Growth investor Molten Ventures PLC (LSE:GROW) has seen its own shares grow after its latest update.
The technology specialist said it had seen continued momentum in deal activity, with £259mln invested over the year to date.
It has realised cash proceeds of £110mln, as well as seeing strong revenue growth across the companies in its portfolio, which it expected to continue in 2022.
It reaffirmed its year end guidance of fair value growth in the region of 35%.
Recent investments included banking technology firm Thought Machine, food business Gardin, and Austrian synthetic data company Mostly AI.
In January portfolio company Bright Computing was acquired by NVIDIA, generating a return of 1.6 times on its invested capital.
Chief executive officer Martin Davis said: "NVIDIA's acquisition of Bright Computing is an example of the successful work undertaken with our portfolio companies over several years, with Bright evolving from a small team in Amsterdam to a global software company during our time supporting them.
"The European technology venture market continues to thrive despite the wider fluctuations in public markets and demonstrates the uncorrelated nature of public and private markets in this space. Molten is well-positioned to take advantage of this disconnect and our year end guidance of fair value growth in the region of 35% remains, keeping up the strong momentum we evidenced so far this year."
Molten shares have added 5.42% to 826.5p.
2.32pm: Victoria Oil & Gas gains on positive update
Victoria Oil & Gas PLC (AIM:VOG) has been lifted by a positive trading update.
The company, which owns Gaz du Cameroun, said gas sales were up 6% in the fourth quarter compared to the previous three months.
Elsewhere the Logbaba field has been meeting demand using two out of three wells, and drilling of a vertical well at Matanda continues to be prepared.
The company has also settle some non-monetary claims in a dispute with RSM Production Corporation.
Chief executive Roy Kelly said: "We are very pleased with the robust quarter that Gaz du Cameroun achieved, despite a greater than expected number of maintenance shutdowns for its customers. Following the end of the quarter, 2022 has started very well with strong demand shown in the market.
Its shares are up 3.71% at 4.3p.
11.57am: Totally lifted by GP contract extension
Totally PLC (AIM:TLY) is looking healthy after unveiling a contract extension.
The healthcare services group said its urgent care division had been given another two years on a contract to provide GP services to NHS North West London, worth around £1.3mln a year.
The contract was initially awarded in February 2020 to meet the primary care needs of individuals seeking asylum in England who were located mainly within the Hillingdon Borough of London. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the contract scope was expanded to include support for new arrivals into UK local airports who exhibited symptoms of the virus. The extension will run from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2024.
Totally shares are up 3.06% at 34.52p.
11.21am: Longboat Energy drops after well disappointment
Longboat Energy PLC (AIM:LBE) has lost ground after a drilling disappointment.
The North Sea exploration and production company said the Ginny/Hermine exploration prospects, where it holds 9%, had failed to encounter hydrocarbons and would now be plugged and abandoned.
Chief executive Helge Hammer said: "Although this was the least impactful target in our portfolio, we are disappointed that the Ginny and Hermine prospects were not successful, particularly given their location between discoveries of similar age and structure.
"In the meantime, the company is looking forward to continuing the fully funded well programme with the Kveikje well expected to spud next month, the Cambozola well spudding in the spring and Copernicus in the summer."
Longboat is down 11.21% at 51.5p.
10.27am: Intercede boosted by contract from US federal agency
Still with cybersecurity, and Intercede Group (AIM:IGP) has won a competitive bid to supply a new customer, an independent US Federal Agency.
The contract involves the company supplying its credential management software to mobile devices, allowing protection of sensitive data and secure access to agency systems.
The initial order is for 20,000 devices and associated support and maintenance totalling US$0.5m, most of which will be recognised as revenue in the current financial year. The company said there is the potential to roll out to substantially more devices over time.
Intercede is up 4.83% to 76p.
9.39am: CYBA climbs after placing to help fund US reverse takeover
It makes a change to see a UK listed business taking over a US defence firm rather than the other way round.
And although this deal has been a long time coming, having first been announced last June, the US$25.6mln takeover of US cyber security group Narf Industries by special purpose acquisition company CYBA PLC (LSE:CYBA) is nearing the finishing line.
CYBA received approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States in October, and has now raised £6mln in cash for working capital and part payment for the deal with a placing at 2p a share.
In the market its shares have added 9.52% to 2.3p.
The bulk of the purchase price will come from the issuing of new shares in CYBA, once a prospectus has been issued for what is classified as a reverse takeover.
8.40am: Cambridge Cognition lifted by contracts with US biotech firm
Cambridge Cognition Holdings PLC (AIM:COG) is climbing higher after unveiling new contract wins.
The company, which develops and markets digital solutions to assess brain health, has won contracts worth £2.1mln to provide cognitive assessments, electronic diaries, and third-party hardware for two clinical trials in neurodegenerative disease. Revenue is expected over the next three financial years.
The deals involve a US biotechnology company which has worked with Cambridge Cognition before. The US company is investigating the effect of a new drug in two neurodegenerative diseases, with two clinical trials are being run in a hybrid or part-virtual manner.
Cambridge chief executive Matthew Stork said: "We are delighted to have secured these sizeable contracts with an existing client as they progress with further clinical trials of their new drug...it is also excellent news that our team have been successful in demonstrating the value of both our daily cognitive tests and our eCOA platform, and with it considerably increasing the value of the contracts."
The company's shares are up 9.09% or 11 at 132p.
Also benefiting from contract news is Beeks Financial Cloud Group PLC (AIM:BKS).
The cloud computing firm has won a US$2.2mln contract over four years for its recently launched Proximity Cloud offering, with one of the world's largest foreign exchange brokers.
It said that thanks to the new deal and positive trading with new and existing clients, revenues for the full year were likely to be ahead of current market expectations.
Chief executive Gordon McArthur said: "The prospects for Beeks have never been more promising and with a growing pipeline we are excited by the opportunity ahead."
Its shares are 5.05% better at 177p.