fhunded, a Lancashire County Council initiative which supports the county鈥檚 early-stage finance and funding community, has partnered with VC investment specialist Kiran Mehta to help boost levels of early-stage investment activity and deal flow in Lancashire.
Mehta, a former VC Investment Manager at Mercia Ventures, will work closely with the fhunded programme lead, Rory Southworth, and LCC鈥檚 wider finance and funding teams, to identify early-stage businesses which have high-growth potential and help them to get investment ready.聽
He will also engage with investors looking for new innovation-led investment opportunities across the county.
During his four years at Mercia, Mehta facilitated over 拢20m of early-stage VC investment into tech businesses around the UK. He also sat on the boards of the companies he backed, helping them to secure further finance and scale up.
The former Lloyds Banking Group figure was one of the first VC investors to get involved with fhunded when it was launched by LCC 18 months ago.
鈥淲hilst a VC, I experienced first-hand the energy and ambition which underpins the fhunded programme. I could also see the immense untapped early-stage investment potential Lancashire has,鈥� said Mehta.
鈥淏ecoming part of the fhunded team myself, and helping the programme to grow and develop, is therefore very exciting, and I am relishing the opportunities which lie ahead for both fhunded and Lancashire鈥檚 tech economy as a whole. Being a UCLan graduate I鈥檓 also greatly looking forward to reconnecting with the county where I first discovered my passion for business.鈥�
Southworth, Lancashire County Council鈥檚 investment ecosystem manager, said: 鈥淜iran has extensive experience and an outstanding track record across the equity investment and tech VC landscape.聽
鈥淭he incredibly positive feedback from delegates who attended fhunded events which Kiran participated in also highlights his ability to engage with the county鈥檚 early-stage businesses.
鈥淭hat blend of VC and equity expertise, together with a down-to-earth and relatable approach to working with local founders, is exactly what we need to help us take fhunded to the next level.鈥�