Maven appoints technology specialist Melanie Goward to its London team

Maven is pleased to announce its appointment of Dr Melanie Goward as Investment Director to its London-based investment team, where she will be responsible for transacting new early-stage and technology focused private equity investments across the South of England and in Wales. Melanie Goward, Investment Director

Melanie’s appointment will complement Maven’s highly experienced UK team, bringing over 15 years’ experience of investing in dynamic, early-stage UK businesses, including investments in the technology, life science and biotechnology sectors. She has joined Maven from Finance Wales where, as fund manager for the Wales Technology Seed Fund, she worked with the Technology Ventures team to build a portfolio of high growth potential, innovative businesses.  

Melanie has focused her career to date in early-stage technology investment, having worked previously as Investment Director with Nesta Investments, where she was responsible for the healthcare portfolio, and in technology sector finance at Lloyds TSB Corporate, providing debt finance to high growth companies. Her interest in technology was originally sparked through her work as part of the research team for the international Human Genome Project, undertaken whilst completing her PhD in Genetics at Cambridge University. 

Maven is one of the best resourced and most active private equity managers in the UK, sourcing and making investments in UK SMEs on behalf of a range of funds, including six VCTs. At a time when recent changes in legislation have limited the types and age of companies that VCTs are able to finance, including the ability to support management buy-outs and acquisitions, VCT managers are focusing more on the provision of development capital and investing in businesses with growth capital requirements. 

Melanie Goward said: “I am very excited to be joining Maven’s highly experienced investment team. Maven has an enviable track record of investing in high growth private companies across a wide range of industries, and a highly respected presence across the corporate finance market. As part of the Maven team, I look forward to working with exciting SMEs within the UK early-stage and technology sectors and helping them to achieve their potential.” 

Bill Nixon, Managing Partner of Maven Capital Partners, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Melanie to the Maven team, which has been investing successfully in UK SMEs, at various stages of development, for 15 years. We have a strong record of backing innovative British businesses and the new VCT rules present an opportunity for some of the highest potential UK SMEs to attract the investment that will deliver their growth aspirations. 

We are very familiar with Melanie’s strong reputation in the early-stage and technology focused sectors, and her background and expertise will add to the wide range of sector specialisms within the Maven team.”