LONDON, UK: Light Science Technologies Holdings, the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) technology and contract electronics manufacturing (CEM) Group, intends to seek admission of the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of the Company to the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.

Light Science Technologies announced conditional placing of 52 million Ordinary Shares, at a price of 10 pence per share, to raise gross proceeds of £5.2 million.

Simon Deacon, CEO of Light Science Technologies Holdings plc, commented: “We eagerly anticipate the next step in our journey through the admission to trading on AIM. The Company is well placed to use the funds raised in the placing to develop our substantial CEA pipeline and take full advantage of our increasing presence in this growing market. We believe there will be significant demand for our solutions – especially given increasing food shortages and security issues, climate change and growing populations all underpinning demand as growers look to increase yields and reduce energy consumption and costs.”

Key Highlights

• £5 million to be raised (before expenses) for the Company through a conditional placing with institutional and other investors. In addition, the Placing has conditionally raised £0.2 million (gross) for Simon Deacon, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, who has sold part of his shareholding, retaining over 45% of the Company on Admission.
• The funds raised through the Placing, and which are due to the Company, will be used to accelerate the Group’s growth, primarily through its CEA operations, by expanding its UK scientific laboratory grow room, enhancing marketing campaigns, product design, tooling and development, geographical expansion and for ongoing working capital purposes. An amount of the net Placing proceeds will also be invested into the Group’s CEM operations to increase manufacturing capacity.
• Expected market capitalisation on Admission of £17.4 million
• Admission and commencement of dealings on AIM expected to take place on 15 October 2021.

Strand Hanson Limited is acting as Nominated & Financial Adviser, with Turner Pope Investments (TPI) Ltd acting as Broker in relation to the Placing.

Light Science Technologies Holdings plc was incorporated in England and Wales on 13 January 2020 and is the holding company of the Group’s contract electronics manufacturing (CEM) division, UK Circuits and Electronics Solutions Limited, and its controlled environment agriculture (CEA) division, Light Science Technologies Ltd.

UK Circuits was founded in 1997 and is a contract electronics manufacturer with strong revenue and cash generation. The Group’s manufacturing facilities in Manchester, England enable the Group to design, manufacture and test high-quality CEM products used in a broad range of sectors.

Light Science Technologies was founded in September 2019 and facilitates the Company’s CEA operations. The Group’s state-of-the-art laboratory facilities in Derby, England, enable the Group to design, test and provide innovative CEA products and services.

The CEM focussed division of the Group, UK Circuits, designs, procures and manufactures high-quality CEM products, specialising in PCBs, for over 70 recurring customers, which are used in a range of sectors, including, audio, automotive, electronics, gas detection, lighting, pest control, and more recently moving into the CEA market.

The UK Circuits design team works alongside customers with new and existing product designs to provide design and engineering support, including simulation, 3D modelling, and prototyping. UK Circuits’ procurement offerings range from assembly of free issue components to full turnkey solutions, leveraging the experience of its dedicated supply chain team and relationships with reputable suppliers.

In addition to the Group’s CEM capability, the Group’s CEA division, offers integrated, cost-saving and sustainable CEA solutions to crop growers, with a focus on the indoor, vertical and medicinal farming markets, which is expected to be the major growth area for the Group going forwards in light of the market landscape and in view of competing offerings currently in the marketplace.

Light Science Technologies’ all-in-one CEA solution includes analysing customers’ crop growing requirements to provide bespoke, low-energy products, which subsequently monitor the environment in order to maintain optimal growing conditions through the nine cardinals of plant life (namely air speed, carbon dioxide levels, humidity, light, oxygen, plant disease, soil, temperature and water pH levels) to maximise crop yields and minimise resource usage.

(www.lightsciencetechnologiesholdings.com)