£1million co-investment secures development of green
communication technology in Wales
02/06/09
A Cardiff-based early stage company developing a revolutionary
approach to helping the mobile communications industry design
highly efficient communications systems has successfully raised
£1million through its first equity funding round.
Mesuro Ltd, a spin-out from Cardiff University, has received
co-investment from Finance Wales plc, Fusion IP and the ERA
Foundation to commercialise technology that enables the energy
efficient operation of base stations in mobile communication
networks and mobile phones by using less power, so reducing CO2
emissions.
Mesuro’s technology ensures the efficient design and operation
of power amplifiers, a key component within mobile phone networks.
Its product could lead to massive economic and environmental
benefits for the communications industry globally.
Richard Emsley of Mesuro Ltd, explained why their product
development was unique. “Modern mobile phones contain a number of
wireless applications such as, Bluetooth, WiFi and the phone
itself. All these technologies rely on power amplifiers to
broadcast the signal and are notoriously power hungry components.
Mesuro’s technology allows the mobile phone manufacturer to make
their power amplifiers operate closer to theoretical efficiency,
something which has not previously been possible.
“For the mobile phone user this means increased battery life and
no more hot ears after long phone calls (hot phones are a sign that
the power amplifier is not working efficiently, as it is creating
heat not signal). For the mobile phone companies it means reduced
power consumption and lower electricity bills, and for the planet
it means lower CO2 emissions.”
Finance Wales plc and university investment group, Fusion IP
plc, are each investing £375,000 in equity alongside £250,000 from
the ERA Foundation.
Advisors on the deal were Hugh James (legals), Sagentia
(commercial due diligence) and IP Pragmatics (IP review).
Mesuro Ltd is one of Fusion IP’s first spin out companies from
Cardiff University. Fusion IP owns the rights to 100 per cent of
the university-owned research generated at Sheffield University and
Cardiff University.
Steve Smith, Director of Early Stage Investments at Finance
Wales plc, said “Our backing of Mesuro Ltd reflects Finance Wales’s
commitment to invest in early stage businesses that have novel
technologies, robust intellectual property (IP) and the capacity to
break into global markets
He added: “Through our partnership with Fusion IP, we quickly
identified that Mesuro had developed pioneering technology for the
rapid design and development of test and measurement systems for
users of high frequency power amplifiers.”
“Working in partnership with the company and our co-investment
partners we were able to structure an investment package that
affords Mesuro the opportunity to complete its product development
and achieve its all important first sales.”
Another co-investor is the ERA Foundation which specialises in
providing finance for early-stage technology companies through its
co-investment venture capital fund.
Commenting on its investment in Mesuro Ltd, Sir Alan Rudge,
Chairman of the ERA Foundation, said: “We are very pleased to be
making this investment in a spin-out from Cardiff University. There
is an urgent need for the nation to return to a balanced economy
with industry playing a more important role.
“The ERA Foundation is committed to providing what support we
can to the electro-technology sector of industry – and we are
excited by the technology Mesuro has produced.”
Media enquiries
E-mail: communications@financewales.co.uk
Telephone: 029 2033 8126