OmniPerception is a global supplier of computer vision capabilities, specialising in facial biometrics and advanced image processing. The company’s software provides automated solutions for the recognition of objects and people in a wide range of customer applications –for example physical and logical access, identity management and time and attendance applications, as well as video analytic solutions enabling intelligent automated surveillance, reconnaissance and image communications monitoring,

The CEO approached FirstCapital in 2003 on the recommendation of a partner in a venture capital firm to help close an initial seed round, with a view to advising them subsequently on a larger series A transaction to fund the commercial roll out of the technology. 

At the time OmniPerception was a small team spun out of the highly regarded Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing at the University of Surrey, with excellent technology but relatively early in the commercial roll out, and operating in a market which was still emerging. In the preparation phase for the series A we worked closely with the management team to position and quantify the market opportunity and to develop the case for investment. We then approached suitable investors based on our knowledge of their appetite for an investment of this type and stage, and advised and supported the management team throughout the roadshow, subsequent termsheet negotiations and due diligence. Throughout we worked to balance the needs and expectations of the university, the founders, the management team and the seed investors, with the interests of the incoming investors to achieve a result that everyone was pleased with.

OmniPerception was successful in securing both its seed investment from the Cascade Fund, and subsequently its series A investment from Iris Capital in France and Pentech Ventures in UK. 

www.omniperception.com

Testimonials

"FirstCapital is the best advisory firm I have worked with in over thirty years in business - both in terms of service quality and value. In a recent investment round, their expert support enabled me to select and to successfully engage a unique investor syndicate that has proved ideally suited to my company's needs. FirstCapital were pivotal in making sure that the investors approached, and in due course secured, were right for our sector and for Omniperception's stage of development. They were hugely valuable in the process of shaping and securing the best deal at the successful conclusion of the round.

FirstCapital bring more to the process than can be imagined until you actually go through a round with their help and support. They bring new meaning to the phrase "added value". At the strategic, operational and transactional levels, their contribution is pure quality through and through. The FirstCapital team provided me as CEO with superb support throughout the fundraising - giving me and my team the time and assurance to optimise deal value while at the same time ensuring no loss of focus on day-by-day company performance.

The people at FirstCapital have all the experience and thorough knowledge of the venture market that one would expect from a tier-one investment bank; but they also have an in-depth understanding of the issues faced by growing technology businesses like mine. The combination of the two makes them very effective in providing a first class service - and in delivering first class results."
David McIntosh, CEO, OmniPerception