Alternative investments manager Oxford Capital has appointed Stephen Hampson as Investment Director.
Hampson will focus on deal origination and new investments in addition to portfolio development and management focusing on the venture capital portfolio. The portfolio focuses on investing in early stage UK technology companies in sectors which the UK is considered a world leader such as fintech, AI and machine learning and digital health
Hampson has over 20 years of experience in building technology companies as both a CEO and investor with experience in a wide range of industries, technologies, and geographies; including Europe, Australasia and the Middle East.
Hampson has been involved in the creation of more than 30 deep-tech companies as founder and CEO of Powerhouse, an investment company that developed, incubated, and funded spinout companies from universities. Investing at seed stage and supporting founders through scale-up and growth, Powerhouse investments came from a wide range of technology sectors, including digital, robotics, green technologies and life sciences. Hampson led Powerhouse through to a first-of-its-kind listing on the Australian stock exchange.
After gaining a PhD in machine learning and robotics from the University of Canterbury, Hampson continued with postdoctoral research in modern control theory at the University of Bath. He has a close relationship with Bayes Business School in London, investigating how business models can optimise growth while dealing with complexity and uncertainty. He is a member of the International Chartered Governance Institute.
David Mott, Founding Partner, Oxford Capital, says: “We’re thrilled to have Stephen on board, his experience and expertise is invaluable in supporting the growth of our companies from seed stage and throughout their growth cycles. At Oxford Capital we’re passionate about backing founders to deliver meaningful impact in their fields and Stephen brings a huge amount of experience in supporting entrepreneurs throughout their journeys.”
Hampson says: “I’m delighted to have joined Oxford Capital, the team have backed a portfolio of high calibre companies, from seed stage with a number emerging as strong performers. There is so much to be excited about within the UK start-up tech sector and the pace of change is accelerating rapidly, especially within Oxford, where the university has once again topped the world rankings. I’m looking forward to backing more founders and their teams in companies which have the potential to grow rapidly and deliver real change for the environment, society, health and wellbeing.”
Oxford Capital is passionate about working with founders to back them during their journey and has supported over 50 high growth companies. The investment team uses the depth and breadth of their experience to create situations where the chances of success are increased. Its networks and knowledge help founders shape strategy, recruit key staff and connect the business with potential suppliers, customers and partners.
