Nigel W. Brown

Nigel Brown started his own business in Cambridge in March 1974 from which he retired in February 2007.
It now employs nearly 100 people and manages discretionary funds of £0.5bn.
Since the early 1990s Nigel has spent most of his time helping early stage businesses with finance and advice.
As part of this process he formed the GEIF and was co-founder of the Cambridge Network.
He raised his first venture capital fund, the £35m Gateway Fund in 2001 and was part of the team which raised the IQ Capital Fund in 2006.
His efforts on behalf of early stage companies achieved national recognition when he received an individual Queen’s award for enterprise promotion earlier this year.
His other principal activities continue to be membership of the University of Cambridge Council and Chair of its Audit Committee and Chair of the Greater Cambridge Partnership.
Nigel supports the performing arts, especially music through his own charity, The Stradivari Trust, which raises substantial funds for the purchase of rare stringed instruments for gifted musicians.