Edinburgh Napier University

The national investment group, which focuses on the creation, funding and scaling of innovative technology businesses with high growth potential, now has 18 university partners.

New partnerships have also been secured with Heriot-Watt, St Andrews and Sheffield Hallam as part of the group’s strategy to become the “go-to” finance provider for businesses with the right profile in Scotland and the north of England.

Mercia’s investments are generally in the digital, life sciences, electronics and hardware, and software industries. The company’s original portfolio includes 22 investments, mostly in the Midlands, where it’s based.

Collaborative university partnerships provide the group with access to a flow of spin-out and early stage investment opportunities. Together with the professional networks of Mercia’s team, the university partnerships provide Mercia with the ability to source new investments.

Mercia chief executive Mark Payton said: “These new Scottish university partnerships via our office in Edinburgh, alongside our existing partners of Abertay and Strathclyde Universities, reflect our strengthening presence in one of our target regions as we seek to become the go-to provider of finance for innovative Scottish companies.”

Edinburgh Napier has supported more than 250 student start-up companies to date, leading to it being named in a 2014 report by Biggar Economics as the most successful university in Scotland for graduate enterprise and start-ups.