Hunter pursues value.
Stephen Silver, principal at Hunter Capital, said the company had raised over $60 million across 12 deals in just 10 months, despite the challenging environment.
Notable deals to date for Silver and Hunter Capital include the launch of the Abundant Produce float, lead advisor to the $12 million ResApp float, and initial public offering of CFOAM.
Silver said his strategy in the biotech space is to back reasonably valued companies that have a clinically proven diagnostic technology and are entering FDA approval within a 12-month period.
“We believe the ultimate uplift in valuation occurs with widespread adoption or government approval,” Silver said.
“Our key clients Abundant, CFOAM, ResApp and Medibio – which is developing a depression and anxiety diagnostic tool – all have these hallmarks.”
Cutting his teeth at Jett Capital in the fast-paced advisory world of New York, Silver returned to his hometown of Sydney at the start of the year to start Hunter Capital.
Since his return to Australia, Silver turned his sights on the mining and tech sectors – specifically agritech, biotech and tech innovations – to assemble a opportunities for his institutional and high-net worth clients.
Hunter Capital’s philosophy is to find opportunities that have not yet made it on to institutional radars, present them top clients and invest alongside of them.
“If we expect our clients to invest their money then they must expect us to be right alongside them – we are there for the companies’ growth not the capital raising fees,” Silver said.
In the mining sector, the firm is a significant shareholder in Resource Capital Gold (RCG:TSX) and the soon-to-be-listed Battery Mineral Resources, which has invested mainly in cobalt. Hunter Capital sees cobalt as its next commodity of choice, due to its connection to the tech world.
Silver believes that cobalt is the commodity of least supply related to battery technology.
“With 80 per cent of supply coming out of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Battery’s Canadian holding will come to the fore in early 2017.”
Hunter Capital is also a big believer in Israeli technology and has been involved in the recent Nano Dotz float, as well as setting up an office in the capital city.
In the agricultural sector, the firm will soon begin marketing Rootility, a new technology in the tomato root space which is expected to be well received by Australian and Asian investors this year.
In 2017 Hunter Capital is planning to launch a trading desk to assist with its corporate activities.
