EIS Investment Opportunities

The EIS (Enterprise Investment Scheme) is a government backed investment scheme introduced in the UK in 1994 to connect promising startups and scaleups with private investors. Having raised over £24 billion for more than 33,000 SMEs in that period, the EIS's rapid growth in popularity can be partly attributed to the range of generous tax reliefs it offers investors.

When investing in the EIS, individuals have the potential to claim five key tax reliefs, together aimed at maximising the returns and minimising the risk associated with investing in early stage companies:

1. 30% income tax relief 

2. Capital gains tax exemption

3. Capital gains deferral relief 

4. Inheritance tax relief

5. Loss relief

Investors are able to choose from two main routes when looking to invest in EIS opportunities - either via investing directly into individual, EIS-qualifying companies, or investing through an EIS fund whereby a fund manager effectively develops a portfolio on the investor’s behalf. A number of benefits, drawbacks and caveats exist for investing in either route, all of which are explained in this guide.

Though anyone that is a UK resident (or that claims UK tax liabilities) can invest using the EIS, the generous tax reliefs and higher risk-return profile of the scheme can make it particularly attractive to experienced investors, high net-worth individuals, those planning for later life and people with large income tax bills - largely through headline tax advantages including 30% income tax relief and capital gains tax exemption.

EIS investments often target higher, but longer term rates of return than many traditional, dividend-paying routes such as mature private equity, and in doing so will usually not pay regular dividends themselves. Instead EIS investments pay the full sum of the return when the company exits, often via an IPO (initial public offering) or sale.

GCV Invest is a private investor network for experienced investors, family offices and institutional investors.

We originate and structure investment into alternative investment opportunities including; venture capital, private equity and property transactions.

If you would like to join GCV and become part of our private investor network, you can either sign up here, or contact Millie Haigh (Investor Relations Director) directly via millie.gerber@growthcapitalventures.co.uk and he will guide you through the process.  

The GCV Investment teams are well networked and uses its embedded presence in the key UK corporate finance regions to access a range of investment opportunities in private companies with significant potential for growth. The property team have long standing relationships with landowners and agents through key target regions.

Opportunities are often introduced on an off-market basis, on the strength of longstanding personal relationships, or by professional advisers who are aware of our expertise and ability to work constructively on venture capital, private equity and property transactions.

The GCV Investment Team screens over 750 opportunities per annum and only selects 10 to 20 opportunities for detailed assessment.  From those 10 to 20 opportunities the team will assess each opportunity against carefully selected investment criteria.  The objective is to ensure only the best possible transactions are made available to GCV Invest Members.  The GCV Founders and Investment Team invest personally in each and every transaction.

To invest with GCV Invest you must first become a member.  The process is carried out online through the GCV Invest Portal.

You can access it here.

GCV Invest is aimed at Experienced Investors who are comfortable making their own investment decisions and would like to allocate part of their investment portfolio to Alternative Investments.

The joining process is simple;

1. Create your Account - Open your online GCV Invest Members Account.

2. Complete Identification Process - As part of the joining process we will need to verify your identity and carry out Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti Money Laundering (AML) checks.  These checks are carried out in real-time and you go through the online application process.

3. Investor Appropriateness  - The final step in becoming a GCV Investment Member is a short questionnaire to ensure the type of investments GCV provide match your requirements and risk, return profile.

Once you have joined, you can access each investment opportunity, build your portfolio of well researched, carefully selected investment opportunities and track performance on your dedicated Client Account through the GCV Invest Online Portal.