Get to Know Simon King, Manager at Octopus Ventures EIS

**Octopus Ventures EIS: Investing in the Future of Technology | Interview with Simon King**

Welcome to the official Octopus Ventures YouTube channel! In this video, we sit down with Simon King, a partner at Octopus Ventures, to discuss the exciting new opportunities offered by Octopus Ventures’ EIS service.

Octopus Ventures is a leading investor in early-stage, high-growth potential companies, with over £2 billion under management. With a team of more than 90 experts, we have been investing for the past 14 years, and our aim is to provide investors with a concentrated portfolio of the UK’s fastest-growing privately held technology companies.

We offer two different EIS offerings, including an evergreen EIS service and a knowledge-intensive EIS fund. The evergreen service allows investors to avail tax relief when each individual investment is made, while the knowledge-intensive fund offers tax relief when the fund closes.

So, what are we looking for in an investee company? We believe that a fantastic management team is essential for the success of a business. We invest in founders who have the capability to grow companies from small valuations to being some of the largest in the UK. Additionally, we look for companies that address big market opportunities worth billions and have the potential to scale and be successful.

Our investment focus spans across various sectors, including fintech, healthtech, consumer technology, B2B software companies, climate tech, and deep tech. We also have a dedicated team focusing on climate tech opportunities.

In this interview, we delve into some recent investments, such as LifeScore, a company using adaptive music to enhance fitness and wellness experiences, and Foodsteps, a platform that helps food service providers and brands understand the carbon impact of the food they create and sell.

To learn more about Octopus Ventures EIS and how you can invest in the future of technology, please visit [octopusventures.com](https://www.octopusventures.com/eis/).

Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell for more insightful interviews with industry experts.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this video are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the view of Octopus Ventures or Wealth Club Limited. Investing in EIS carries risks and tax benefits depend on individual circumstances. Seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.

*Keywords/Tags: Octopus Ventures, EIS service, investment, technology, portfolio, tax relief, investee company, market opportunities, adaptive music, carbon impact, fintech, healthtech, consumer technology, B2B software, climate tech, deep tech*

**Sources:**

– [Octopus Ventures Official Website](https://www.octopusventures.com/eis/)
– [Wealth Club: Octopus Ventures EIS](https://www.wealthclub.co.uk/y/octopus-ventures/)

**Transcript:**

*Note: The following is a partial transcript of the video. For the full transcript, please refer to the video itself.*

[0:00] **About Octopus Ventures:** Octopus Ventures is a team of over 90 experts investing in early-stage, high-growth potential companies. With more than £2 billion under management and 14 years of experience, we aim to provide investors with exciting opportunities in the UK’s technology sector.

[1:28] **Two different Octopus Ventures EIS offerings:** Octopus Ventures offers an evergreen EIS service and a knowledge-intensive EIS fund. Both options provide investors with the chance to co-invest alongside our other funds, including Octopus Titan, the UK’s largest VCT.

[2:38] **What does Octopus Ventures invest in?** Octopus Ventures focuses on investing in early-stage technology companies with high growth potential. We look for businesses with fantastic management teams, big market opportunities, and solutions to significant problems.

[3:40] **Sectors Octopus Ventures focuses on:** Our investment focus spans across fintech, healthtech, consumer technology, B2B software companies, climate tech, and deep tech. We have dedicated teams for each of these sectors, with an additional focus on climate tech opportunities.

[4:13] **Investing in LifeScore – creating adaptive music:** LifeScore is a recent investment by Octopus Ventures. The company uses adaptive algorithms to create music in real-time based on inputs such as heart rate and weather data. This technology has applications in fitness, wellness, and even the automotive industry.

[5:42] **Investing in Foodsteps – classifying carbon intensity of foods:** Octopus Ventures has also invested in Foodsteps, a platform that helps food service providers and brands understand the carbon impact of the food they create and sell. The goal is to provide consumers with the information they need to make more environmentally conscious choices.

[6:41] **How Octopus Ventures sources investments:** Over the past 15 years, Octopus Ventures has built a network of angel investors, service providers, and industry connections. We leverage these relationships to source promising investment opportunities.

[7:24] **How the funds work in practice:** Octopus Ventures offers two EIS options with different tax relief structures. The evergreen EIS service provides tax relief on individual investments, while the knowledge-intensive fund offers relief when the fund closes.

[8:35] **Is the more volatile economy affecting investments?** We discuss the impact of the volatile economy on investments and how Octopus Ventures mitigates risks through careful due diligence and selecting resilient businesses.

[9:35] **Effects of tech company layoffs:** We explore the effects of tech company layoffs on the investment landscape and how Octopus Ventures adapts to changes in the market.

[11:38] **A recent exit – BehavioSec:** Octopus Ventures shares insights on a recent exit, BehavioSec, and the importance of assessing risks and target returns in the investment process.

[12:56] **Risks and target returns:** Investing in early-stage companies always carries risks. Octopus Ventures discusses how risk management and target returns are evaluated to ensure the best opportunities for investors.

[14:29] **Why consider investing in Octopus Ventures EIS?** We highlight the benefits of investing in Octopus Ventures EIS, including access to a concentrated portfolio of high-growth technology companies and the potential for tax reliefs.

For more details on Octopus Ventures EIS, please visit [octopusventures.com](https://www.octopusventures.com/eis/). Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more Meet The Manager video interviews.

*Disclaimer: Please note that the opinions expressed in this video are those of the interviewee and not necessarily representative of Octopus Ventures or Wealth Club Limited. EIS investments are subject to risks, and tax benefits depend on individual circumstances. Seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.*

Octopus Ventures launched a new EIS service in 2020 seeking to give investors a more concentrated portfolio with more direct exposure to successes and failures, along with the benefits of EIS tax reliefs. They also offer a Knowledge Intensive Approved EIS Fund – essentially the same investment strategy in a different fund structure. We talk to Simon King, partner at Octopus Ventures, to find out more. In this interview:

0:00 About Octopus Ventures
1:28 Two different Octopus Ventures EIS offerings
2:38 What does Octopus Ventures invest in?
3:40 Sectors Octopus Ventures focuses on
4:13 Investing in LifeScore – creating adaptive music
5:42 Investing in Foodsteps – classifying carbon intensity of foods
6:41 How Octopus Ventures sources investments
7:24 How the funds work in practice
8:35 Is the more volatile economy affecting investments?
9:35 Effects of tech company layoffs
11:38 A recent exit – BehavioSec
12:56 Risks and target returns
14:29 Why consider investing in Octopus Ventures EIS?

For more details on Octopus Ventures EIS please see https://www.wealthclub.co.uk/y/octopus-ventures/.

Please Subscribe (+ 🔔 ) for more Meet The Manager video interviews.

IMPORTANT
The opinions expressed in this video are the interviewee’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Wealth Club Limited. This interview, like our service, is not advice and the products featured are not suitable for everyone. EIS investments are higher risk and less liquid than mainstream investments. You could lose your capital. Tax rules can change and tax benefits depend on your circumstances. If you’re unsure an investment is right for you, please seek professional advice.