented to our fund. It is also a
perfect fit with our remit to invest in women-focussed businesses. Trapezia aims to change
cultural and social attitudes to women focussed businesses, and to bring to investors the
opportunities offered by this fast growing sector.”
Jim Bradley, the company chairman said: “We’ve had some interest from some of the major
companies interested in this problem area, but we’re keeping quiet for the moment about exactly
what our plans and product will be. This round will give the company the resources to get this
revolutionary product ready for launch.” Jim was formerly CEO of SCA Products, the company
which launched Tena Lady.
Norman Molyneux, Chief Executive of Acceleris Corporate Ventures, said: "We are delighted to
have played our part in the fund-raising for Femeda and wish the team every success for the
future. Femeda is a dynamic and impressive business that is developing a truly innovative product
that will bring real quality-of-life benefits to users."
About Femeda
Femeda, a company with headquarters in Middlesborough and its clinical development and
research base in Manchester is developing a self-treatment approach for female urinary
incontinence. In addition Femeda has a clinical product in development for use by continence
practitioners.
For further details contact
alison.kibble@femeda.com
Alison
Kibble,
CEO,
Tel
0845
4565486,
e-mail
About NorthStar
NorthStar Equity Investors invests in high growth and technology-based companies in the North
East region.
NorthStar Equity Investors manages two venture finance funds totalling £33m.
The £10m Proof of Concept Fund, funded by One North East and the European Regional
Development Fund (ERDF), which can provide up to £90,000 investment
The £23m Co-Investment Fund, funded by the ERDF, which can provide between £100,000 to
£1million investment
NorthStar Equity Investors is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
Media enquiries for NorthStar Equity Investors: Ruth Holliday at MHWPR on (0191) 233 9534
or e-mail ruth@mhwpr.co.uk
About Enterprise Ventures
Enterprise Ventures Is an independent venture capital and private equity provider located in the
North of England with £52 million currently under management. Its investment in Femeda was
made from the RisingStars Growth Fund.
RisingStars Growth Fund I, and its follow-on Fund, RisingStars Growth Fund II (launched in
2006), provide start up/early stage risk finance to high growth technology companies located in
the North of England at the seed and start-up phase, and will also invest at the proof of concept
stage.
Companies must demonstrate real commercial prospects, and are likely to receive the funding in
stages against development milestones.
In addition to finance, EV offers expertise in assisting companies with their strategic, technical
and market development.
For further details contact: deborah.moon@enterprise-ventures.co.uk
Or visit www.enterprise-ventures.co.uk or the Fund’s website at www.rsgf.co.uk
About Trapezia Capital and Stargate Capital Management
Trapezia (www.trapeziacapital.co.uk) is the first Venture Capital Fund in the UK dedicated to
investing in businesses where women have an influential role. Amongst the fund's investors are
the Consensus Group and Bank of Scotland Corporate.
The business case for the fund is founded upon research linking gender diversity to financial
performance and strong corporate governance. The UK research shows that companies with
women directors on their boards have both a higher return on equity and stronger corporate
governance.
Women-focused businesses belong to a segment that is currently underserved and fund raising
remains very challenging even for quality projects. To date there has been no dedicated initiative
to service the venture capital requirements of women focused businesses in the UK, a sector our
research shows as being fast growing yet unexploited and under researched with inefficient
access to capital. All of this spells opportunity for Trapezia and our investors.
StarGate Capital Management Limited, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services
Authority. It will start the fund raising process for its second Trapezia fund in the first quarter of
2007.
For further media information please contact::
Caroline Bishop at Jane Atkinson PR: Tel: 020 8567 0129/07768 067306
E: caroline.bishop@btinternet.com or Jane Atkinson: Tel: 020 8742 3632/07802 260865 E:
jeapr2003@yahoo.co.uk
:
About Acceleris Corporate Ventures
Acceleris is a corporate venturer with a difference. Led by a team of senior directors with many
years experience in blue chip corporations and international professional firms, Acceleris is
focussed on early and development stage businesses. It has an established track record of
successful fund raising and delivering significant returns for its investor community.
As well as raising funds from its growing network of active private investors, Acceleris often
introduces experienced businessmen to act in an advisory capacity with investee companies,
helping their growth and development.
For further media information, please contact Peter Davenport, Director: Acceleris Marketing
Communications on 0845 4567 251 or by email at peterd@acceleris-mc.com