4 December 2013
Birmingham-based venture capital specialists Midven have appointed Jennifer Edwards as their new director of marketing.
Jennifer, who has relocated recently to the city from San Francisco, has 15 years’ experience in strategic marketing and communications. She has worked in a similar capacity for a number of US-based venture capital firms, as well as directed the launches of a number of high profile, early-stage start-ups in Silicon Valley.
Midven chief executive Tony Stott said: “With more than 90 early-stage and growth companies currently in our portfolio, Midven has an exciting story to tell about the great entrepreneurial work being done right here in the West Midlands and beyond. Jennifer will be an integral part of our work to extend Midven’s presence and support our mission to deliver value beyond equity to our portfolio companies.
“Jennifer’s background in integrated marketing, communications and digital media will be a great resource for many within our investment portfolio who are exploring innovative platforms to expand their brands and customer reach.”
Jennifer has worked in the US, UK and Hong Kong and most recently was the head of marketing at two high-technology firms in the education and financial services sectors. Jennifer is the founder of Public Relations Quality Assurance (PRQA), a consultancy that guides venture firms and companies in the effective use of marketing communications resources. She previously was a guest lecturer in digital marketing and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, and a Masters in Writing from the University of San Francisco.
Jennifer, who is married with a two-year-old daughter, lives in Old Yardley Village. She said: “This is a region rich in entrepreneurship and my intention is to highlight Midven and their portfolio companies through innovative campaigns that further promote the innovative enterprises in the Midlands and throughout the UK.”
About Midven
Midven is the leading Midlands-based provider of venture capital funding to early-stage and established businesses.
Midven currently manages five funds representing a total of £74m under management. Each of the funds has specific investment criteria but share the commonality of all being focused on early-stage and SME businesses. Midven recently announced an additional £10M investment in the Rainbow Seed Fund, expanding it to £24m and widening its remit to cover entrepreneurial scientists in the synthetic biology space.
Midven was established in 1990 and has grown significantly since the existing management team took ownership of the business in 2007. The Midven team has established a reputation for delivering solid commercial experience and creative business solutions to help their portfolio companies achieve exceptional outcomes. For more information, please visit www.midven.co.uk.