What We Look For

FOCUS
At Delta Partners, we invest in the following sectors: Technology-based Businesses and MedTech & Other Healthcare. 
Within those areas, we focus on 3 critical elements of a business plan when considering it for investment: Product, Market and People.

Product: Delta invests in both product and service businesses in two distinct categories.  The first are business with products/services that are difficult to replicate and are intellectual property (IP) rich.  The second type may not have a clearly defensible technical advantage, but has a first mover advantage with the capacity and skill to build momentum around their offering.

Market: The market is the ‘prize’ and it must be large.  We like our investments to be well-positioned in new and very rapidly growing markets where the customers have great enthusiasm for the company's products.  Thus, the first trait we seek in a startup is the ability and desire to attack markets poised for rapid growth. We want to be investors in companies that can gain a large market share in large emerging markets. These companies invariably make the best investments.

People: Venture capitalists often think they build companies. We don't. Management teams build companies. Venture capitalists can help.  Because of this, we look for entrepreneurs who have the ability to lead their companies through the unknown and have a thorough understanding of the task at hand.

Delta Partners' most successful entrepreneurs possess some, or all, of the following attributes.

• They have deep knowledge of the 'domain' that they are targeting.
• They are flexible in responding to changing to the needs of the market.
• They know the value of capital and instinctively understand the crucial difference that separates need from want.
• They have a single-minded conviction regarding the potential of their business.
• Their confidence is tempered by an understanding of their shortcomings.
• They address these shortcomings by hiring great people around themselves.
• They have a long rolodex in the target market.
• They have a sense of urgency.
• They know that a combination of speed and stealth will usually help them beat large companies.
• They know too that other startups can pose the greatest threat to their existence.

SIZE
For our primary fund (DEF III) investments range in size up to €4-5 million. Typically we invest €0.5 - 3 million initially (occasionally less) and grow this over the life of the investment. We invest for the long haul and look for entrepreneurs with a similar perspective. Where larger amounts are required, we work with a set of partner venture capital firms throughout Europe and the United States.
Our Seedfund can invest amounts of up to €500k and is more appropriate for less developed business propositions, often where significant product/service development is still required.  However, regardless of the fund investing, we expect every one of our investee companies to target a big prize.

GEOGRAPHY 
Delta Partners can invest from our primary fund (DEF III) anywhere in the European Union. Our primary markets are Ireland and the United Kingdom; however, we will invest in other countries in conjunction with local investors with whom we have a strong relationship.
Our Seedfund is reserved specifically for early-stage, high-growth opportunities in the Republic of Ireland.