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At Clerkenwell Health in London, a pioneering team is working to bring life-changing psychedelic treatments to patients with severe mental health conditions. As part of SyndicateRoom's Access EIS Fund portfolio, this innovative company is uniquely positioned to accelerate partnerships with psychedelic drug developers, potentially revolutionising treatment for depression, PTSD, and other conditions where traditional therapies have failed.
Meanwhile, in the digital health space, Anya, winner of the National AI Awards for Healthcare in 2024, combines cutting-edge artificial intelligence with human healthcare expertise to provide personalised 24/7 support for women's health. From fertility through pregnancy to menopause, this company is addressing the historically underserved women's healthcare market, working with healthcare providers, employers, and local authorities to enhance support across the full spectrum of women's health needs.
This narrative repeats across Britain, where the Enterprise Investment Scheme, Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), and Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) have become crucial mechanisms for channelling private capital towards innovative businesses that deliver both financial returns and societal benefits.
The ripple effects extend far beyond individual companies. Beeline, another Access EIS Fund portfolio company, demonstrates how innovation can make everyday activities safer and more accessible. Their smart compass and app system guides cyclists and motorcyclists to their destinations, making cycling safer and encouraging more people to choose sustainable transport options. This seemingly simple innovation addresses multiple societal challenges, from reducing traffic congestion to improving air quality whilst promoting healthier lifestyles.
The drive to address social challenges is also evident in companies like Cliq, a social networking platform that connects communities both online and offline. With a mission to address social isolation, a growing concern particularly highlighted during the pandemic, Cliq enables people to form meaningful connections. This represents the kind of social innovation that tax-advantaged schemes can support, tackling problems that traditional businesses might overlook.
Similarly, Lumi Network is revolutionising education through its enquiry-based programme that gives students autonomy over their direction of study as they tackle complex global issues. By empowering young people to engage with real-world challenges, companies like Lumi are creating the next generation of problem-solvers whilst demonstrating how educational innovation can deliver both social impact and commercial returns.
Perhaps nowhere is the social impact more evident than in healthcare and social innovation. Connectd empowers the early-stage ecosystem by making meaningful connections between founders, investors, and startup advisors through its proprietary reporting suite and smart match technology. By removing friction that hinders growth in the startup ecosystem, Connectd helps accelerate innovation across multiple sectors.
The fund has also backed Collider, which develops non-alcoholic beer infused with adaptogens, nootropics, and functional mushrooms. While this might seem like a niche market, Collider addresses the growing demand for healthier lifestyle choices and mental wellness alternatives to alcohol. The company exceeded its pre-seed funding target of £600,000, raising £720,000, and sold out six months' worth of product in just two months—demonstrating both market demand and the potential for social impact through healthier consumer choices.
The broader economic benefits are substantial. The tax-advantaged investment schemes have collectively channelled over £20 billion into British businesses since their inception, supporting approximately 30,000 companies and creating an estimated 300,000 jobs. These aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet—they represent families with secure incomes, communities with renewed purpose, and innovations that improve lives.
The schemes continue to evolve, addressing contemporary challenges. Recent EIS investments have funded companies developing quantum computing, sustainable agriculture, and mental health technologies. Each represents not just a potential financial return, but a chance to solve problems that affect millions of people.
Tax-advantaged investment schemes have proven that private capital, when properly incentivised, can drive positive social change whilst generating returns. They've transformed communities, created jobs in areas that desperately needed them, and funded innovations that improve lives. As Britain faces challenges from climate change to an ageing population, these schemes offer a proven mechanism for harnessing private investment to deliver public good.
The offices and laboratories where Access EIS Fund portfolio companies like Clerkenwell Clinics, Anya, and Lumi Network operate represent more than just business success stories—they embody the potential for tax policy to create lasting positive change in society. Through SyndicateRoom's data-driven approach to co-investing with some of the UK's top-performing angel investors, these schemes continue to channel private capital towards innovations that improve lives whilst generating returns for investors. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
Don't miss your chance to invest
The Access EIS Fund will reopen to investment in the coming weeks. Please register with us to be notified about when you can next make an investment.
Portfolio of 30+ companies.
Minimum investment of £5,000.
Seeking to deploy in 25/26 tax year.
This fund will invest in early-stage companies that are expected to be eligible for EIS, and will enable eligible investors to claim a suite of tax reliefs such as 30% income tax relief on up to £1m invested, the ability to defer capital gains, exemption from capital gains tax on sale of EIS shares once held for more than three years, exemption from inheritance tax, and access to loss relief. Tax reliefs are subject to status and change.
