Puma Investments has introduced an Aim VCT, the first to launch to the market for 17 years.
It said demand from advisers and wealth managers along with an improving economic environment prompted the launch.
The Puma Aim VCT will be managed by the firm's investment team, led by Dr Stuart Rollason, who is behind the Puma Aim IHT Portfolio Service.
The team will also be joined by Daniel Cane, investment director from Toscafund Asset Management.
Rollason, who has been working in the Aim market since its inception in 1995, said: “We believe that following two consecutive economic shocks, the improving economic climate means that there will be strong appetite for companies to launch on Aim.
"This puts us in a positive position to deploy capital to support the management teams of a broad range of growth companies at favourable valuations.
“Utilising our thorough selection criteria we will target Aim companies that are moving away from the start-up stage, have undergone earlier stages of research and development, and have overcome the associated hurdles.
"We will seek companies that have already established some market presence, and where the proposition has been commercially validated.”
Puma VCTs have collectively raised more than £380mn since launching 20 years ago.
Rollason and Cane will be joined by investment manager, Joseph Cornwall, who joined Puma Investments in 2021 and previously led the Aim IHT service at Gore Browne Investment Management for five years.
David Kaye, CEO of Puma Investments, said: “We see significant opportunities on Aim and following demand from financial advisers, our dedicated and experienced investment team is committed to leveraging these opportunities to deliver value to our investors."
Alongside the investment team, the Puma Aim VCT will benefit from an independent board headed up by Jonathan Di-Stefano, who has been appointed as independent chair, has over 20 years’ experience in Aim listed real estate companies and was previously non-exec chairman at Belvoir Group Plc.
tara.o'connor@ft.com
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