Old Burlington Investments, the UK alternatives boutique, has unveiled two Enterprise Investment Scheme funds through Kuber Ventures, the multi-manager platform for UK-based EIS portfolios.

Old Burlington Investments’ Renewable Energy Fund can invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency, but will initially tap solar business opportunities with Bluefield Partners, the solar specialist. Meanwhile, the AIM Growth Fund will make a number of private equity-style investments in new shares issued by companies on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market.

The Kuber platform was launched in November last year to meet what the firm sees as the growing demand from advisors for simple access to EIS investments. In a sign that this trend is gaining traction, a number of firms - Ingenious, Calculus Capital and Oxford Capital for example - are introducing EIS funds to capture the wider tax and investment freedoms these products offer. For example, investors can claim back up to 30 per cent relief against income tax on an investment on EIS investments to a maximum of £1 million (about $1.6 million) per tax year. Moreover, the top rate of income tax (50 per cent) is only slated to fall to 45 per cent in 2013. 

Old Burlington Investments and Kuber Ventures are backed by private equity firm LW², which is owned by Brett Williams, Neil Lewis, Tim West and Tim Levy. LW² was established in 2011 to support businesses in the alternatives market.