Top 10 holdings

As at September 2022

1. Rapyd

Private

The world’s largest local payments network

Rapyd is the fastest way to power local payments anywhere in the world, enabling companies across the globe to access markets quicker than ever before. By utilizing Rapyd's payments network and Fintech-as-a-Service platform, businesses and consumers can engage in local and cross-border transactions in any market. The Rapyd platform is unifying fragmented payment systems worldwide by bringing together 900-plus payment methods in over 100 countries.

https://www.rapyd.net/

2. Waterlogic

Private

Provider of global workplace hydration solutions

Waterlogic is an innovative designer, manufacturer, distributor and service provider of drinking water dispensers and solutions designed for environments such as offices, factories, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, schools, and public spaces. From freestanding, countertop and integrated dispensers to water filling stations, fountains and boilers, every solution focuses on delivering high quality water in a safe and sustainable way.

https://www.waterlogic.com/

3. Cera

Private

Technology-enabled home care services provider

Cera is a technology-enabled healthcare company which has grown rapidly to become one of the largest home care providers in the United Kingdom. Cera has pioneered digital services, data analytics technologies and artificial intelligence to improve elderly care, empowering users to live longer, healthier and better lives at home.

https://www.ceracare.co.uk/

4. Graphcore

Private

Developer of new processors for machine intelligence

Graphcore has developed the Intelligence Processing Unit (IPU), a new type of microprocessor specifically designed from the ground up to meet the needs of current and next-generation artificial intelligence (“AI”) applications. Graphcore's proprietary technology combines its advanced semiconductor hardware, the world's most complex processor, with its powerful software tools, to dramatically outperform legacy technologies such as graphic processing units.

https://www.graphcore.ai/

5. Easypark

Private

Fast-growing European mobility company that helps drivers to find, manage and pay for both parking and electric vehicle charging

EasyPark Group’s technology supports its users, the companies they work for, cities and parking operators with parking administration, planning and management working seamlessly in over 2,200 cities across 20 countries throughout Europe and Australia.

https://easyparkgroup.com/

6. Learning Curve Group

Private

Provider of training and education services for adults

Learning Curve provides life-changing opportunities for over 120,000 learners and 4,500 employers per year to help upskill both new and existing staff, enabling individuals to develop new skills in order to enter employment or advance their careers. The company, which has received ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ OFSTED ratings for its business divisions, works with a range of businesses, individuals and further education colleges across the UK, offering a diverse range of over 150 courses in a variety of sectors including Health & Social Care, Education, Business and IT, Hair & Beauty and Fitness.

https://www.learningcurvegroup.co.uk/

7. Ascential

Public

Marketing for the digital age

Ascential has its origins in 19th century newspapers but today it is one of the next generation marketing companies, leading the way in using real-time data analytics to monitor and adapt pricing and product strategy for their clients. It works with two thirds of the world’s 100 most valuable brands and has become indispensable in understanding key nascent market trends. They also operate key events and exhibitions such as Cannes Lion and Money 20/20.

https://www.ascential.com/

8. OSB

Public

Leading specialist mortgage lender

OSB Group is a leading specialist mortgage lender, primarily focused on carefully selected sub-sectors of the mortgage market. Its specialist lending is supported by a stable retail savings franchise with 150 years of heritage.

https://www.osb.co.uk/

9. Keyword Studios

Public

International technical and creative services provider to the global video games industry and beyond

Keywords Studios is an international technical and creative services provider to the global video games industry. Established in 1998, and now with over 70 facilities in 23 countries strategically located in Asia, Australia, the Americas and Europe, it provides integrated art creation, marketing services, game development, testing, localization, audio and player support services across more than 50 languages and 16 games platforms to a blue-chip client base of over 950 clients across the globe. Keywords Studios has a strong market position, providing services to 23 of the top 25 most prominent games companies. Across the games and entertainment industry, clients include Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, Bethesda, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Konami, Microsoft, Netflix, Riot Games, Square Enix, Supercell, TakeTwo, Tencent and Ubisoft.

https://www.keywordsstudios.com/

10. Genuit Group

Public

Group of businesses that serve the construction industry by providing sustainable water, climate and ventilation management solutions.

Genuit has a goal to be the leading provider of sustainable construction products for heating, plumbing, drainage, and ventilation. Its purpose is to address the challenges caused by climate change and urbanisation by providing water, climate and ventilation management solutions to the residential, commercial and infrastructure sectors.

https://www.genuitgroup.com/

The key risks that are specific to the Company

  • The Company’s strategy is to invest, initially, in companies impacted by the Covid-19 crisis in the approximately £50 million to £2 billion equity value range. These companies may not have the financial strength, diversity and resources which larger companies may have and there may be a higher risk that these companies will find it more difficult to operate during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as in periods of economic slowdown and recession. The risk of bankruptcy of such companies is also generally higher. Therefore, investment in such companies could be riskier than investments in larger companies and the deterioration in the financial condition or bankruptcy of such companies may result in greater volatility in the Company’s net asset value (“NAV”) and may materially and adversely affect the performance of the Company and returns to Shareholders.
  • The long-term impacts of Covid-19 are unknown, rapidly-evolving and may be materially more severe and/or more permanent than anticipated. It is difficult to accurately predict the effects these factors may have on the investee companies within the Company’s portfolio and on the Company. The Company may invest in investee companies which do not meet the target returns anticipated by the Portfolio Managers (being Schroder Investment Management Limited and Schroder Adveq Management AG (the “Portfolio Managers”)) due to the Portfolio Managers underestimating or failing to accurately predict or foresee the time scale, severity and/or impacts of the Covid-19 crisis, which could result in a material adverse impact on the performance of the Company, the NAV and the returns to Shareholders.
  • Private equity investments are difficult to value. Information from underlying investee companies may be delayed, missing or restricted which would lead to valuations being made on incomplete information.
  • It is difficult to accurately time the exit of private equity investments. Exits will take time and the Portfolio Managers may have very little influence on any decisions around the timing on exits.  Realisations of private equity investments may not occur on a regular straight line basis. Should an exit of a private equity investment be effected in such manner or time frame which is not compatible with the Company’s investment horizon, this could result in a material adverse impact on the Company’s NAV and on the return to Shareholders. 
  • There may not necessarily be a liquid market for shares in investee companies in the approximately £50 million to £2 billion equity value range even if their shares are publicly traded.
  • The AIFM, the Portfolio Managers and their affiliates will provide services to other clients, which could compete directly or indirectly with the activities of the Company and may be subject to conflicts of interest in respect of their activities on behalf of the Company.
  • The Company may not meet its investment objective and returns of the Company are not guaranteed.
  • The Company has a fixed life and in the event that no alternative proposals are put forward to Shareholders and approved by Shareholders ahead of the winding-up date, a winding-up resolution will be proposed at the winding-up date to voluntarily liquidate the Company. This could mean that certain investments, in particular, private equity investments, may not be able to be realised at an optimal price, or that the realisation of such investments may take longer than anticipated (as it could take several years after the commencement of the winding-up of the Company until all of the Company’s private equity investments could be disposed of and any final distribution of proceeds made to Shareholders).
  • The Company has no employees and the Directors have all been appointed on a non-executive basis.  Therefore, the Company is reliant upon the performance of third party service providers for its executive function. Failure by any of these or any other service provider to carry out its obligations to the Company in accordance with the terms of its appointment, together with a failure by the Company to enforce such terms, could have a materially detrimental impact on the operation of the Company.
  • Failure by the Company to maintain investment trust status, or changes in taxation legislation or practice, could result in the Company not being able to benefit from the current exemption for investment trusts from UK tax on chargeable gains and could affect the Company's ability to provide returns to Shareholders.
  • Changes in tax legislation or practices or laws or regulations governing the Company's operations (in particular, the Listing Rules, the Prospectus Regulation, the Prospectus Regulation Rules, the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules, the Market Abuse Regulation, the AIFMD and the PRIIPs Regulation) may adversely affect the Company's business.

Key risks specific to the securities:

  • The Company has a total return strategy and therefore may not pay dividends to Shareholders.
  • The value of the Shares can fluctuate and may go down as well as up and an investor may not get back the amount invested. The market price of the Shares, like shares in all investment trusts, may fluctuate independently of their underlying Net Asset Value and may trade at a discount or premium at different times, depending on factors such as supply and demand for the Shares, market conditions and general investor sentiment.
  • There can be no guarantee that a liquid market in the Shares will exist. Accordingly, Shareholders may be unable to realise their Shares at the quoted market price or at all.
  • The Company may issue new equity in the future pursuant to the Placing Programme or otherwise. Where statutory pre-emption rights are disapplied, any additional equity financing will be dilutive to those Shareholders who cannot, or choose not to, participate in such financing