Testimonials
Sturgeon Ventures is committed to treating all customers fairly. Our Treating Customers Fairly Policy is fundamental to our product and services development process.
Treating customers fairly is an integral part of our sales and marketing process.
The development of our staff and monitoring within our business ensures that the culture of treating customers fairly is embedded within Sturgeon Ventures and continues to grow. Ethics are an important principle which lives in all of us and we instill into all our client relationships, therefore maintaining the Treating Customers Fairly Policy.
Sturgeon Ventures recognises the position it holds as a leading trusted private Partner and the importance of treating customers fairly plays in maintaining this enviable position. Treating customers fairly is therefore rooted in the procedures and policies of the firm.
Treating Customer Fairly Policy is available on request – please go to the Contact Us Page.
Charles Delingpole, ComplyAdvantage
ComplyAdvantage is an AI-driven financial crime risk detection platform with a unique offering for early-stage fintechs. We can help businesses get started with the AML and KYC solutions they need to achieve authorisation, and scale with them as their business grows. Sturgeon Ventures has been an invaluable partner over the past decade, referring circa. 50 firms in their network to us. We look forward to working together closely for many more years.
Nigel Grierson, Director, Westlecot Business Consultants
The entire Sturgeon team consistently executes with precision, which enables me to deliver excellent advisory services to my clients. And, the entire team is an absolute pleasure to work with.
Nigel is a Director and Westlecot Business Consultants is an Operating Company for unregulated work attached to Sturgeon Ventures' mandates.
Nick Martin, Robocap
“Having worked with a leading Regulatory Hosting Firm as an Appointed Representative Firm, where we also used their discretionary investment management hosting with a fund, their service was just a pure service offering, whilst Sturgeon is fully integrated in the business of the Incubated Firm”
Jonathan Cohen, RoboCap
Launching a fund is a challenge as you have to navigate across a jungle of service providers and you can provide efficiency in this process. I remember when we met last year. In one meeting you understood what I wanted to achieve and made all relevant introductions. You are an entrepreneur and understand what we are going though. This is key. We went though good and challenging times. I remember when we had the issue with a press release. Having a partner who does not “point fingers” but assumes its responsibility is important.
Nick Greenwood, Haven Cove Capital Management
I have known Seonaid & the team at Sturgeon for coming up to 10 years, and when we were looking for a Regulatory Incubation partner during the early years of Haven Cove, there was only one phone call we made. Their standalone Investment Manager structure (with no AR) is extremely streamlined & efficient, providing an invaluable integrated platform in the early years of trying to grow a fund. Furthermore, Seonaid and the team have an unrivalled knowledge of their business, a strong entrepreneurial spirit & “can-do” attitude, and a genuine commitment to their partners and clients. https://thehedgefundjournal.com/tomorrows-titans-2021-nick-greenwood-ashley-hudd-haven-cove/
Shah Farsi, Managing Director CAT Factory
My recommendation to fellow aspiring fund managers is to get a call with Ms.Seonaid Mackenzie, the Founder of Sturgeon Ventures. Through years of experience in empowering entrepreneurs, Seonaid shared some important legal and regulatory points with me and my team which will be very critical to our journey and, even though our business model was not something Sturgeon could directly help with, we were pointed to the right direction and received several valuable introductions. January 2021.
Kristian Bagger, Managing Director Moelis & Company UK LLP
Sturgeon Ventures supported Moelis & Company by providing an ‘umbrella’ UK compliance function for our European advisory practice. This temporary solution enabled our firm to be in a position to provide financial advice to our clients rapidly while, in parallel, Sturgeon Ventures assisted CCL Compliance in applying for our own full FCA authorisation. Sturgeon Ventures worked seamlessly with our US compliance function during both the incubation and transition period. We found their advice and service to be both professional and invaluable for an advisory firm such as ours seeking to establish a UK base in a rapid and efficient manner.
Robert Mundy, Research Tree
We have had the good fortune to have worked with Seonaid and the team at Sturgeon for close to four years now. They have consistently provided intelligent, nimble and high quality support and advice. As a guide to help Research Tree compliantly navigate the fast-changing environment in which we operate, Sturgeon has been first-rate. Thank you to all the team and we are very much looking forward to the further growth of our ongoing relationship.
Nic Brisbane, Managing Partner Forward Partners
Sturgeon helped us get started really fast by providing regulatory cover as the Portfolio Manager. Assisting with implementing process and procedures as the governance team on the Investment Committee so we could launch fast, helping us to operate as a regulated entity, with our own firm as the Appointed Representative to be the advisor and promoter, until such time as we get directly authorised. It was also encouraging that the Sturgeon team took a real interest in our investee companies.
Raymond Greaves, finnCap
Sturgeon Ventures provided us with the Regulatory Framework to launch our fund https://www.finncap.com/slide-rule-fund as the Interim Portfolio Manager and essential compliance functions when the Slide Rule Fund, a UK small/mid-cap fund was launched on the Montlake Platform; whilst Finncap upgraded our regulatory permissions. The team were helpful, friendly and patient, and provided lots of useful advice and help well above compliance duties. Overall, a very positive experience.
Alexander Kalis, Managing Partner Milltrust International LLP
I have known Seonaid professionally for nearly two decades. There are few people in the industry that look after their clients with the genuine commitment and consideration that she brings to this business. We are not just her clients but we are treated like an extended family.
Cliff Fluet, Managing Director Eleven
Sturgeon Ventures has provided continued and sterling support to Eleven for over five years. The team are responsive, thorough and provide a robust yet flexible approach to regulation and incubation. We recommend them wholeheartedly.
elevenadvisory.com
Dominic Kennedy, Willis Towers Watson
I have worked with Seonaid and her team for some time having been introduced by a mutual contact. Seonaid is incredibly knowledgeable and well respected and I have found the wider Sturgeon team to be professional and, above all, client driven. As a client, it is has been a pleasure working with them.
Kevin Pakenham, Pakenham Partners
We were introduced to Seonaid and her team in February 2011, so we could provide un-interrupted service to our investment banking clients. Nine years later, we have advised twenty completed M&A transactions, and we still rely on Sturgeon Ventures to provide us with regulatory cover. The reason is simple: with Sturgeon at our back we can concentrate our efforts on meeting our client needs, confident that we are also meeting fully our compliance responsibilities.
Mike Kirby, KB Associates
KB Associates has worked successfully with Sturgeon on a number of mandates both Irish AIFs and UCITs using their Man Cos and Self Managed; where we have delegated day to day Portfolio Management to Sturgeon, with advice from its Appointed Representatives. Our joint model has been very effective for start up and established managers.
Jamie Thomson, Business Development Manager, Howden Risk Partners
Sturgeon Ventures introduced us to great business partners in Malta and we would recommend them to any start ups in the financial services industry. We have referred them business in the UK and also had business referred to us from their network. I would happily advise to any of our Hedge Fund and Private Equity clients to use the services that Sturgeons services provide. The have a wealth of knowledge but also small enough to provide a very personal touch to each client.
Peter Hughes, CEO Apex Fund Services
Apex Fund Services has worked with Sturgeon for almost a decade as a delegated portfolio manager to fund structures in a number of the jurisdictions. Sturgeon are experienced, committed and engaging with start-up and experienced managers from around the world, and we recognise the strengths of their team and value their independence.
Henry Talbot-Ponsonby and William Rudebeck, Venture Capital Partners
We are a breakaway team from a past Umbrella Incubated Client of Sturgeon Ventures LLP. We found SV’s team to be professional in all their dealings with our firm, and a great stepping stone and mentor to our own independent authorisation with the FCA within a 2 year period. The added bonus, was they introduced us to a client with whom we had a successful transaction. www.venturecapitalpartners.co.uk
Stuart Knight, Haibun Partners LLP
Sturgeon Ventures LLP played a large part in the successful launch of Haibun Partners LLP with their incubation of Haibun Partners under the regulatory umbrella of Sturgeon Ventures; they were also able to assist us with the intricate application for FCA registration. Sturgeon Ventures provided us with the foundations to begin our work with confidence and without delay.
Emma Davidson, Affinity Capital
Affinity Capital has been with Sturgeon Ventures for 4 years on the 11 Oct 2015. In the beginning, Seonaid Mackenzie and her fantastic team were essential in helping us launch our company in 2011 when things were tough in the financial industry and times were challenging. As someone who had worked in top tier investment banks for almost 12 years, I was anxious about the regulatory transition from big corporate to small start- up. I only ever saw the AR model as something that would be temporary until I applied for my own direct license. Sturgeon were and still are one of the most professional and organised teams I have ever had the pleasure of working with. They have alleviated all of the regulatory stress and worry leaving us to focus on getting our company off the ground and flying. I have loved working with Sturgeon so much so that 4 years later, I remain an AR and feel happy to continue on my journey with the most qualified compliance team I have ever dealt with.
Dermot Campbell, Founder and CEO Kuber Ventures Ltd
Sturgeon has been a really brilliant partner to our business. Not only do they allow us to trade by making us their Appointed Representative, but they also give us a host of other support. This ranges from the advice and guidance on the complex area of regulatory compliance to the general advice when it comes to making difficult business decisions. Seonaid Mackenzie is exceptionally knowledgeable about her field, is an experienced entrepreneur is also very well connected. Sturgeon is far more than just an incubator; they have been an invaluable source of advice, contacts and support. Sturgeon Ventures was our Principal from 19/11/2012 to 31/1/2020.
Doug Shaw, Roxbury Credit Events Fund
Partnering with Sturgeon & KB Associates in Dublin, we were able to start managing money for clients far quicker. Partnering with Sturgeon, we were able to reach our start line months earlier.
Markus Seywerd, Chief Investment Officer Park Lane Capital, SICAV plc.
A Hedge Fund. When we set-up our fund structure in Malta five years ago very few people knew anything about the jurisdiction. Sturgeon Ventures helped us establish a cost effective regulatory solution that has contributed to our success.
Dishang Patel, Founding Partner, Earlsfield Capital
Without Seonaid and the whole team at Sturgeon, I can truly say it would have been very difficult and time consuming for us to navigate the regulatory on boarding of our business in such a smooth and seamless fashion. What’s most impressive is how Sturgeon can talk to us as entrepreneurs as they have experienced the journey themselves having felt the pain, success, ups and downs of starting their own businesses too. Let’s also not forget, the network that comes with working with Seonaid and the team, is absolutely top notch! https://www.earlsfieldcapital.com/
Janine Lewis, CEO InvestSure
InvestSure is a pioneering property development funding platform which launched with a new syndicated offering with no experience of regulated business. Seonaid, and her marvellous team, gave us the much needed guidance and support we needed whilst we learned about regulated transactions. They are a fabulous, warm hearted team and we have been grateful to have found them to help guide us through some difficult times.
Paul Poggi, Chief Operating Officer Harris Williams & Co.
Harris Williams & Co. is a preeminent middle market investment bank providing M&A advisory services to clients worldwide. As a US firm, having Sturgeon Ventures as our Regulatory Incubator was invaluable for the start-up of our United Kingdom subsidiary. Sturgeon assisted with the regulatory and corporate governance side of our business, from building the infrastructure and procedures to training our junior and senior professionals and assisting out public relations efforts by ensuring compliance with required financial promotions procedures. https://www.harriswilliams.com/
Jean C Farrugia, Partner DF Advocates, Malta
We have had the pleasure of working with Sturgeon Ventures on a number of projects involving the setting up of funds and other regulated investment services businesses. We found in Sturgeon an invaluable partner, consistently professional and knowledgeable about the EU investment services framework, always proactive, receptive and available to discuss matters in order to work out intelligent and ad hoc solutions catering for the various needs of our common clients. February 2018
Konstatin Krebs, Managing Partner Capstan Capital
Sturgeon has been with us from the beginnings of our firm. The team not only made sure that we never had any compliance related hitches, they also provided highly valuable advice in various areas of our business development. For us, they are not just compliance supervisors but an important business partner.
www.capstan-capital.com
Richard Peak, The Helmsley Group
Walker Morris introduced us to Sturgeon Ventures. Sturgeon incubated us for a short period, albeit our business has been around for 30 plus years. Further to investigation by Walker Morris, our legal advisers, the FCA agreed that our property and loan syndicates were not Alternative Investment Funds (AIF). However our schemes were caught by the Unregulated Collective Investment Scheme (UCIS) rules. As such, we needed an Operator, and our senior management and staff needed to learn how the FCA compliance worked. Working with Sturgeon Ventures and their team during the incubation and after, has been a rewarding experience. Sturgeon Academy, Sturgeon’s in-house training, taught us many fundamental governance tips that we took back and have implemented into our long-term corporate governance. We were also impressed when different team members have visited us on monitoring visits. Sturgeon’s team members also attended our investor annual meetings; which we believe again, highlights to our investors how compliance and governance is integrated and embraced into our daily business and is part of our culture.
Henry Talbot-Ponsonby and William Rudebeck, Venture Capital Partners
We are a breakaway team from a past Umbrella Incubated Client of Sturgeon Ventures LLP. We found SV’s team to be professional in all their dealings with our firm, and a great stepping stone and mentor to our own independent authorisation with the FCA within a 2 year period. The added bonus, was they introduced us to a client with whom we had a successful transaction. www.venturecapitalpartners.co.uk
Stuart Knight, Haibun Partners LLP
Sturgeon Ventures LLP played a large part in the successful launch of Haibun Partners LLP with their incubation of Haibun Partners under the regulatory umbrella of Sturgeon Ventures; they were also able to assist us with the intricate application for FCA registration. Sturgeon Ventures provided us with the foundations to begin our work with confidence and without delay.
