Spark Ventures

Amadeus Capital Partners, Eden Ventures and Spark Ventures have agreed to sell Secerno, an Oxford-based data security business, to Oracle Corporation for an undisclosed sum. The transaction is expected to close this quarter. Eden and Spark first invested in Secerno in 2005; Eden Ventures remains the largest venture investor in Secerno, whose second round of funding in 2008 was led by Amadeus. The exit is a profitable one for all the investors.
Secerno, an Oxford University spin-out, has developed a disruptive database security and compliance software platform, designed to block both known and unknown threats. Using a sophisticated mathematical model, the software builds and continuously refines a model of acceptable behaviour, analysing the true intent of database interaction. Easy to set up, manage and enforce, Secerno’s technology provides an effective solution to an increasingly complex problem.

For Oracle, the acquisition adds a heterogeneous database firewall to the company’s existing database security products. “The Secerno acquisition is in direct response to increasing customer challenges around mitigating database security risk,” said Andrew Mendelsohn, senior vice president, Oracle Database Server Technologies. “Secerno’s database firewall product acts as a first line of defence against external threats and unauthorised internal access with a protective perimeter around Oracle and non-Oracle databases. Together, Oracle’s complete set of database security solutions and Secerno’s technology will provide customers with the ability to safeguard their critical business information.”
Mark Caroe of Eden Ventures, Richard Anton of Amadeus, Kiko Duffy of Spark Ventures, issued a joint statement saying: “We are delighted that a European technology innovator is being acquired by one of the world’s leading companies. This is testament to the strength of Europe’s ability to produce world-leading technologies and the importance of venture capital in supporting the development of innovation.”

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For further information, please contact:
Chantal Ligertwood, PR for Amadeus, +44 (0)7976 229 210
Kiko Duffy, SPARK Ventures, +44 (0)207 851 7707 kiko@sparkventures.com
Mark Caroe, Eden Ventures, +44 (0)1225 472 950



NOTES TO EDITORS

About Amadeus
Amadeus Capital Partners is one of Europe's leading technology venture capital firms. Since its inception in 1997, the firm has backed companies across the technology spectrum in industries that include communications and networking hardware and software, cleantech, medtech, computer hardware and software, media, and e-commerce. Amadeus has over £470m under management, with active investments in around 40 companies at any time. The firm offers its investee companies more than just capital – it offers vision, imagination, experience and a network of contacts around the world. Global businesses built by Amadeus include CSR plc (LSE:CSR), the leading producer of single chip bluetooth radios for short range connections, and Solexa Ltd, the developer of next generation genetic analysis systems, merged into Illumina, Inc. (ILMN) to create the world leader in gene-sequencing technology. www.amadeuscapital.com
Amadeus Capital Partners Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
Registered office: Mount Pleasant House, 2 Mount Pleasant, Cambridge CB3 0RN, UK. Registered in England no: 3392685

About Eden Ventures
Eden Ventures invests in technology companies in the telecommunications software, enterprise software, SaaS, digital media, e-commerce, Internet, social media and mobile sectors in Europe. As serial entrepreneurs, Eden’s partners bring the highest levels of expertise in building early stage technology companies. In addition Eden brings a strong investment track record, offering potential for high returns in this exciting sector. Eden adds significant sales and marketing, organizational and financial focus and capabilities to the existing inherent technology value of its portfolio members. For more information, please visit www.edenventures.co.uk.

About SPARK Ventures
SPARK Ventures is the leading quoted venture capital company in Europe managing £190 million on behalf of major institutional investors, leading UK universities, and two quoted venture capital trusts. During the last five years Spark has sold several businesses to blue-chip trade buyers, in transactions worth over £250m, realising over £50m of cash. These trade buyers have included Pearson (Mergermarket), Qualcomm (Elata), Experian (Footfall), Ominiture (Touch Clarity), Ramboll (IMISoft), and Valueclick (Pricerunner). www.sparkventures.com