Introduction

 

Incorporated in 2005, Southmore is one of just a handful of long-established early-stage venture capital fund managers operating in Australia and has shown itself to be readily and successfully adaptable to ever-changing business and investment conditions.

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With a host of initiatives being announced to support emerging businesses that are born-global, Southmore has become increasingly specialised in working with business migrants as a principal source of talent and investment for development of its portfolio companies.

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Southmore has also become involved in facilitating direct investment into or the direct purchase of Australian businesses by business migrants.

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Southmore Capital Pty Ltd (ABN 97 114 576 742) operates jointly with and shares common ownership with the related businesses Southmore Partners Pty Ltd (ABN 95 610 909 914) and Southmore Advisory Pty Ltd (ABN 65 157 771 938). Southmore Capital holds Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) number 298 313.

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Our Business: Past, Present and Future

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Past

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Between 2006 and 2016 Southmore made and managed eleven venture capital investments on behalf of a major Australian industry superannuation fund and achieved strong returns on its investments with a number of businesses expanding and appreciating in value more than five-fold during the investment period. Southmore portfolio businesses have sourced more than AUD 100 million in investment and grant funding and created more than AUD 300 million in value for their shareholders. Successful investments were made across multiple sectors including: medical devices, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage processing, technical services and clean technology.

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Present

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As Southmore is working increasingly with business migrants, it has developed an investment focus on sectors where Australia is enjoying a burgeoning trading relationship with Asia including: medical technology, information and communication technology, clean technology, advanced manufacturing, engineering and design services, financial services, agricultural technology, high-value agribusiness, high-value education services and high-value hospitality services. 

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Future

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The Australian government has announced initiatives to provide support to emerging Australian businesses that incentivise them to collaborate and innovate. These include many measures aimed at supporting the expansion of the early-stage investment activity by venture capital and angel investors.

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Australia now offers investors substantial tax rebates on research and development spending by businesses, tax concessions and exemptions for investors in venture capital funds and for angel investors and, importantly, permanent residency visa pathways for individual foreign investors in venture capital funds who wish to migrate to Australia. In addition, substantial new grant funding and matching investment funds have become available from a range of state and federal government programmes. Australia is now a more attractive place to build a high-growth business than ever.

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With more than fifteen years of success operating as a high value-add, early-stage venture capital fund manager, Southmore is very well positioned to seize on these initiatives for the benefit of its business partners, entrepreneurs, investors and the wider community.