Post-Brexit UK must bleed for the EU to survive
Leaving aside emotions and pundits’ war of numbers, if we take a helicopter view and apply a simple mutually exclusive and comprehensively exhaustive model, the future of UK society post-Brexit will either be utopian, neutral or dystopian.
A utopian outcome is whereby the United Kingdom would recover part or all of its past lustre. The UK economy would be buoyant, immigration would be controlled and selective, employment would be at an all-time high and even the weather would improve. Under that scenario, it would not take long for other prosperous EU countries to emulate Brexit, leaving only laggards in a decaying Union.
The neutral scenario pictures a post-Brexit landscape either unchanged or wherein negative changes would have offset positive ones. Such an outcome would raise the question:
A utopian outcome is whereby the United Kingdom would recover part or all of its past lustre. The UK economy would be buoyant, immigration would be controlled and selective, employment would be at an all-time high and even the weather would improve. Under that scenario, it would not take long for other prosperous EU countries to emulate Brexit, leaving only laggards in a decaying Union.
The neutral scenario pictures a post-Brexit landscape either unchanged or wherein negative changes would have offset positive ones. Such an outcome would raise the question:
“if it makes little to no change to be part of the EU, what do we need the EU for?”
Given the rise of populism in most European countries, Eurosceptics would exploit that argument to torpedo the EU project and slowly but surely, tear it into pieces.
The dystopian scenario is bloody. Brexit would be hard, the UK would wage a trade war with the EU, be sidelined by the US and China, and would have to open its border to immigration in exchange for staple goods supplied by India. The markets would collapse, unemployment would skyrocket, social dissatisfaction would soar. The EU would be dragged down by the UK’s festering economy but to a lesser extent, enabling unionists to blame Brexit.
The dystopian scenario is bloody. Brexit would be hard, the UK would wage a trade war with the EU, be sidelined by the US and China, and would have to open its border to immigration in exchange for staple goods supplied by India. The markets would collapse, unemployment would skyrocket, social dissatisfaction would soar. The EU would be dragged down by the UK’s festering economy but to a lesser extent, enabling unionists to blame Brexit.
No EU politician can overtly call for UK woes but what would you be prone to do if you were pro-EU?
I leave it to the reader to choose his or her favourite scenario. The good news is that whatever the outcome might be, the new paradigm will not last forever. There is no good or bad prognostic, the devil will be in the detail of the timing.
Mr. Matías Mendez joins as a Public Relationship Manager for Spain
Mr. Matías Mendez has joined VC-A as a Public Relationship Manager for Spain.
Mr. Matías is an expert speaker, mentor and networker. He teaches at several business schools and universities and wrote two books: "Nostalgia de silencio" and "Silencio de Nostalgia".
Mr. Matías has got a Master in Spanish Philology, a Master in Communication and is taking a PhD degree in Journalism at the Universidad Complutense of Madrid.
Mr. Matías is an expert speaker, mentor and networker. He teaches at several business schools and universities and wrote two books: "Nostalgia de silencio" and "Silencio de Nostalgia".
Mr. Matías has got a Master in Spanish Philology, a Master in Communication and is taking a PhD degree in Journalism at the Universidad Complutense of Madrid.
VC-A and Alt Consulting will codevelop solar PV plants in Europe
Value Creation - Alternative has reached an agreement with Alternative Consulting to develop more than 150MW of photovoltaic plants (PV) in Europe.
Alternative Consulting is an advisory firm specialised in energy projects
Alternative Consulting is an advisory firm specialised in energy projects
Alt has already identified several PV development opportunities in Spain and Italy totalling 150MW, but more development sites are at sight.
VC-A brings to the deal its relationships with investors and bank guarantees to secure an initial tranche of funding of €10.5 million to kick off the projects.
Luxury Villas and Residences
VC-A has signed an agreement with a real estate developer to promote luxury villas and residential apartments in the heart of Dubai.
Offers range from 1-bedroom apartments to 6-bedroom villas and prices range from €180 000 up to €39 million.
Click here for more information.
Offers range from 1-bedroom apartments to 6-bedroom villas and prices range from €180 000 up to €39 million.
Click here for more information.
VC-A M&A SUITE
On the 29th day of October 2018, we were 1 132 VC-A Members and had 5 621 companies tagged as "Investor" loaded onto the Suite. The total number of companies was 23 708 and the total number of contacts, 37 303, of which, 10 604 were tagged as "Investor".
VC-A Agents who wish to access the VC-A M&A Suite can submitting a request by email to become VC-A Associates.
Note: candidates will be taken through an onboarding and compliance process.
Review VC-A's value proposition here.
To join VC-A as an Agent register online here.
Desespecialízate
El libro “Focus” de Goleman hacía hincapié en la necesidad de especializarse en una temática, en un mundo donde en un solo día se genera más información de la que produjo toda la humanidad hasta el descubrimiento de la imprenta.
Entiendo la postura de Goleman y los peligros de la infoxicación. También es de sobra conocida la teoría de las “10.000 horas”, las necesarias –presuntamente- para dominar una materia.
Pues bien, me quedo con dos ejemplos metafóricos como siempre y metonímicos en esta ocasión: el Amazonas y Amazon.
En el Amazonas hay más de 14.000 especies de plantas, un botánico que viviese allí y sólo se dedicase al estudio de una de ellas, es decir al 0,000071% de las posibilidades que hay a su alrededor, estaría de manero inconsciente amputando su vocación personal y profesional, limitando su curiosidad
En Amazon hay más de mil millones de productos, si tuviésemos 24 horas para elegir, ¿nos centraríamos sólo en el primero que saliese al azar?
Si contabilizamos las aficiones más básicas somos conscientes de la utopía de dominar una materia. Se publican 80.000 libros al día en el mundo, los mismos que en España al año… Kinépolis estrena más de 500 películas anuales. Y en cuanto al fútbol: hay 380 partidos de Liga por temporada, y ésta es sólo una de las 6 competiciones oficiales, sin contar partidos de selecciones ni ligas extranjeras.
La especialidad fue coetánea a los gremios de los trabajadores. Hoy día, usemos anglicismos o no, el mundo – el profesional también- es otro: knowmdas, catalizadores, aprendizaje continuo…
La única especialidad que no es ciega es la del mundo biomédico que a la postre, con sus patentes, salva millones de vidas.
La especialidad ciega el mundo complejo que nos rodea. Especialízate en tu trabajo, sé el mejor pero ten una visión poliédrica del mundo cambiante, si no, no estarás en él.
- Matías Mendez
The Value Creation - Alternative Network
If you run a business, use this group to share ideas around new business development strategies, alternative sources of money, alternative growth strategies and new business models.
VC-A Members, Investors, Company Owners, CxOs, Directors and Managers are invited to join.
VC-A Members, Investors, Company Owners, CxOs, Directors and Managers are invited to join.
Cybersecurity in the US: Current State, Developments
For years, hackers have been sharpening their tools and scouting for new targets to penetrate cyberdefenses, making cybersecurity a major problem that the United States faces today. Both the public and private sectors remain at risk for both nation-state cyber threats, with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea leading the list; as well as non-state cybersecurity threats such as terrorists and criminals.
Considering the gravity of the danger every cybercrime poses, what steps has the government been doing to address such threats?
Some of VC-A current opportunities
| Opportunity | Id | Ticket | Overview | Who could be interested? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axion Blue Suite | Axion Blue-XXX | €100k to €100M | Set up and invest in a series of funds in multiple verticals: startups, NPL, RE, securities, commodities... | Fund Managers, HNWI, FO, Asset Managers, Portfolio Managers, Corporations, Investors |
| Asset Backed Loans | Bond Monetisation | €3M+ or 3% of Bond FV | We are looking for asset-backed projects and equity investors to issue and monetise bonds for loans in excess of €20M. | New project developers, construction companies and asset managers with cash available in excess of €3M willing to finance large projects and/or monetise existing assets |
| Digital Bank | Diginacria | €7.5M -> €100M | A well-established and popular German fintech company is looking to raise up to EUR 7.5m in expansion capital to become the largest fintech bank based in Europe’s single currency area with a truly global reach. Additional assets can be included to build up a strong balance sheet and move into market-making | UHNWI, security traders, VC/PE specialised in fintechs, banks, and financial institutions |
| Non Performing Loans | NPL Fund | €5M -> €100M | Value Creation - Alternative is looking for investors to set up a regulated non-performing loans fund to acquire bad consumer debt in the kingdom of Spain | Distressed funds, hedge funds, HNWI, UHNWI, financial institutions, bad debt recovery entities |
| Foreign Exchange | FX and Trade Finance | €5M -> €100M | We structure finance solutions for international trades involving currency exchange and supplier credits | Import-export agencies, trading companies, lenders |
| Regulated Funds Management | Crypto-PIF | €5M -> €100M | Looking for a partner investor to set up a regulated professional investment fund (PIF) in Malta to raise money through tokenization | Established and would-be fund managers, non-EU banks and financial institutions, companies looking to raise funding from institutional investors |
| Cybersecurity | Alibaba | >€5M | We are looking for European companies serving data-dependent industries willing to swap shares with a US company listed on Nasdaq and offer our IP protected cybersecurity software | System integrators, IT services companies, consulting firms, VC and PE in IT companies looking for an exit |
| M&A and Fundraising | VC-A M&A Suite | €250k+ | We are looking for Strategic Partners and Investors to help us develop VC-A solutions through JV and alliances | HNWI, UHNWI, M&A boutiques, hedge funds, VC/PE, FOs, consulting firms, investment banks |
| Unicorn Startups | Pre-IPO | €100k+ | We trade unicorn shares on the secondary market. Currently on screen: Flexport, Rubrik (Shares owned directly), Kraken (Shares owned directly), BitPay (Shares in an SPV), Eat Just (Shares owned in an SPV), Udemy (Shares owned directly) etc. from $100k investment up | Mass-affluents, HNWI, UHNWI, hedge funds |
You can download a blind list of VC-A leads here.
About Value Creation - Alternative
Value Creation – Alternative is a Strategy and Investment Advisory firm. We help companies to develop their business through acquisition and organic growth. We accompany our clients throughout the entire life cycle of their corporate development programme: strategy definition, target search, due-diligence, negotiation, transformation map, change management and digitalisation.
We are a worldwide network of more than 1,000 seasoned professionals with more than 45,000 contacts and have collectively advised M&A projects worth in excess of US$100B.
We support complex strategic and operational business decisions with deep analysis and robust processes. Our methodology is a combination of desk research, interviews and application of our internal know how.