Bure Valley Group is an investment introducer platform which links successful investors with exciting, innovative UK startups seeking funding. This content is for information purposes only and should not be taken as financial or investment advice.
As an early-stage investor, you have the opportunity to invest in some of the fastest-growing, most innovative businesses in the world. Startup founders take risks and explore uncharted territories, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. In this guide, we explore three sectors which are changing the world in 2024 and how investors can get involved.
We hope these insights are useful. To learn more about our EIS projects and other early-stage opportunities, visit our portfolio page. For enquiries regarding our latest projects and funding, you can reach us via:
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#1 Green technology
Green technology (i.e. “green” or “clear” tech) continues to bring enormous change to industries, economies and lifestyles in 2024. Governments, campaign groups, and consumers across the world have joined in addressing climate change. Green tech will almost certainly be crucial in helping the UK – and other UN nations – achieve their “Net Zero” targets.
Naturally, corporations and startups involved in solar, wind, and other types of renewable energy are featured here. However, green tech is also promoting sustainable practices beyond this narrow focus – e.g. in agriculture, transportation and manufacturing.
For instance, Mootral (a British-Swiss AgriTech company) is tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by countering methane emissions from ruminants and reducing antibiotic use in monogastric livestock. It does this through two innovative feed solutions that help lower emissions and promote animal health and yields.
#2 Life science
By increasing our knowledge of living organisms and life processes, we could unlock new solutions which make us healthier, promote lifespans and encourage ecosystem flourishing. Life science innovations have many applications, most notably in biology, medicine and agriculture.
In healthcare, biotech advancements could lead to better diagnostics, treatments and patient outcomes. Examples of recent breakthroughs include genomics (the mapping of genomes), proteomics (the study of proteins) and personalised medicine.
The latter is notable in 2024. It uses an individual’s genetic profile to guide medical decisions. For instance, Allos is an Oxford-based startup specialising in the prognosis, monitoring and treatment of autoimmune conditions, especially Inflammatory Arthritis (IA).
At the primary care level, these are often missed by clinicians. Patients may not respond to the first line(s) of therapy. Allos facilitates personalised treatment for IA by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to provide faster, cheaper and safer patient outcomes.
Casting our minds back to recent history, COVID-19 had a huge impact on livelihoods and economies across the world. Disease prevention and treatment have arguably moved up the political agenda. This not only includes the development of effective vaccines but also immunotherapies and gene editing technologies to address current and potential challenges to global health and stability.
#3 Artificial intelligence (AI)
The new technology that everyone has been talking about for over a year now. AI made a significant leap forward in 2023 with the popularisation of ChatGPT. Since then, startups (and their investors) have been keen to join the action.
Google rushed to launch its rival Bard AI system in response to Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI. The proliferation of generative AI is having a big shake-up effect in many sectors. Indeed, some analysts predict that it could replace many human jobs in the next 1-3 years, including data entry clerks, telemarketers and customer support representatives.
However, AI also brings many benefits. Fewer human workers in a firm can lower average and marginal costs, allowing cost savings to be passed on to consumers. New jobs are likely to emerge to help “manage” and “apply” AI solutions. Machine learning and AI specialists, as well as graphic designers and database scientists, are poised to rise in demand.
Harnessing the power of technology as an investor
All three of these broad sectors can be classed under the umbrella of “technology”. For investors, it is important to prudently navigate the pros and cons of technology (including those of these three sectors) when building a resilient portfolio.
The benefits include high growth potential, especially in the startup sphere. Many new companies involved in emerging fields like AI, biotechnology and renewable energy face “blue ocean” markets with significant “runway”. Grow opportunities may be available beyond the startup’s own shores as global tailwinds continue to facilitate these exciting sectors in 2024.
Potential risks include the possibility of rapid obsolescence. What is “cutting edge” today may quickly become redundant tomorrow if better technology rises to take its place in consumers’ minds. There can also be a lot of volatility in tech stocks due to fluctuating market sentiment, competition and regulatory issues.
This is where startup investing can be advantageous. With publicly traded companies, stock “tickers” can be very distracting for investors who track their investment performance in real-time. A startup investor, by contrast, is focused on private companies with no “ticker” on a dashboard. Rather, the investor takes time to intimately know the startup, conducting thorough due diligence before committing to it.
Invitation
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