Oxford, UK, 3rd June 2020 – Oxford Flow, the flow control equipment specialist for oil, gas, water and industrial process industries, has raised £8.45m to fuel the company’s expansion across all markets and oil and gas product development.
The funding has been secured from eight parties, with existing investors Oxford Sciences Innovation (OSI), Parkwalk, Oxford Investment Consultants and the University of Oxford contributing a total of £5.6m. The remaining amount is made up by GF Piping Systems, a division of Georg Fischer, a Swiss leader in fluid transfer equipment, individual investor Nick Harbinson and companies associated with GK Goh, the Singapore-based investment group.
Neil Poxon, Oxford Flow CEO, says: “To have secured strategic capital at this point in our evolution is a testament to our products and our people. This investment will accelerate our oil and gas new product development and ultimately allow us to rapidly scale up that side of the business across Europe, USA and the Middle East.
“Our axial flow, stemless and multi-phase isolation valve for oil and gas applications is about to commence end-user field trials and we can only see that accelerating as operators look for more cost-effective, emission-free retrofit options in the current market.”
Oxford Flow has re-imagined the actuated valve utilising the latest in sealing and materials technology. Its stemless valve design is unique: instead of a stem and mechanical gearbox, the valve is actuated by a hydraulic piston integrated within the valve body. The innovation is so unique that it has been shortlisted for an SPE Offshore Achievement Award in the Emerging Technology category.
Alun Williams, Investment Director at Parkwalk adds: “Oxford Flow is beginning to revolutionise the valve industry through its ground-breaking technology and exciting commercial strategy. It is precisely the type of transformative company Parkwalk is seeking to support so we are delighted to be part of this latest funding round.”
This funding includes a significant investment by GF Piping Systems, a division of Georg Fischer (GF), into Oxford Flow’s water and industrials business to access its new technology. Oxford Flow will also use this new funding to continue its growth in the water and industrial sectors including scaling up manufacturing and increasing headcount in Oxford, UK and Houston, US.
ENDS
About Oxford Flow
Oxford Flow designs and manufactures innovative pressure control equipment using technology developed at Oxford University. Engineered to be smaller, lighter and more reliable than competing technology, Oxford Flow’s pressure reducing valves (PRVs) and gas pressure regulators can significantly reduce costs for energy, water and process industries.
About Oxford Sciences Innovation
Oxford Sciences Innovation (OSI) is a £600m investment company dedicated to creating and investing in start-ups which use science from the University of Oxford. OSI has been helping Oxford scientists address the world’s leading challenges, from infectious disease to sustainable energy, since 2015. OSI is focused on breakthroughs in fundamental technologies and is backed by GV, Sequoia, Temasek, Tencent and Wellcome among several global investors. For more information please visit: https://www.oxfordsciencesinnovation.com/
About Parkwalk
Parkwalk is the largest growth EIS fund manager, backing world-changing technologies emerging from the UK’s leading universities and research institutions. With £300m of assets under management, it has invested in over 120 companies across its flagship Parkwalk Opportunities EIS Fund as well as the award-winning enterprise and innovation funds Parkwalk manages for the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford and Bristol. Parkwalk invests in businesses creating solutions to real-world challenges, with IP-protected innovations, across a range of sectors including life sciences, AI, quantum computing, advanced materials, genomics, cleantech, future of mobility, MedTech and big data.
Media contact
Megain Buchan
Aspectus
Megain.buchan@aspectusgroup.com +44 (07490401410
