Puma Investments has officially launched the Puma AIM VCT plc on the London Stock Exchange. This is the first new AIM-focused VCT to launch on the LSE in 18 years and has already backed its first scale-up company.
The launch of Puma’s AIM VCT reflects valuable feedback from the adviser and wealth management community. The Puma AIM VCT aims to deliver compelling returns through investments in companies that are traded on AIM, while delivering the full range of VCT tax reliefs. The VCT targets companies that are still small enough and young enough to grow and create meaningful investment exits. It invests in scale-up businesses with a proven commercial proposition (product or service) and management teams with deep knowledge of the sector in which they operate.
Puma’s investment team has a collective track record of over 50 years investing in AIM and is led by Investment Director, Dr. Stuart Rollason, who has been working in the AIM market since its inception in 1995. The team also includes Daniel Cane, Investment Director and Joseph Cornwall, Investment Manager. Daniel joined Puma in 2024 having spent 16 years at Toscafund Asset Management with a particular emphasis on small and mid-cap companies and was part of the AIM-focused Toscafund Micro Cap Fund investment team and Joseph previously led the AIM IHT service at Gore Browne Investment Management for five years.
In addition to our specialist investment team, the Puma AIM VCT also benefits from a highly experienced independent board. Jonathan Di-Stefano, Independent Chair, has over 20 years’ experience in AIM listed real estate companies including Telford Homes plc and was previously non-exec Chairman at Belvoir Group Plc. Lynn Drummond, Independent Director, has a long career in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors and is currently Chair of Zotefoams plc.
The Puma AIM VCT has made its first investment in Quantum Base plc (AIM: QUBE), the quantum science company focused on creating a new global standard in authentication. The VCT invested in Quantum Base to support product development and new key commercial and operational hires. The business was founded in 2013 as a spin-out from Lancaster University through which Professor Robert Young’s discoveries in the field of quantum physics could be commercialised.
Dr. Stuart Rollason, Investment Director, Puma Investments, comments: “Following strong demand from financial advisers and their underlying clients, we have successfully raised capital to invest in growth companies at, what we believe to be, favourable valuations.
“Our first investment in Quantum Base is an excellent example of our investment strategy through backing a high-growth university spin-out with a differentiated product line. We believe 2025 will see a fresh cycle of IPO activity and a strong foundation for growing companies to raise capital. We look forward to continuing to support more of these businesses and delivering value to our Puma AIM VCT investors.”
Marcus Stuttard, Head of UK Primary Markets & AIM, LSE plc added: “We are delighted to welcome the listing of the Puma AIM VCT to the London Stock Exchange. Venture Capital Trusts play a vital role in supporting scaling businesses so that they can continue to innovate, create jobs and scale. The PUMA AIM VCT will provide welcome additional investment into growth companies admitted to AIM.”
David Kaye, CEO of Puma Investments, added: “We are proud of the long track record we have in supporting so many SMEs’ growth journeys and investing in AIM has formed an important part of that. Feedback from the adviser community has been excellent and we look forward to building on the strong start to Puma AIM VCT, the first new AIM VCT in 18 years.”
Joshua Edwards, Financial Adviser based in the Midlands, added:
“We have placed our trust in Puma Investments for several years and I was impressed with the new AIM VCT proposition. While future performance cannot be guaranteed, Puma has an excellent track record in this area. The management team is experienced, with a wealth of expertise, and they have a clear strategy for adding value in a sector that has been overlooked for some time.”
As with all VCT investments, investors in Puma AIM can benefit from1:
100% tax-free capital gains on the sale of Company shares
Upfront 30% income tax relief available to UK taxpayers on an investment of up to £200,000 per tax year
100% tax-free dividends
