SyndicateRoom explores which AIM companies investors should be watching
Companies: ABDP, FCRM, IGE, ZYT
An extract from Northland Capital's AIM Journal - December.
Crowd funding platform SyndicateRoom, is trying to provide additional capital for quoted smaller companies by launching its AIM WatchList. SyndicateRoom’s members can pledge capital to a company on the list. Each company on the WatchList has an experienced professional as a Watcher. SyndicateRoom has previously been involved in raising money for AIM- quoted companies, including Scancell and Fitbug, with mixed results but the initial WatchList companies have a much more solid base and are less risky.
Members can pledge money at a required discount and SyndicateRoom will aggregate the demand and approach the company, which chooses whether or not to accept the funding on those terms. The pledges are binding and SyndicateRoom says that it will obtain the best possible transaction and terms for members. The companies on the WatchList provide existing financial and corporate information and have potential access to, and an indication of, additional funding with little additional cost.
These companies have been trading for a number of years and are generating revenues. The WatchList includes automotive testing systems supplier AB Dynamics and 3D x-ray technology developer Image Scan, where Charles Breeze of Larpent Newton is the Watcher, and utility infrastructure services provider Fulcrum Utility Services and touch- screen products manufacturer Zytronic, where Chris Boxall of Fundamental Asset Management is the Watcher.
AIM-company focused crowdfunder PrimaryBid is offering investors the chance to become involved with broker-led placings rather than just bidding for shares in a particular company without any guarantee that the company wants the funds. It has already successfully raised cash as part of placings for Sound Energy and Mobile Streams.
PrimaryBid will notify any registered user who is ‘watching’ a particular company when a broker has approached the crowdfunder as part of a book build for a placing. A user can choose to participate and will immediately have to pay the amount of the investment by debit card.
PrimaryBid has simplified its registration procedure and a new smartphone app is due to be launched, which will enable applications for broker-led placings direct from a phone.