Oxford Instruments plc

Oxford Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced instrumentation with their products being used all over the world for scientific research, industrial chemical analysis and quality control, semiconductor processing. Oxford Instruments' customers include most of the world's major international companies as well as the leading research institutes.

Oxford Instruments brings together selected technology-based businesses which address global markets and which can grow profitably and maximise their commercial potential within the Group. They also believe this can be best achieved by sharing appropriate resources and processes across the Group and by creating strong, operational platforms for each of the businesses.

Oxford Instruments are recognised as a world leader in several technologies, including the application of superconductivity, the creation of low temperatures, and the production and detection of X-rays. They are proud of the expertise and enthusiasm of their employees and they have a tradition of innovation through joint product development with their customers, and are committed to using their strengths to create lasting value.

TTP Ventures

TTP Ventures provides venture capital for early stage science and technology companies based in the UK and other Western European countries. It is a member of TTP Group, one of Europe's most successful innovation companies. Access to the wide ranging experience and contacts of TTP's people helps us to contribute a high degree of added value to the businesses we invest in, as do our relationships with the investors in our fund. These include Boeing and Siemens Venture Capital.

Sectors of interest to us include:

• telecommunications, information technology and electronics;
• high technology engineering and instrumentation;
• healthcare, medical devices and drug discovery technology;
• materials and chemicals.

We typically invest £0.5m to £3m per company, but can also make seed capital investments of as little as £50,000.

Enterprise VCT

Noble Group Ltd is an independent UK investment banking firm with offices in Edinburgh and London. Noble Group has three subsidiaries, Noble Fund Managers Ltd, Noble & Company Ltd and Noble Partnership Ltd, providing fund managment, corporate finance and broking and outsourced company adiministrtaion services. Noble Fund Managers is investment adviser to Enterprise VCT plc, a £20m VCT, who provided investment to Oxford Diffraction Limited in November 2004.