In the fast-paced technology market of today, investing in technology can be highly rewarding. The UK is, and always has been, a hotbed of innovation and technology leadership. As a result, investors have plenty of good investments to choose from. However, technology investment is not without its challenges – it always carries a certain element of risk for investors. The risk can be especially high when investing in innovative, and “disruptive” early-stage technologies.
Some of this risk can be avoided by conducting thorough, impartial, technology assessment and due diligence before investing. However, some investors lack the depth and scope of technical knowledge they need in order to exploit all the opportunities that come their way.
The Actualise Consulting team has a wealth of experience across a number of technology sectors. We provide a range of technology assessment and due diligence services that can help to reduce the uncertainty involved in technology investing and funding. Furthermore, we can help to bring your investment/funding decisions to a conclusion more rapidly and with a greater degree of confidence.
Our truly independent and impartial technology assessment advice extends across a number of industry sectors and technology areas:
- IoT Applications and Technology
- Transport systems and connected/autonomous vehicles
- Fixed and Wireless communications, short range, Bluetooth, DECT, Wifi, ZigBee, UWB
- Mobile networks, long range wireless, satellite transmission, mesh networks, Smart Antennas, MIMO
- Voice, data and video transmission and processing
- GPS and navigation, vehicle tracking, M2M communications
- Embedded Systems, Microprocessor architecture, software development
- Medical devices, healthcare electronics, drug delivery, POC diagnostics, assisted living
In addition, we have many years of exposure to the business issues faced by early stage technology companies. We focus on providing a professional and reliable assessment of the company’s technology and the team’s ability to deliver. This allows investors to focus on the all-important aspects of examining the company and the management team and agreeing suitable terms.
Public Sector Assessment
The Actualise Consulting team has a wealth of experience in helping public-sector organisations assess and evaluate proposals for funding under various schemes. Since 2003 we have conducted technology assessments for organisations, such as, Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), the DTI Technology Fund, the Technology Strategy Board (Innovate UK) and Health Enterprise East.
Public sector funding programs such as those mentioned above or wider European programs such as FP7 or Horizon 2020 typically impose strict conditions on the award of funding. Furthermore, the technology assessment criteria can be particularly rigorous, in order to comply with strategic objectives and EU state funding rules. The Actualise Consulting team are well experienced in the details and strategic objectives of such technology assessment criteria. Furthermore, we have been instrumental in the successful awarding of many millions of GBP for technology collaborative R&D
Private Sector Due Diligence
Actualise Consulting offers a reliable and accurate technology due diligence service to organisations wishing to invest in high-tech projects or companies. These organisations might include private investors, angels, venture capital funds, corporate venture funds and other technology investment organisations.
Such due diligence assignments typically examine four key areas of the enterprise under examination:
- Idea – How innovative, unique and defensible is the technology upon which the business is based. What unique Intellectual Property do they have?
- Implementation – What is the roadmap for developing and or implementing the company’s products/technology/services? How straightforward will it be to further develop them?
- Operation – how does the business operate and what processes will be used to develop the product/technology and bring it to market?
- People – who are the key people and what are their skills? How will they contribute to the success of the company and its technology