Stoic Venture Capital increases funds for university start-ups amidst widespread withdrawal

UNIVERSITY research projects and jobs are being given a vital boost with prominent early-stage venture capital fund Stoic Venture Capital increasing its investment in start-ups that are commercialising university inventions.

Stoic is bucking the trend of other venture capital funds that are backing away from university research and start-up companies because of heightened volatility and risk.

Stoic Venture Capital managing partner for investments, Geoff Waring said the impact of COVID-19 was exacerbating the short supply of early stage venture capital in Australia leaving universities unable to commercialise their innovations.

“Stoic presents universities with a critical source of seed stage capital to help transform their research into emerging companies,” Dr Waring said.

“This will ensure that many high potential university research projects can move out of the lab and into development or trials despite the impact of COVID-19.”

Stoic is an Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnership (ESVCLP) which gives investors rare access to disruptive companies not available elsewhere with added tax benefits.

Stoic’s team includes executive chairman of Atlas Advisors Australia and former chief executive officer of award-winning private bank Macquarie Private Bank Guy Hedley, executive director of Atlas Advisors Australia Fiona Zhuang and Dr Waring. 

“Our close partnership with university-backed investment fund Uniseed gives Stoic investors access to returns commensurate with the rich opportunities coming out of Australia’s top universities,” Dr Waring said.

“These leading universities produce some of the country’s highest potential technology addressing global unmet needs.

“Investing in unlisted start-ups via top performing venture capital funds presents higher long term returns than top fund managers in more established asset classes such as property, public equities or bonds. 

“It also offers diversification benefits with less exposure to market volatility and risk because of their lower correlation with traditional asset classes.”

Stoic’s portfolio of investments includes some of Australia’s most game-changing products in robotics, computer hardware, medicine, science, agritech and biotech.

These include Agerris (robotics), Aurtra (power management), Cardihab (telehealth), Certa (biotech), Ena Therapeutics (immunity enhancer), Exonate (eyedrops for macular degeneration), Ferronova (cancer diagnostic) Forcite Helmet Systems (motorcycle tech), Kinoxis (treating addiction), Nexgen Plants (genetics), PERKii (probiotic armour), Que Oncology (drug) and Wildlife Drones (tracking).

“These companies are potentially Australia’s future exporters that will help grow our economy, jobs and reward investors,” Dr Waring said.

About Stoic Venture Capital

Stoic Venture Capital provides financing for early-stage companies, particularly those arising from university research. Stoic is unconditionally registered as an ESVCLP and it takes a collaborative approach to investing in the highest potential companies.

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