Our Objective
More Qualified Opportunities
The Midlands is full of individuals that, at the end of a successful full-time entrepreneurial, corporate or professional career, have ‘Gone Plural’ - acting as a consultant, advisor, non-executive Director or Business Angel to multiple businesses.
We aim to help create and invest in market-leading High Growth Businesses by harnessing the experience, networks and investment potential of these individuals.
With a strong Venture Capital operating ethos at its core, we can then offer this to:
- Entrepreneurs running early-stage or HGB’s; and
- Other Stakeholders in the region who support HGBs who either don’t provide funding or provide funding as part of a syndicate.
A larger pool of minds and resources
Increased Confidence
The ability to see most of the interesting, investment-ready opportunities in the region and choose whether or not to make investments in these businesses as part of a crowd, increases the potential of these investments making ’a return’.
To emotionally and financially align all these ‘Plural’ individuals, The Ark invites them to become Founder Shareholders and Operating Partners and is seeking interest from anyone who would find this of interest.
Slicker Investment Management
Pre and Post Investment Process
With The Ark, investors benefit from a central body responsible for making the deal happen. With our help, no more will groups of private investors have to rely on self-organising.
We manage the investment process more effectively through the facilitation of important due diligence, key reporting, legal documentation, meetings and more.
Sharing the Risk
Greater Investment Potential
The investment resources of its Operating Partners means The Ark will attract businesses seeking funding. It will then use its network, and in-house Venture Capital skills, to establish which of these HGBs have the greatest potential and help prepare them strategically and operationally for investment.
This investment opportunity will then be offered to The Arks members who will each make their own investment decisions. In addition, due to its policy to invest in syndicates alongside other investors, it must build effective partnerships with all the investors in the region.
By sharing investments, The Arks Operating Partners share the risk, reduce the amount any one investor needs to contribute to the funding of a business and facilitate a more diversified investment portfolio.
Post-Investment Journey
Ongoing Advice & Mentorship
Post investment, The Ark and its members will continue the journey with these businesses providing added value through real-time advice and mentoring to help the business founders make the most of the opportunity they have created.
Members get access to a wider range of investment opportunities, support with structuring the investment and legal documentation.
The Spirit of Cooperation
Giving Something Back
As well as having a highly commercial streak, most successful business people have a strong desire to ‘Give Something Back’ and use their hard-won experience to help businesses navigate problems they may be encountering for the first time.
The Ark’s business model is built on the collective desire of its members to ‘Give Something Back’ by getting them to commit to provide in-depth, value added, pro-bono advice and, if appropriate, funding, to businesses with high growth potential and social enterprises with genuine commercial objectives.
In capturing this spirit of goodwill, The Ark can offer the sort of value-add support that ‘money just can’t buy’.
For Those Going "Plural"
Solving the Retirement Dilemma
The Ark aims to assist with retirement transition by offering an opportunity to become part of a network of likeminded individuals with access to a wide array of businesses which may benefit from the executive’s experience and network. Some of those businesses may provide an opportunity to make selective investments alongside the Ark and a syndicate of other investors.
The answer to "what comes next"
Retiring Professionals
For many successful businesspeople, stepping away from full time employment into a ‘plural’ life as a consultant, advisor, non-executive Director or investor to a number of businesses is an uncomfortable, and lonely, step into the unknown.
The Ark aims to assist with this transition by offering an opportunity to become part of a network of likeminded individuals with access to a wide array of businesses which may benefit from the executive’s experience and network. Some of those businesses may provide an opportunity to make selective investments alongside the Ark and a syndicate of other investors.
What would you tell your younger self?
Mentor the next generation
One of the key untapped resources of the region is the experience and expertise of the many professionals and successful entrepreneurs who have learnt the hard way. We hope you can find the time to mentor some of the region’s potential stars and help them to avoid the pitfalls and capitalise on the opportunities.
You might also get the opportunity to make some modest tax-efficient, investments in a portfolio of these businesses alongside a syndicate of like-minded individuals, and the region’s venture capital funds.
You may also be interested in becoming a founder shareholder in the Ark and contributing to the development of our business. If so please register your interest.
Register your interest
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