MILLIONS of pounds of equity funding is on offer to Manx companies willing to step into the Fox's Lair next month.
Companies in the Isle of Man and around the UK are invited to enter the Foxes' Lair to compete for funding from the UK's leading sources of investment.
The competition, loosely based on the BBC's Dragon's Den, will see up to two dozen finalists v
ying to find funding for their businesses.
The competition is being run by Fox Capital a firm that is a recognised expert in corporate fund raising. It provides services in equity and equity-linked fund raising, flotation, mergers and acquisitions, debt arrangements, in addition to other advisory services.
Justin Martin, director of Fox Capital, said: 'The Dragons are famous for offering up around a £100,000 to budding entrepreneurs, but we're upping the ante, we're ready to introduce some serious money into some serious enterprises.'
He added: 'Our focus is on expansion stage companies that are looking for up to £25m in funding to take their businesses to the next level.'
The Fox's Lair is open to privately-held companies of any size, profitability is not necessarily a requirement.
Roy Tilleard, director at Fox Capital said: 'Companies that have strong turnover growth and a healthy margin, but may lack the resources necessary to fully capitalise on market opportunities, are ideal candidates for the Fox's Lair.'
Justin Martin has spent the last 15 years in finance and business and product development, managing numerous businesses in the Isle of Man, the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation.
He co-founded Flintstone Technologies plc, the AIM listed start-up and expansion stage investment company which completed more than 25 separate private equity transactions with a combined value of more than £40m.
Roy Tilleard, a qualified accountant, has held executive roles in both multi-national and private businesses.
He's best known for leading the international expansion of the Deb Group, known for its Swarfega brand, which he part-sold to Barclays Private Equity in a £135m transaction. He is also a director of Callows Yard Developments Ltd, an £11m commercial property development in Castletown.
Fox Capital has close working relationships with the UK's leading private equity investors and commercial debt providers, alongside a number of the UK's leading AIM advisory firms that can be quickly brought to bear for winners in the Fox's Lair.
Applications for entry to the Fox's Lair are being accepted now. Finalists will be asked to make a short presentation to a panel of judges on November 27 at The Nunnery, home of the International Business School in Douglas, Isle of Man.
Applications and guidelines for the Fox's Lair can be downloaded at www.foxeslair.strivepr.com or contact foxeslair@strivepr.com or ring 628994.
The deadline for entry is 13 November 2006.
