The Mercia Technology Seed Fund has completed an investment in Scyron, the security and surveillance services company. The Mercia Technology Seed Fund, a leading provider of venture capital to early stage technology in the West Midlands, invested alongside Datasat, the global turnkey communication solutions company, and management. Scyron will reinvest use the funds from the additional stake to support its further growth further into the commercial sector within the UK as well as overseas.
Following an initial investment in 2002, the Mercia Technology Seed Fund now has increased its stake to 25%. The fund invested in Scyron as a result of the company's success with the development of its worldwide patents for intelligent surveillance, its customer base including 48 UK police forces, as well as its future plans for international growth. Scyron has also previously benefited form support from the Technology Transfer Fund managed by BRDL.
Scyron, with its Research and Development Lab, based at University of Birmingham Research Park, UK, has worldwide patents for its creation of a new category of intelligent CCTV surveillance, based around capturing and analysing specific "incidents." As an example, the company's technology can trigger CCTV cameras to record only specific events such as a vehicle going through a security barrier while ignoring people on foot or a person entering a doorway while ignoring passers by. This is in contrast to blanket surveillance techniques which lack precise targeting.
Mark Payton, Fund Principal for the Mercia Technology Seed Fund, commented, "Scyron is now making significant sales traction utilizing its compelling, intelligent-surveillance solution into the commercial as well as the public security sectors. We are delighted to invest alongside Datasat - and see them as more than a corporate investor but rather a partner providing immediate and significant growth opportunities to Scyron." 
The Mercia Technology Seed Fund, is a £12.8m technology fund investing in start ups and other early stage technology-based ventures located in the West Midlands and is managed by Birmingham-based WM Enterprise, a leading provider of specialist venture capital finance.
Investing alongside the Mercia Technology Seed Fund, Datasat was attracted to Scyron's world-leading innovation in the security market and saw a compelling fit with Datasat's global satellite communications business, which provides a clear complementary secure network on which to deliver Scyron's applications and solutions to remote locations around the world.
Phil Emmel, managing director of Datasat, commented, "Scyron's intelligent security and surveillance solutions represent a rare jewel of truly brilliant UK technological innovation. Datasat is excited about its investment which - together with the other investors - endorses Scyron's strategic plan of becoming a world leader in intelligent security and surveillance technology."
Mike Wilks, CEO to Scyron, added, "This is an exciting time for the business. Mercia's investment allows Scyron to move to the next level - providing secure, ‘intelligent surveillance' to customers anywhere in the world, regardless of their location. Working in partnership with Datasat and Mercia will support Scyron to reinvest and achieve its international growth ambitions."
