Less dangerous than a dragon’s den!

When many people think of venture capital pitches, they think Dragon’s Den style – where entrepreneurs and businesses present their pitch to a panel of canny investors asking brutal questions. In Marlborough, Catalyst Capital is going for a more relaxed, though no less thorough, approach – starting with a phone call or email, and probably a preliminary discussion over coffee. A little less intimidating than entering a dragon’s den.

Catalyst Capital is delighted to be featured in the Marlborough Express this week. Read on to hear reporter Oliver Lewis’ take on the new venture capital company launch:

“It may not be Dragon’s Den, but a Blenheim business expert has started a venture capitalist company and is looking to invest in Marlborough businesses.

David Taylor, who also runs a business mentoring company called Positive Potential, is launching Catalyst Capital on Monday.

He started his mentoring company four years ago and while it was rewarding, Taylor said he wanted to take the next step and put his own money into helping businesses succeed.

Taylor said he chose the name, Catalyst Capital, because he wanted to help businesses that already had a position in the market but did not have the skills or finance to grow.

“It’s like flicking a switch,” he said.

“Catalyst will be something that starts something off.”

However, he was also open to the idea of working with start-ups, as long as the idea was good enough.

The only businesses he would not invest in were those that aimed to cash in on trends, or technology companies, which required too much capital to stay ahead of the game.

“I’m looking to make investments in long-term, stable businesses where there’s a potential for growth,” Taylor said.

He had set aside $250,000 for the initial run of investments, which would ideally be distributed in five $50,000 lots, he said.

As well as the capital, Taylor said he would be able to assist businesses with skills he had developed through 40 years in banking.

During that time, he had worked in various roles and had seen many businesses succeed and fail, which gave him the knowledge to help Marlborough businesses, he said.

“I’ve seen lots of things in my banking career and when you have these skills it seems like a waste not to use them.”

The thrill of seeing a business succeed was one of the motivating factors for Taylor to start the company. He also wanted to make money and promote Marlborough.

Originally from Scotland, Taylor said he moved to the region because of its economic resilience following the recession, which he attributed to its strong primary industries.

By investing in Marlborough businesses he would be able to contribute to the economic health of the region, he said.

Catalyst Capital was also something Taylor said he could see himself doing for a long time.

He would not be approaching businesses, but believed his profile in the Marlborough business community and word of mouth would present him with investment opportunities.

The 60-year-old was also chairman of the Marlborough Primary Health Organisation and a Destination Marlborough trustee.

“I’m enthusiastic about making a difference,” Taylor said.

“There’s nothing better than seeing a business grow, it’s really rewarding.”

You can see the full Marlborough Express article here.