VCTs

The VCT industry expects to raise significantly more than last year's total of £340m as demand for investments to mitigate higher tax rates and pension top-up vehicles increases.

VCT group Albion Ventures has reshaped its sector allocation, tripling environmental holdings and almost doubling healthcare stocks.

HOW TO INVEST IN CLEANTECH

The government has said it has no intention of allowing Alternative Investment Market (AIM) shares to be held in ISAs.

CLEAN ENERGY

Environmental investment specialist Foresight is hoping to raise £40m for the launch of its new Solar VCT.

Downing Corporate Finance is making its first foray into the clean energy sector with an investment in a biogas producer.

The expected rise in capital gains tax could attract investors towards venture capital trusts, experts say, because the vehicles are exempt from both capital gains and income tax.

Investec Structured Products has raised £3.8m for its first VCT launch. The venture capital trust, which is run in partnership with Calculus Capital, will invest in a combination of structured products and venture capital investments.

Octopus VCT has raised more money than any other individual VCT in the most recent tax year, according to figures from the Association of Investment Companies (AIC).