The Mercia Technology Seed Fund is managed by a team of executives based in Birmingham who are highly experienced at investing at seed investment level in technology opportunities. Each investment executive has a particular sector expertise.

Dr Mark Payton, MBA
Mark’s first degree was in Human Biology from Oxford. He has a PhD from King's College (University of London) in molecular immunology, an MBA from Warwick Business School and an Investment Management Certificate from CFAUK. Prior to joining the fund, Mark was at the Department of Pharmacology (University of Oxford), played leading roles within Isis Innovation (the technology transfer arm of the University of Oxford) and was VP Corporate Development at Oxxon Therapeutics Inc (before its sale to Oxford BioMedica Plc). Mark benefits from over 15 years experience from the commercialisation of life science opportunities in the biotech, niche pharma, medtech and diagnostics sectors. Mark has led investments, and is on the board (as a director or observer), on Anaxsys, Celentyx, Concurrent Thinking, Hybrid Systems, nanoTherics and Warwick Effect Polymers.
markp@merciafund.co.uk

Dr Mark Bowman, MBA
Mark has worked at Porton Capital making investments, via Synergis Technologies, into spin-out companies from UK public sector research establishments and universities across the UK. Prior to this he was Head of the Enterprise Unit at the University of Kent, served as managing director of Kent Enterprise Ltd. An Oxford chemistry graduate, Mark also holds a PhD from Cardiff University, an MBA from Warwick Business School and an Investment Management Certificate from CFAUK. Mark has particular expertise in the IT and chemical sciences sectors. Mark has led investments, and is on the board (as a director or observer), on Circadian Solar , DigePrint and Scyron.
markb@merciafund.co.uk

Tim Hazell, MBA
Tim is a graduate in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, London, has a Masters Degree in Science Technology and Industrialisation from the University of Sussex, an MBA from the Open University and is fully FSA accredited. He has been involved in investment work since 1985, first with UBS Phillips and Drew, where he was the analyst responsible for all research on North American high technology and capital goods companies, and then with 3i PLC on venture capital activities including start ups, management buy-outs and acquisition funding. Tim has particular technical expertise in engineering, advanced materials and IT. Tim has led investments, and is on the board (as a director or observer), on LM Technologies, Intelligent Orthopaedics and Warwick Audio Technologies.
timh@merciafund.co.uk

Dr Everard Mascarenhas, MBA
Everard is a highly experienced business development focused manager with a successful track record of commercialising ICT technologies. He also has significant experience of project managing early stage technology to commercialised product. Previous experience includes IP Group plc, Honeywell, IO Global, New Venture Partners LLC, QE Intellectual Property Ltd, and PA Consulting Group. Everard read physics at University College Swansea, has a PhD in semi conductor devices from Nottingham Trent University, and an MBA from Imperial College. Everard has particular expertise in the telecommunication, physical sciences and advanced materials sectors. Everard has led investments, and is on the board (as a director or observer), on Sarissa BioMedical.
everardm@merciafund.co.uk

The MTSF benefits from the oversight of a highly-experienced Advisory Committee that includes a number of independent members with extensive experience of technology-based private equity and venture capital investment. The Advisory Committee also includes representatives of the MTSF's investors.

Mr Michael Cumming
Chairman
Michael has over 35 years of experience in investing in unquoted technology-based companies and was managing director of Barclays Private Equity for 14 years.

Mr Peter Dicks
Vice Chairman
Peter started his career as a stockbroker and was co-founder of Abingworth Plc in 1973. Abingworth was a quoted venture capital company based in London and made investments in technology-based companies in the UK and the USA.

Dr Tony Diment
Tony started his venture capital career with 3i, where he was responsible for investment in early-stage and start-up IT companies in the USA and Europe. He previously ran CRIL, the Cambridge-based seed fund, and is currently a non-executive director of Foresight Technology VCT plc, Cascade Fund Management Ltd, and a member of the investment committee of the South East Seed Fund.

Dr Norman Price OBE
Norman has extensive experience of the innovation process in a wide variety of industrial sectors, and across large, medium, and start-up businesses. As Chairman, he previously took a Durham University spin-out company to the main market at a £60m capitalisation. Norman is also Chairman of the Regional Finance Forum in the West Midlands, which has developed 6 venture capital funds.

Mr Patrick Palmer
Head of Head of Access to Finance, Advantage West Midlands
Patrick joined Advantage West Midlands in 2004 after nearly 30 years in financial roles in the private sector, firstly with Price Waterhouse, then as Group Finance Director of two listed companies and finally on a self employed basis.

Professor Stuart Palmer
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Warwick

Professor Judith Petts
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Knowledge Transfer), University of Birmingham

 Dr Ederyn Williams
Managing Director, Warwick Ventures
Warwick Ventures is the technology transfer arm of the University of Warwick. Ederyn has been managing university technology transfer for 17 years, in Leeds and then Warwick. He has been responsible for helping create over 50 technology-based spin-out companies, as well hundreds of patents and licences.

Dr James Wilkie
CEO, Alta Innovations Ltd
Alta Innovations Ltd is the technology transfer company of the University of Birmingham. James has previously held senior positions at Shell Oil, Shell Solar, Morgan Crucible and Johnson Matthey plc. He is an expert in the commercialisation of solar power and fuel cell technologies.