Introduction to SWAIN

The South West Angel and Investor Network (SWAIN) connects private investors, or 'Business Angels', with companies looking for investment. SWAIN specialises in helping small and medium sized companies to find equity finance, and assists private investors in the South West to search for investment opportunities in businesses with growth potential.

SWAIN is an independent not-for-profit company which specifically addresses the shortage of risk capital available to small and medium sized companies which has become known as the 'equity gap'. SWAIN is focussed on deal sizes ranging from £25,000 to £750,000 and this concentrates our energy on opportunities, which are too small to be considered by the majority of venture capital institutions.

SWAIN is exempt from the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and therefore acts as a facilitator and not as an investment advisor. All Investors are always strongly recommended to take professional advice before making any investment related decisions.

SWAIN operates throughout the South West region incorporating the counties of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, former-Avon, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

Our introductions are made in a variety of ways:

All companies have an A4 Summary circulated to SWAIN’s active potential investors, the A4 Summary is listed as an Opportunity on our website and there is an option to have a short video of the company put on the website under their specific area.

In addition to the above, some businesses may be offered the opportunity to present at an investor meeting. We run quarterly campaigns which allow us to work with the companies to ensure they are ready for investment. This process typically culminates in the company being introduced at a Forum in which a number of companies present to an audience of investors.

In some circumstances it may be appropriate for certain companies to be given the opportunity to have a Private Introduction to SWAIN investors where a short summary of the business will be sent out to investors and interested investors will “self-select” to attend the meeting.

We regularly update our website with new opportunities to all those investors in our Network.

We provide details of any progress past and present SWAIN companies have made, including "Good News Stories" via our newsletter "Deal Zone". 

We charge modest fees to both our Investors and Companies and success fees when investments are made.  Details of our fees can be found in FAQs. 

In all cases, having made the initial introduction we leave entrepreneurs, investors and their respective advisors to negotiate terms

SWAIN works with external advisors and entrepreneurs to guide companies through an Investment Readiness process to ensure that the opportunity is presented in an appropriate and attractive way. Prior to Forums those companies selected to present will have the option to take part in a variety of additional SWAIN services including Expert Panels where companies have the opportunity to test their business proposals with a panel of professionals. Typically the panel would include a corporate financier, lawyer, marketeer, banker and/or a venture capitalist.  Other services include: Prepared for Investment Seminars, Pitch Perfect Workshops and video elevator pitches.  All companies will undergo a campaign plan to map out the best route specific to the company’s individual requirements.

 The SWAIN Team

Philip Tellwright

Managing Director

Philip Tellwright brings to SWAIN a comprehensive understanding of investment into the small and medium sized firms market. For the past twenty years he has worked in four varied senior financial roles throughout the South West Region and has a proven track as a professional investor, Corporate Finance advisor and, in industry, as a Finance Director.

As an Investment Controller with 3i where he completed over twenty investments, he spent seven years investing in small and medium sized businesses. He was also responsible for the management of a large portfolio of varied Investments across the South West region.

In 1987 he moved to Hazlewoods, a substantial Gloucestershire based accountancy practice to co-ordinate their Corporate Finance activities. As the Director responsible for the Corporate Development arm he advised on numerous finance raising assignments, and was also successful in merger and acquisition activities as well as providing business planning advice.

In 1991 he moved to Devon based Inch's Cider Limited as Finance Director having previously advised the buy-in team on the acquisition of the company, and became an integral part of the team that successfully managed one of the fastest growing businesses in the Region through its most turbulent phase of expansion. Following Inch's (which was sold to H P Bulmer) Philip returned to Bristol to take up a second Finance Director role in a manufacturing environment at Brissco Equipment Limited.

Following Brissco's, Philip joined Business West as leading Business Finance Adviser, during which time he advised on numerous finance raising assignments, including a considerable number of Business Angel investments.

Based just outside Bristol, Philip is well placed to cover the northern three counties of the region.

John Wakefield

Network Chairman

 John is Head of Corporate Finance at WH Ireland Limited in Bristol.   He has over twenty years’ experience  of advising emerging and mid-cap quoted companies, including involvement in over 50 flotations on the Official List and AIM as well as numerous fund raisings, takeovers and corporate restructurings. He was for four years a member of the London Stock Exchange’s AIM Advisory Committee.  John graduated in Law from Oxford University in 1976 and subsequently qualified as a solicitor with City Law firm, Cameron McKenna, before entering stockbroking in 1985 with Williams de Broë Plc.  John was a founder director of Rowan Dartington, which was formed by a management buyout in 1992, wher he was Head of Corporate Finance until its acquisition in 2006 by Blue Oar Plc.

 

Steve Dilley

SWAIN Associate

Steve is a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Corporate Finance Faculty.  He was a Director with Solomon Hare Corporate Finance and Smith & Williamson Corporate Finance in Bristol for over 15 years.

He has been advising SME's on raising finance for business and has advised on over thirty completed MBO deals, innumerable business plan, and venture capital and development finance for businesses in the South West in a wide range of industries.  Steve also had spells in industry working in companies involved in engineering, equipment rental and biotechnology.

Steve is currently part-time FD at a precision engineering company in the aerospace industry.

Steve assists entrepreneurs to develop both their projections and their proposal to investors and is qualified to assist in collating information in preparation for the due diligence process.

 Kevin Wood

SWAIN Associate

Kevin has gained a wealth of experience during a long and successful career in marketing, sales and sales management positions with organisations such as ICL, Digital Equipment Corporation and Sun Microsystems.  Kevin has used that knowledge to inform his work in a sales development and consultancy role, bringing his passion for effective planning and quality delivery to bear on the sales development he provides for clients.  Clients include; Cisco, Vodaphone, Dimensions Data, EMC, BBC and ITN.
Kevin has significant experience in IT, media and telecommunications and small and early-stage businesses.  His areas of expertise include: management and execution of change; definition and introduction of effective and efficient sales process; planning and organising; people development and development of compelling “value propositions”.
Kevin evaluates any technology businesses approaching SWAIN – utilising his knowledge to spot those with high potential.

 

Alison Higham

Regional Co-ordinator

Alison joined SWAIN in 2007 having spent several years with AngelBourse, the online fund service for SME’s.  Previous to this Alison worked for Orange and a Communications Risk Management consultancy.

Alison manages the invoicing and associated administration for SWAIN answering any queries that may arise.

 

 

 

Jenny Colley

Marketing Co-ordinator

Jenny graduated from Cardiff University with a degree in Psychology and Physiology in 2008.  Since then she has worked as a Graduate Trainee for AngelNews before coming to work with SWAIN.  Jenny has completed her Chartered Institute of Marketing Certificate and is currently studying for her Diploma.  Much of Jenny’s work involves planning and organising SWAINs events and meetings.

Jenny tends to be the first point of call for any potential companies or investors and would be happy to help with any queries.