18 November 2008: IBM announces plans to acquire portfolio company Transitive® - potential exit for MTF
IBM today announced it plans to acquire Transitive Corporation, a privately held technology company headquartered in Los Gatos, California, with a research and development team in Manchester, United Kingdom. Financial terms were not disclosed. Transitive is a leader in cross-platform virtualization and a pioneer in developing technologies that allow applications written for one type of microprocessor and operating system to run on multiple platforms - with little or no modification. As a result, the technology will enable customers to consolidate their Linux-based applications onto the IBM systems that make the most sense for their business needs. Transitive's breakthrough technology has earned the company 48 worldwide patents and numerous industry awards. This acquisition is part of IBM's strategy to help clients optimize the efficiency and productivity of their computing infrastructure and improve the utilization of the servers that run them. With this translation technology, along with existing migration capabilities, IBM systems give businesses a faster, easier path for server consolidation to reduce operational expenses, floorspace and energy costs.

16 September 2008: Portfolio company Transitive® achieves milestone following deployment in 15 million systems worldwide
Transitive® Corporation, the leading provider of cross-platform virtualization solutions, today announced it has surpassed the milestone of 15 million product shipments worldwide. Transitive's award-winning cross-platform virtualization solutions, which ship with all Apple Macintosh computers and most IBM Power Systems servers, enable software applications to run on different hardware platforms without source code or binary changes at speeds comparable to native ports. In addition to custom solutions built for partners such as Apple and IBM, Transitive sells its QuickTransit® enterprise product line directly and through a global network of distribution partners that include Fujitsu Siemens Computers, HP and Red Hat.

"As virtualization becomes a mainstream datacenter solution, IT managers recognize that only cross-platform virtualization, which frees software from legacy processors and operating systems, will enable them to move all their applications off outdated hardware and onto more powerful and efficient servers without the costs and delays of complex porting projects," said Bob Wiederhold, CEO and president of Transitive. "Transitive continues to lead the industry in delivering this technology, which is why so many of the world's leading server and virtualization vendors are partnering with us."

By deploying QuickTransit on the latest enterprise server platforms, enterprise datacenter managers can replicate workloads that were previously tied to a single hardware platform and run them unmodified, without incurring the costs and delays of porting projects, and without disruption to end users. Furthermore, such comparatively easy workload replication can provide the basis for more cost-effective business continuity solutions, including disaster recovery, application scalability and dynamic workload re-balancing.

"The advantages of the virtualization trend are many and varied, but many datacenters may be forced to launch multiple virtualization strategies or expensive porting projects to account for the multiple platforms they maintain," said Tony Iams, vice-president and senior analyst for System Software Research at Ideas International, Inc. "Cross-platform virtualization eliminates this obstacle, allowing datacenters to take a single, simple approach to virtualization that delivers the maximum benefits from initiatives related to server consolidation, disaster recovery, energy efficiency, and legacy migration."

4 September 2008: Portfolio company Gentronix goes East
Innovative biotechnology company Gentronix (Manchester, UK) is pleased to announce a new agreement with LSG Corporation (Tokyo, Japan). The deal enables introduction of the GreenScreen® HC range of human cell-based genotoxicity assays access across Japan, allowing scientists to accelerate the pace of drug discovery and development.

LSG has over 30 years' experience providing researchers the tools and products required to solve even the toughest challenges within the life science arena. As a subsidiary of EPS Co., Ltd., one of the largest clinical research organisations (CROs) in Japan, LSG is the ideal partner to promote the benefits of GreenScreen assays in this key market. GreenScreen HC, also available with a standardised S9 metabolic activation protocol, identifies genotoxic compounds in early screening of drug candidates. With a microplate format to enable high-throughput analysis, GreenScreen helps to remove the current bottlenecks commonly found in preclinical research and development.

Commercial director at Gentronix, Steve Beasley, comments: "We are delighted to have signed this agency agreement with LSG Corporation. LSG's experience and extensive contacts in the Japanese life sciences and toxicology sectors will help to further develop our customer base in this important market."

23 July 2008: Portfolio company TDL Sensors attend prestigious infrared plasma spectroscopy conference in Germany
TDL Sensors participated in the 3rd International Workshop on Infrared Plasma Spectroscopy organised by INP Greifswald and IfP, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany, July 23 to July 25 2008.

2 July 2008: Portfolio company Robertson Cooper hosts NHS well being and engagement forum
Due the success of its first NHS forum in London, where over 40 senior NHS professionals came together to network and hear from Professor Cary Cooper, RCL recently held the forum again - this time in Manchester.

Delegates had the opportunity to hear presentations from Professor Ivan Robertson and Harbhajan Brar, HR Director, Department of Health. This second major NHS event brought together those responsible for delivering on well-being in the NHS and provided world-class input from leading experts and practitioners.

11 June 2008: Portfolio company Nanoco appoints KISCO Ltd as exclusive Asian distributor
Nanoco Technologies and KISCO Ltd (KISCO) will be shaping the future together with the signing of a distribution agreement appointing KISCO as the exclusive Asian distributor of Nanoco's advanced quantum dots materials.

Next generation electronic applications will be the first to benefit from this collaboration as KISCO begin by working with Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese electronics customers to incorporate Nanoco's quantum dots into products including electroluminescent quantum dot displays ("EL-QD"), solid state lighting and photovoltaic devices.

4 June 2008: Portfolio company Silistix establishes presence in Israel with appointmentof Phoenix Technologies
Silistix, a leading provider of innovative software for the design of on-chip communication solutions, announced today that it has appointed Phoenix Technologies Ltd. to provide sales, marketing and technical support for its CHAIN®works product line in Israel.

Phoenix Technologies is a representative company headquartered in Kfar Saba, Israel and is focused on facilitating shorter time-to-market for both customers and high tech suppliers by providing superior logistics and technical support to the Israel market. The company represents more than 90 technology companies including Actel, ARM, Kawasaki Microelectronics and Analog Devices.

"Israel is very influential in the high-tech industry; particularly in the development of high-end processors and other fundamental technologies for today's complex SoC designs," said Tim Smith, Vice President of Worldwide Field Operations for Silistix. "The combination of Phoenix Technologies' IP and ASIC/ASSP experience and market knowledge will help accelerate the adoption of Silistix' products with leading customers in this area."

"Silistix' products address the challenges faced by designers of the most-complex multi-processor SoCs" said Benny Munitz, Product Manager at Phoenix Technologies. "We look forward to using our experience in the Israeli market to broaden the reach of Silistix in this important market."

10 Mar 2008: Portfolio company Gentronix launches new assay
Now available with an S9 protocol to detect genotoxic metabolites, GreenScreen HC from Gentronix is a human cell-based genotoxicity screening assay used in drug discovery programmes during lead compound optimisation and candidate selection.

Potential pharmaceutical compounds which only present a genotoxicity hazard after metabolism, usually by the liver, are known as pro-genotoxins. The utility of GreenScreen HC has now been extended to detect pro-genotoxins as well as all common mechanistic classes of genotoxin including mutagens, clastogens, aneugens, as well as both topoisomerase and polymerase inhibitors.

Using a standardized 96-well microplate format, the test compound and patented Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) reporter cells are combined with 1% S9 for a 3 hour exposure period. After exposure, cells are washed to remove the S9 and test compound and then allowed a further 45 hour recovery incubation. Cell viability and GFP fluorescence data are assessed using flow cytometry and simple software generates quantitative results and a graphical output.

Minimal investment in early genotoxicity screening delivers major time savings, avoids unnecessary animal testing and prevents costly late stage failures of lead drug compounds through early detection of genotoxic potential. Combining exceptional levels of specificity and sensitivity, GreenScreen HC also correctly identifies non-carcinogenic compounds known to give misleading positive results in other in vitro genotoxicity assays.

28 Feb 2008: Portfolio company Perceptive Engineering boosts speaker panel at Pharma industry conference
David Lovett, Prof. Julian Morris and David Littlejohn of Perceptive Engineering appear on the Speaker panel for Pharma IQ's 5th Annual PAT and Quality by Design 2008 event held in London on February 28-29 2008.

25 Feb 2008: Portfolio company Transitive® celebrates 10 million product shipments worldwide
Transitive® Corporation, the leading provider of cross-platform virtualization solutions, has achieved a notable milestone as a result of having its products shipped in more than 10 million computer systems worldwide. In addition to attaining one of the world's largest deployments of virtualization technology, Transitive has further expanded the availability of its award-winning solutions by signing global distribution agreements with market-leading strategic partners that include HP, Fujitsu Siemens Computers and Red Hat.

21 & 28 February 2008: MTF and UMIP visit the Manchester Climbing Centre
On two consecutive Thursday evenings in February, MTF entertained two teams from UMIP at the Manchester Climbing Centre. The evenings began with instruction on safety, ropework and basic climbing techniques before we were placed in teams and let loose on some of the easier climbing problems. Once initial fear was overcome and confidence placed in the partner with the rope, we could begin to tackle the technical problems of how best to place hands and feet. All agreed it made a change from the usual corporate events and was a very concrete demonstration of teamwork and trust.

Richard Price manages a smile for the camera	Gordon Barker leads the way	Rich Ferrie prepares to belay MTF's Peter Folkman
Lizzie Crawford demonstrates the figure of 8 knot	From L to R Jackie Roy, Richard Price, Heather White, Dan Syder & MTF's Jennifer Raffle	Conor Mulrooney shows no fear

21 Jan 2008: Portfolio company Nanoco named as low carbon pioneer
Nanoco Technologies Ltd feature in the list of the top 100 low-carbon pioneers compiled by CNBC European Business.

Nanoco Technologies Ltd were selected to feature in the list of the top 100 low-carbon pioneers compiled by CNBC European Business. The article features in the latest edition of CNBC European Business ( Jan/Feb 2008)

The list was researched between June and December 2007 and an extensive shortlist of companies built up through multiple interviews with leaders in both the profit and non-profit low carbon sectors - an extended form of peer review.

In addition to CNBC European Business' editorial team, an external panel was also appointed to nominate and review candidate companies. The final list was decided on the basis of the degree to which the company had taken a courageous or ground-breaking stance on climate change, or that it embraced a future, low carbon solution in the form of clean technology or renewable energy.

18 Oct 2007: Portfolio company Silistix one of winners of 2007 English Tech Tour
The European Tech Tour today announced that 24 companies including Manchester based chip company Silistix had been selected as the winners of its 2007 English Tech Tour, in which the country's most promising high growth, early- and expansion-stage technology companies stand to benefit from investment funding.

The 24 winners were chosen from a pool of nearly 300 candidates and selected based on detailed reviews by the English Tech Tour's Selection Committee of leading venture capital firms in the UK. The reviews assessed the uniqueness of their technology, strength of their business model, vision, capability to execute on the business plan and the quality of their management team and track record.

This is the second time in its history that the European Tech Tour has come to England; the last time it was held was in 2004. The European Tech Tour was founded in 1998 and this is the 27th tour it has conducted.

"There has never been a more exciting time to set up a high-growth technology company in England," said Keith Arundale, president of the English Tech Tour 2007. "Last year, there was three times the amount of technology investment in England compared with 2004, and funding for technology ventures increased an incredible seven-fold in the UK overall.(i) We've come a long way since the previous Tech Tour was conducted and the outlook for the technology sector is positive."

Nigel Grierson, managing director and founder of Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures, an English Tech Tour participant and sponsor, commented: "There is no doubt that entrepreneurs continue to be globally ambitious, high quality and determined to build world-class businesses. This entrepreneurial spirit is embodied in many of this year's winners, some of whom may well be leaders in the future."

1 Oct 2007: MTF announces investment in Truthtek project
MTF has provided initial seed investment to Truthtek, a spin-out from Manchester Metropolitan University with software technology for the analysis of non-verbal behaviour in video streams of structured interviews. MTF's investment will support a programme of market analysis and business planning, which will draw on the wide interest which has been shown in this technology. At the same time the company has appointed Dr Mark Wells as interim CEO. Mark has a successful track record as CEO of several venture-backed software companies.

31 August 2007: Portfolio company Plasma Clean makes the world a fresher place
Plasma Clean today announces the launch of its innovative system for improving environmental air quality and, thanks to the award of a prestigious Research & Development grant from the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDRDA), will soon be launching a system for polluted industrial applications.

Plasma Clean, based in Stockport, Cheshire, has developed an innovative system for improving environmental air quality by the removal of harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), odours and microbes. The system requires low power levels to operate and is a low maintenance system. It is currently being independently tested and is also being evaluated by a growing number of international healthcare and industrial companies who are keen to license the patent protected technology.

Now that this first application is reaching commercialization, Plasma Clean is focusing on creating a next generation product which is capable of large scale air purification. This product will have industrial applications in plants making everything from semi-conductors to automotive paint spraying facilities - in practice anywhere facing issues such VOCs, odours and airborne microbes. The development of the next generation of products has been assisted by the award by the NWRDA of a prestigious research & development grant to the Company.

David Glover, founder of Plasma Clean, said of the grant:
"The award of our grant has made a dramatic difference to the potential of Plasma Clean. The funds we have been given will enable us to take a whole new enivironmentally friendly product range to market, which will help to reduce carbon emissions for our customers and for the end users."

Plasma Clean's technology is green and clean air filtration at its best. We deliver it in a simple cassette which converts harmful organic air contaminants into harmless by-products. It is a simpler and more environmentally friendly alternative to established carbon based air filtration systems. A further benefit of the system is that it does not need to be taken off site for incineration or placed in landfill. This means that the carbon footprint of Plasma Clean's technology is significantly reduced.

George Whitehead of NESTA, one of the founding investors in Plasma Clean, said
"NESTA has been particularly interested in the Clean-Tech investment space for sometime now. We continue to back innovative early stage technology businesses, like Plasma Clean. It is encouraging that this strategy is being validated as our portfolio companies move into commercial development.

"David Glover and his team are also to be congratulated on the NWRDA grant. The competition for these grants is fierce and it is therefore an award that is a real sign of the quality Plasma Clean's proposition."

30 June 2007: Director of portfolio company Nano ePrint wins research prize
Aimin Song, Professor in the Microelectronics and Nanostructures group within the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Technical Director of Nano E Print achieved recognition by being named Researcher of the Year, one of the most prestigious awards in the University of Manchester.

14 June 2007: Portfolio company Ai2 appoints new chairman
Kevin D'Silva joins Ai2 as Non-Executive Chairman. Kevin D'Silva, former group managing director of Teleflex Medical and Ferraris Group PLC, brings a wealth of experience of the medical device industry. Kevin is looking forward to working with Ai2, at a time when its technology is set to strongly impact the medical device sector.

8 June 2007: MTF's Peter Folkman appears Money Programme's investigation into the world of Venture Capital
On Friday 8 June at 19.00, an edition of the BBC's "Money Programme" was broadcast entitled "The AA: rescue or wrong turn?". The programme presented contrasting views of the investment by leading VC firm Permira into household name the AA. Peter's role was to explain the financing structure and tax consequences of the deal which he did with his characteristic brevity and clarity. Half an hour is scarcely long enough to cover all aspects of a complex transaction like this one and the wider issues it raises.

1 May 2007: MTF announces investment in Nano E Print
University of Manchester spin-out, Nano ePrint, secured first round seed investment in May 2007. The $1M investment, including support from Manchester Technology Fund and an undisclosed private investor, will enable the company to substantially expand current technical and commercial teams. In 2008, Nano ePrint expects to unveil its technology prototypes for high-frequency RFID and flexible displays based on the company's proprietary printing and patterning intellectual property.