Sponsors

Founded in 1875 by Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet in the Swiss village of Le Brassus, Audemars Piguet is the oldest Manufacture of Haute Horlogerie never to have left the hands of the founding families. Today, its range encompasses complex mechanical watches, Haute Joaillerie creations as well as a line of jewellery. At each stage in its history, the Manufacture has daringly adopted avant-garde techniques in order to place them in the service of traditional craftsmanship. This approach has earned it an unparalleled number of world firsts in the field of Haute Horlogerie.

Endeavour Vision is a premier European venture capital firm investing in high potential companies in the information technology and life sciences sectors. Since 1989, the principals have made over 63 investments in 12 different countries. The goal of Endeavour Vision is to contribute to the success of companies who demonstrate great potential by teaming up with entrepreneurs and sharing skills, expertise and network To better support Entrepreneurs, the firm has developed two institutions: the European Tech Tour Association, a non-profit foundation generating networking opportunities for Entrepreneurs with VCs, Corporations and other Entrepreneurs, and the CEO-Circle, a group of world-class entrepreneurial CEOs who are committed in helping with the development of portfolio companies.

Some investments made by the principals include Sandisk, Dolphin Interconnect, SCM Microsystems, Virata, Altitun, Cirpack, Media Lario, Tagsys RFID and Sequans, (Information Technology); and Actelion, Axovan, Endoart and Novimmune (Life Sciences).

GrowthPoint Technology Partners is a different kind of investment bank. We provide M&A, fundraising and strategic advisory services to a wide range of technology companies. As former CEOs, executives, board members, investors and advisors, we bring a wealth of strategic and financial experience to our clients with the sole objective of helping them achieve success. In 2005, four senior members of SVB/Alliant, formerly Alliant Partners (sold to Silicon Valley Bankshares in 2001) left to form GrowthPoint Technology Partners. We created a new firm to provide the very best advisory environment for our clients. Our highly experienced senior advisors deliver a quality, research driven service, in a variety of technology sectors.

Weber Shandwick is a Communications Partner of the European Tech Tour, supporting both the European level organization and the various country tours.  Weber Shandwick, a unit of The Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), is one of the world's leading public relations agencies, with offices in major media, business and government capitals around the world. Weber Shandwick is a leader in marketing public relations, public affairs and corporate communications counseling, and also provides services in advocacy advertising, market research and visual communications.

Doughty Hanson & Co is one of Europe's largest independent private Equity fund managers, with funds focused on private equity, European real estate, and technology start-up companies . Headquartered in London, the firm has offices throughout Europe as well as in the United States. Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures invest in outstanding management teams to build world-class companies. The fund provides early-stage venture capital financing to technology companies throughout Europe, focusing on software, communications technologies and semiconductors. For more information, please visit www.doughtyhanson.com

Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP is an international corporate law firm with offices in the United States and Europe. Founded more than 50 years ago, our firm has over 200 fee earners providing advice and services across key areas of the law: Corporate & Securities, Private Equity, Intellectual Property, Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring, Structured & Commercial Finance, Real Estate, Complex Litigation, International Arbitration and Government Law & Strategies.

Our clients range from entrepreneurial start-up businesses to nationally and internationally prominent institutions, including global Fortune 500 companies. This diverse client base covers the entire spectrum of sectors including high-technology, life sciences, energy, retail and consumer goods, education, transportation, financial institutions, telecommunications and manufacturing. With a strong commitment to serving European businesses and organisations, our mission is to help our clients compete, grow and thrive in today’s global economy.

NewMedia SPARK ('SPARK') is a venture capital investor based in London and listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange. Formed in 1999, SPARK has built up a portfolio of investments in the technology, media and telecom sectors (TMT) ranging from enterprise software to digital media and semiconductors.

As an investor, SPARK works closely with management teams providing active strategic and commercial support. Our current focus is on early stage investments in digital media, software applications and communications technology with the objective of developing significant capital growth over the medium term.

The Forsyth Group, with offices in London and Palo Alto, is a leading executive search firm focused on the emerging technologies sector. Founded in 1981 the company has developed close relationships with investors, entrepreneurs and the world’s leading technology companies, recruiting outstanding leadership talent across the UK, Europe and North America.

The company offers depth of experience across the technology sector including expertise in:

Software / Software as a service
Digital media
Internet technologies
Mobile communications
Hardware
Cleantech
Venture Capital

A sample of past clients, include companies such as Oracle, IBM, Netscape, Scopus, Doubleclick, RealNetworks and more recently emerging technology companies such as Zecco, CoComment, Speakanet, Vidavee, Funcom, Trampoline Systems and The Light Agency have all worked with the Forsyth Group to expand their senior management teams.

Noble & Co. is the corporate finance advisory and broking arm of Noble Group. We are a certified Nominated Adviser (NOMAD) and Broker on AIM, a Sponsor and Broker on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, a Sponsor on PLUS Markets (formerly OFEX), and have significant experience of advising on the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers.

We have developed sector expertise across five sectors – Technology; Financial Institutions; Consumer; Business and Support Services; and Natural Resources and Energy.

Our focus on three advisory products in the small to mid cap market ensures in-depth knowledge and ability to execute on:

IPO/Primary and Secondary fund raisings
£80m raised for Tech companies over the last three years, £325m across the specialist sectors.
Merger & acquisitions (sale mandates and client buy-side)
UK partner of Global M&A, an exclusive partnership of over 35 of the world’s most successful independent middle market M&A advisory firms.
Strategic advice and transaction services

3i is a world leader in Private Equity and Venture Capital, investing across Asia, Europe, Israel and the US. Our advantage comes from our international network, market access, sector experience, and the strength and breadth of our relationships in business.

3i has been successfully backing fast growing technology businesses for over 40 years, backing entrepreneurs with a vision for shaping the future. 3i Venture Capital plans to invest over $1.5 billion over the next five years in highly ambitious opportunities internationally across three main areas: healthcare (medtech and speciality pharma), IT (Internet, digital media, enterprise IT and semiconductors) and the clean technology sector.

3i’s global Venture Capital team (of 50 investors) fund both early and late stage businesses and typically commit up to $75 million per deal, applying its experience and sector expertise to help drive success on a global scale. 3i has offices in 14 countries across Europe, Asia, Israel and the US, and has made investments in more than 30 countries. We have 750 employees, including more than 250 investment professionals.

The Centre for Enterprise and Innovation (CEI) is the technology transfer and entrepreneurship group at the University of Southampton. We work with business, investors and all University members.

We have four remits:

Protecting University Intellectual Property
Commercialisation through licenses and spin-outs
Mentoring and Networking
Encouraging Entrepreneurship at the University

Formed in September 2000, the CEI encourages and supports enterprise activity across the whole university including enterprise education for students and businesses, consultancy for industry and the commercialisation of university intellectual property through the creation of start-up companies and licensing.

Since 2000, the CEI has encouraged the start-up of over 25 student and arts-based businesses, supported consultancy transactions across the university and helped spin out 16 companies, two of which floated on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange in 2004.

Imperial Innovations combines the activities of technology transfer, company incubation and an early stage venture capital fund.

The business draws upon a pipeline of technology, emanating from Imperial College's research in science, engineering and medicine. Through strategic incubation contracts with the Carbon Trust and WRAP, Imperial Innovations also handles technologies originating from outside Imperial College. The company also sources complementary ideas from other partners in the UK and overseas.

Technology is commercialised by either licensing the intellectual property to industrial partners or through the formation of a new technology business.

The employees at Imperial Innovations are experienced across a range of industry sectors including health, energy, environment and emerging technologies. The company works with industry partners at all stages and draws on a well established network of inventors, entrepreneurs and management.

Focused on growing and mid-sized companies and their investors for nearly 45 years, Jefferies is a global, full service investment banking and institutional securities firm operating in more than 25 offices in six countries spanning three continents. We provide world-class investment banking, sales & trading, research and asset management to a diverse range of corporate clients, institutional investors and high net worth individuals. We are industry experts, specializing in aerospace & defense, energy, financial & business services, gaming & leisure, healthcare, industrials, maritime & oil service, media & communications, retail & consumer and technology, with a dedicated private equity coverage group.

Logitech designs, manufactures and markets personal peripherals that enable people to effectively work, play, and communicate in the digital world. The company's products combine essential core technologies, continuing innovation, award-winning industrial design and excellent price performance.

Logitech International is a Swiss public company traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange under the symbol LOGN and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol LOGI.

The University of Manchester Incubator Company Limited ( UMIC ) is The University's Incubator Facilities Management, and external business mentoring commercialisation company. UMIC will manage current and future Incubators for The University. These currently include the successful Manchester Bioscience Incubator, Core Technology Facility (CTF), North Campus Incubator and One Central Park Incubator. UMIC also provides business mentoring services to regional SMEs across all business sectors.

UK Trade & Investment is the Government organisation that helps UK-based companies succeed in an increasingly global economy. Its range of expert services are tailored to the needs of individual businesses to maximise their international success. We provide companies with knowledge, advice and practical support.

For more than 25 years, Oracle has worked on ways to help our customers manage critical information. We built the only Unbreakable database, with 15 international security evaluations. We developed the first complete suite of business applications - for the internet. We created the fastest, most reliable, and least expensive application server. Why? So that our customers have reliable, secure, and complete business systems that give them better quality information at a lower cost.

Established since 1999, Soloman Associates is an executive search firm, delivering high calibre leadership talent to the international Communications, Media and Technology Sector.

Through our venture breakout service, we partner dynamic fast growth technology companies and their venture capital investors to proactively identify, attract and acquire Board and Senior Management talent.

Partnering a selective client base, our mission is to provide our clients with the strategic business advantage they seek, through the application of our domain knowledge and expertise, to identify, engage and attract optimal talent in a structured and transparent manner.

From our UK headquarters we have successfully delivered on assignments across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Our assignments can range from a single ‘high impact’ hire through to the build out of a management team across multiple global locations.

Our process driven project based approach ensures each solution we provide is tailored to the unique business needs of each client. Furthermore our approach reduces the risks associated with the hiring process for a start-up and the amount of management time which needs to be allocated to it.

Ultimately we aim to take ownership of your needs and provide a solution which can leave you with the peace of mind to focus on growing your business.

SVB Financial Group provides diversified financial services to emerging, growth and established technology companies and the life science, private equity and premium wine markets. Through its focus on specialized markets and extensive knowledge of the people and business issues driving them, SVB Financial Group provides a level of service and partnership that measurably impacts its clients' success. Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., the company offers its clients commercial, investment, merchant and private banking, as well as value-added services using its knowledge and networks. Founded in 1983, SVB Financial Group serves nearly 11,000 clients around the world through 27 domestic offices, three international subsidiaries in the U.K., India and China, and an extensive network of relationships with venture capitalists in Asia, Australia, Europe, India, and Israel.

The Chilli is a unique media platform for high-tech entrepreneurs, investors and advisors. The Chilli is an established global brand in the technology entrepreneurial food chain in Europe, US and now expanding out in Asia. Our information and in-depth analysis are available through regular newsletter updates, online products and live at seminars, conferences and events.

Red Herring is a media company whose mission is to cover innovation, technology, financing and entrepreneurial activity. Its staff of award-winning journalists tell readers what's first, what matters and most importantly, why.