Others, again, are subsidiaries of banks. Each will have its own investment strategies. Some are unlikely to invest in start-ups, or to provide growth capital. Some focus on a single region of the country or on specific sectors. Some are only interested in very large deals.
Investors also vary in philosophy regarding their relationship with investee companies.
Some may wish to appoint one of their executives to the board, while others take a more hands-off approach. Some investors, like ourselves, are large enough to be able to be patient, and to regard all their investments as long-term. Others expect to get their money back a lot sooner. In the case of managed funds, the investors concerned will usually have put in their money on the understanding that the fund will be wound up within a specified period. There are companies which believe that growth capital is only focused on fledgling hi-tech enterprises and is therefore not appropriate for established businesses.