Vala Capital, an entrepreneur-led venture capital firm, has appointed Lian Michelson, a successful entrepreneur and experienced angel investor, as investment director for its EIS portfolios.
The appointment comes as Vala launches a new tranche for its Sustainable Growth EIS portfolio – targeting small companies focused on sustainable solutions.
Michelson has more than a decade of experience of early stage investing, supporting founding teams with business development, strategy and fundraising. In 2012, she founded Then and Now, an online marketplace that represents over 500 worldwide clothing brands. Michelson started her career as a fixed income trader for Morgan Stanley and joins Vala from US-based Conscience VC, where she was a venture partner.
Vala plans to raise GBP20 million over the next two years for its Sustainable Growth EIS and is aiming to raise up to GBP2 million in its latest round, which closes at the end of this month. The fund is targeting full deployment of investors’ capital before 5 April 2022.
