Zeus is an acknowledged leader in Internet infrastructure software. It has developed a new technology ZXTM which enables companies to securely manage and optimise traffic around both web-based applications and websites. There is a very large market opportunity for this technology and Zeus required additional funds to support this growth.

FirstCapital was introduced to Zeus by existing investor Cazenove Private Equity (now DFJ Esprit) to secure a new investor into the company. FirstCapital worked with the Zeus team to articulate the positioning of the Zeus product and in particular how it was able to compete with the alternative hardware based solutions in the marketplace. A particular challenge of the funding was that a new CEO was recruited mid-process and FirstCapital worked closely with him to bring him up to speed with no loss of momentum in the marketing process. Scottish Equity Parners (SEP) and existing investor Cazenove invested £3m. This was used to enable the company to reach breakeven, and it is now the leading player in its marketplace.

www.zeus.com

Testimonials

"FirstCapital brought real value to Zeus in the fund raising process. They worked closely with the team throughout, helped us to prepare fully and had excellent contacts in the venture capital community in order to find the right investor for us. They then project managed the process to completion in a disciplined but sensitive manner. We are delighted with the results and would not hesitate to recommend them."
Paul Brennan, Chairman, Zeus Technology

"I was very happy with the fundraising process that FirstCapital ran for us at Zeus Technology. We selected them because of their understanding of the infrastructure software market and because we felt their project management skills and process orientation were what we needed. They lived up to our expectations in both areas and played a critical role in helping to position the company and write the business plan at a time when management was very stretched. Subsequently they ran a very tight process, diligently chasing down potential investors to organise meetings and then project managing due diligence post termsheet. It was very useful to have a readily available single point of contact, both for potential incoming investors to help move their decision making forward, and for the board to keep up to date and on top of developments."
Nic Brisbourne, DFJ Esprit

"I was very impressed by FirstCapital. Their balanced approach meant that whilst delivering a good result for their client, they were also aware of our needs as the incoming investor. This created a win-win situation for both sides. They were very responsive to our requirements reflecting a strong understanding of the business and high quality preparation. They oversaw the transaction right through to completion including the project management of due diligence. I would recommend them."
Russ Cummings, Scottish Equity Partners