Aquarius Equity announces first close of the Aquarius Origin Fund with investment in Conformetrix

Aquarius Equity Partners (Aquarius) have successfully reached first close of their third fund, the Aquarius

Origin Fund. The venture capital fund launched less than six months ago will focus on innovative, high

growth potential companies based predominantly in the North of England.

Aquarius is a specialist fund manager of high net worth individuals and family offices. The Aquarius Origin

Fund, as with other funds currently managed by Aquarius, is investing exclusively in UK unlisted companies

with private capital supplied entirely by a niche group of high net worth individuals. These investors have

invested either by an annual commitment direct into the fund or via their SIPP (self invested personal

pension).

Aquarius has immediately made their first investment from the fund into Manchester based drug

development company, Conformetrix Ltd.

The Aquarius Origin Fund’s investment strategy strives to invest in companies which can deliver giant

innovation across global markets. Conformetrix delivers this by enabling the major pharmaceutical

companies to identify drug structures that to date they have been unable to resolve, thereby addressing the

issues of drug pipeline, the main problem within the sector today.

The investment was driven by Aquarius’s confidence not only in the company’s unique proprietary

technology, but also the dedication and knowledge within their team. Aquarius will help Conformetrix

develop their strategy and strengthen the management team to become a world leader in drug development.

Steve Sealey, Founder and Chairman of Aquarius Equity Partners commented:-

‘I am delighted to have reached first close of the Aquarius Origin Fund in such a short period of time and

indeed have been encouraged by the level of private investor interest in our new fund at this time of

economic uncertainty. It proves to me that there is an appetite from private investors to become involved in

the asset class of venture capital and that they are now starting to look again at opportunities which provide

long term capital growth. We are now on track to close the Aquarius Origin Fund within 12 months of

launching it, possibly earlier.’

Steve Sealey further commented:-

‘People associate Aquarius with the success of Nanoco and its subsequent floatation onto the AIM market

earlier this year, but we have built up an exceptional portfolio and I believe that this continues to be the case

with Conformetrix. This is another outstanding company which, in our opinion, will deliver the same

exceptional growth we experienced with Nanoco. Our portfolio, yet again proves that great opportunities can

be found in venture capital. The investment team I’ve put together at Aquarius has the ability to seek these

businesses out, work the management relationship, put in place and deliver a strategy which helps achieve

a company’s growth plan, and consequently give returns back to our investors. I am delighted that

Conformetrix is the first investment by the Aquarius Origin Fund.’

For more information please contact:-

Jessica Pollock

Aquarius Equity Partners Limited

74 Gartside Street,

Spinningfields,

Manchester,

M3 4LQ

Email:[email protected]

Mobile: 07725675950

Direct Line: 0161 837 6200

Aquarius Equity Partners is a specialist fund manager of high net worth individuals and family offices. Their

funds focus exclusively on private equity and venture capital, investing in the UK unlisted company market.

Based in the North of England, Aquarius Equity Partners have illustrated how the combination of private

capital and the investment knowledge of an experienced team can drive portfolio value.

Further information can be found at www.aquariusequity.com

Conformetrix is a drug discovery company at the cutting-edge of ligand-based design. The company

develops new drugs by copying the templates provided by other bioactive ligands.

Conformetrix platform technology is a powerful set of analytical tools that can record the dynamic range of

motion that molecules explore in solution with extremely high precision. The company calls this data a

molecules’ 4D-structure. By analysing this structure it can identify the bioactive shape of any optimised

ligand. This is a true world first and finally realises an entirely new and complementary strategy to highthroughput

screening that works for any disease target.

Further information can be found at www.conformetrix.com

Nanoco is a world leader in the development and manufacture of commercial quantities of quantum dots for

use in multiple applications including lighting, solar cells and biological imaging. Nanoco’s quantum dots,

which are free of heavy metals and comply with RoHS legislation, can be combined into a wide range of

materials including liquids, polymers and glass.

Nanoco forms strategic partnerships with major end users across a range of applications.

Nanoco was founded in 2001 and is based in Manchester, UK. Nanoco began trading on the AIM market of

the London Stock Exchange in May 2009 under the ticker symbol NANO.

Further information can be found at www.nanocotechnologies.com