OXFORDSHIRE business angel Roger Fletcher is boosting a revolution in the way traditional publishers can put magazines, newspapers, journals and catalogues on the Internet.
Mr Fletcher, the former chief executive of the Menvier-Swain Group, has put around £100,000 into RVC, a London-based Internet consultancy and web applications development specialist, after the company made a presentation at an Oxfordshire Investment Opportunity Network event.
He said: "I made the investment because I think the Internet is the medium of the future. The people at RVC have some exciting ideas and I can contribute through my business skills."
OION manager, Kate Phelps, said: "This is an exciting venture because the growing Oxfordshire publishing industry could be among the first to benefit." RVC director, Nick Reed, said: "The investment provides funding for us to develop a new web publishing system which allows traditional print publishers to transfer their content to the world wide web in a simple automated process. The system creates a fully indexed and searchable web site directly from desktop publishing files used by most publishers."
OION puts more than 50 business angels, with more than £4m to invest, in touch with small companies looking for venture and start-up capital through a series of presentations and with the help of Business Link Heart of England client managers. The investors have varying amounts, from £10,000 to several hundred thousand pounds to inject into businesses and so far 15 firms have benefited to the tune of £1.9m.
In a separate development, a network aimed at cutting production costs and boosting profits could be set up by conventional printing companies in Oxfordshire.
The man behind the plan is Business Link adviser Mark Sloan, who brokered the deal that set up Wings Export, a network of small firms offering one-stop help on exports.
Companies can get further details on the Oxfordshire Investment Opportunity Network by contacting Kate Phelps on 01865 790910 or Nick Reed on 0171 490 3320.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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