RNS Number : 3755E
Draper Esprit PLC
18 July 2016
Embargoed until 07.00: 18 July 2016
Draper Esprit plc
("Draper Esprit" or the "Company")
Draper Esprit Makes First Investment Following Successful IPO
Draper Esprit (AIM: GROW, ESM: GRW), one of the leading venture capital investors involved in the creation, funding
and development of high-growth technology businesses with an emphasis on digital technologies in the UK, the Republic of Ireland
and Europe, announces that it has made its first investment since successfully listing on AIM and the ESM last month.
Draper Esprit has invested £3.1 million to acquire a stake in Stockholm-based digital health company Lifesum
(www.lifesum.com) ("Lifesum"). Draper Esprit has invested for the
first time alongside Nokia Growth Partners, and existing investors Bauer Media and VC SparkLabs Global Ventures. Vishal
Gulati, Venture Partner at Draper Esprit, will join the Lifesum board.
Lifesum, launched in 2013, has created one of Europe's fastest growing health apps with over 15 million
users. Lifesum has created a platform that focuses on engaging and inspiring users online and offline to help
them maintain and achieve a healthy lifestyle and work towards their personal health and fitness goals. The app is
available on iOS, Android and Apple Watch. Lifesum has closed a $10m Series B funding round, which will
fund international growth and further product development. Using both technology and psychology, Lifesum is committed
to creating tailored plans to help people live happier, more balanced lives.
The Lifesum team includes CEO, Henrik Torstensson, whose previous roles include Head of Premium Sales with Spotify
and SVP Strategy at Stardoll, and COO, Marcus Gners, former Vice President of Business Development at Stardoll. Recent
senior level hires include Victoria Bastide as Lifesum CTO. A Silicon Valley veteran, Victoria rose to the position of Director,
R&D at cloud and virtualization software and service provider, VMware. Peter Viksten, Lifesum's new CPO, has over 20
years of experience as a creative in advertising and marketing including as a creative at Wieden + Kennedy and Mother, and
Creative Director at Great Works.
Simon Cook, CEO Draper Esprit commented: "As we outlined during our IPO, we are
looking to invest in high quality management teams with innovative digital technology from across all of Europe.
Scandanavia has produced many great digital success stories such as Spotify and the team at Lifesum has created a very
powerful platform."
Vishal Gulati, Venture Partner at Draper Esprit, said: "With the blurring of boundaries between wellness and illness
we expect behaviour change to occupy a more central position in how we manage lifestyle related health impairments. LifeSum
offers a healthy living ecosystem which embraces users' lifestyle and offers an enjoyable way to live a healthier, longer
life."
Henrik Torstensson, CEO of Lifesum, commented: "We are
delighted to welcome Draper Esprit and Nokia Growth Partners as investors in Lifesum, alongside our existing investors.
Their investment will help accelerate the company's next phase in becoming a truly global product and brand. The support from our
new partners, as leading tech investors, and experienced digital healthcare and wellbeing investors, will help us to meet our
product development targets, while facilitating the continued growth of our European and US user bases."
Enquiries
Draper Esprit plc
Simon Cook (Chief Executive Officer)
Stuart Chapman (Chief Operating Officer)
|
+44 (0)20 7931 8800
|
Numis Securities
Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker
Alex Ham
Garri Jones
Richard Thomas
Paul Gillam
|
+44 (0)20 7260 1000
|
Goodbody Stockbrokers
ESM Adviser & Joint Broker
Don Harrington
Linda Hickey
Dearbhla Gallagher
|
+353 1 667 0420
|
Zeus Capital
Benjamin Robertson
Giles Balleny
|
+44 (0)20 3829 5000
|
Belvedere Communications (PR)
John West
Kim van Beeck
|
+44 (0)20 3567 0510
|
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
ACQSFMFIIFMSEDW