SERAPHIM SPACE INVESTMENT
TRUST PLC
(the "Company" or
"SSIT")
Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc
(LSE: SSIT, the "Company"), the world's first listed SpaceTech
investment company, announces the sale of 100% of its interest in
nine early stage portfolio companies (the "Early Stage Portfolio")
to Seraphim Space Ventures II LP (the "Venture Fund"), a new
private venture capital vehicle managed by Seraphim Space Manager
LLP (the "Manager") for a total consideration of £3.8 million to be
settled through the issuance of an interest for SSIT in the Venture
Fund (the "Transaction"). The Venture Fund will invest during its
ten-year life in seed and series A stage SpaceTech companies
globally.
The Early Stage Portfolio comprises
all early stage investments made by SSIT since its IPO in July 2021
and has been valued in aggregate at £3.8 million by an independent
valuation agent, Azets. The valuation is as at 31 December 2023,
adjusted for accrued loan note interest (where relevant) for the
three months ended 31 March 2024 and the valuation of a recent
transaction in one company. The assets were acquired by SSIT for a
total cost of £3.5 million. The Early Stage Portfolio represented
1.7% of NAV as at 31 December 2023, and there is no change to NAV
as a result of the Transaction. This one-off transaction
represents 100% of SSIT's commitment to the Venture Fund and SSIT
will not make any further commitments to it. SSIT will not incur
any management fees or be subject to carried interest as a limited
partner in the Venture Fund.
The Venture Fund's focus on
investing in early stage SpaceTech businesses is expected to
complement the Company's investment strategy which remains focused
on growth stage opportunities. Through the Transaction, the
Company will get continued exposure to the Early Stage Portfolio as
well as a broader pool of early stage companies that the Venture
Fund is expecting to invest into, thereby providing the Company
with a ready-made pipeline of future growth round investment
opportunities.
Please see the Manager's
announcement here https://seraphim.vc/news/seraphim-press-release/
for further information about the Venture
Fund.
Will Whitehorn, Chair of Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc,
commented:
"The strategic decision to divest
the Early Stage Portfolio has the dual benefit of enabling SSIT to
concentrate its resources on its more mature assets, whilst also
building a larger pipeline for future growth round investments via
the Venture Fund's wider portfolio of early stage SpaceTech
companies. Hence we consider this transaction to be a win-win for
SSIT's shareholders."
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Ends -
Media Enquiries
Seraphim Space Manager LLP (via SEC Newgate)
|
|
Mark Boggett, CEO / James Bruegger,
CIO / Rob Desborough
|
|
SEC
Newgate (Communications advisers)
|
seraphim@secnewgate.co.uk
|
Clotilde Gros / Bob
Huxford
|
+44 (0) 20
3757 6767
|
Deutsche Numis
|
|
Mark Hankinson / David Benda / Gavin
Deane / Neil Coleman
|
+44 (0) 20
7545 8000
|
J.P. Morgan Cazenove
|
|
William Simmonds / Jérémie Birnbaum
/ Rupert Budge
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+44 (0) 20
7742 4000
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Ocorian Administration (UK) Limited
|
seraphimteam@ocorian.com
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Lorna Zimny
|
+44 (0) 28
9078 5880
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Notes to Editors
About Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc
Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc
(the "Company") is the world's first listed fund focused on
SpaceTech. The Company seeks exposure predominantly to early and
growth stage private financed SpaceTech businesses that have the
potential to dominate globally and that are sector leaders with
first mover advantages in areas such as climate, communications,
mobility and cyber security.
The Company is listed on the Premium
Segment of the London Stock Exchange.
Further information is available
at: https://investors.seraphim.vc.
About Seraphim Space Manager LLP
Seraphim Space Manager LLP
("Seraphim Space" or the "Manager") is based in the UK and manages
Seraphim Space Investment Trust plc.
Further information is available
at www.seraphim.vc.