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REG - Deepverge PLC - Final Results

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RNS Number : 9310P  Deepverge PLC  23 June 2022

 

23 June 2022

 

DeepVerge plc

 

("DeepVerge" or the "Company")

 

Final Results for the year ended 31 December 2021

 

Revenue grew 107% to £9.3m

 

EBITDA losses fell by 98% to just £0.017m

 

DeepVerge (AIM: DVRG), is pleased to announce its audited financial results
for the year ended 31 December 2021. The Company's Annual Report is included
at the end of this announcement and is available on the Company's website at
www.deepverge.com.

 

Gerry Brandon, CEO of DeepVerge plc, commented:

"For the third year running, DeepVerge has delivered fantastic triple digit
percentage growth. Revenues jumped by 107% to £9.3m and EBITDA losses fell by
98% to just £0.017m, bringing us ever closer to our first full year of
profitability.  The Company has truly transformed over those three years, and
astute investment is now delivering significant revenues across two equally
successful divisions, human health and environmental test services. The
customer base has grown both in terms of number of customers and
geographically, and we have delivered new and important services which will
continue to drive the future growth of the business.

 

Labskin is thriving and 2021 saw the launch of the Skin Trust Club which has
rapidly gained momentum and is firmly cemented as the new era of personalised
skin care.  Through Modern Water, we expanded our geographic reach and we
have been actively involved in multiple government, regional and municipal
city infrastructure trials to deliver real-time alerts for the identification
of viruses, pathogens and forever chemicals.  I could not be prouder of the
hard work and commitment delivered by the DeepVerge team and 2022 Q1 sales
have increased by 84% and this momentum of growth is expected to continue."

 

Financial Highlights:

 

·    Total 2021 revenue up 107% to £9.3m (2020: £4.5m). Orders exceeded
£10m but supply chain and COVID pushed some shipments into Q1 2022

·    H2 2021 revenue growth tripled over the first half with strong sales
of £6.0m leading to the Company's first EBITDA profitable half year
(excluding exceptional costs)

·    EBITDA losses before exceptional items fell by 98% to £0.017m (2020:
£0.859m)

·    Gross margin increased to 57% (2020: 41%)

·    Administration costs increased by 91% to £8.7m (2020: £4.6m) with
full year of Modern Water

·    Operating loss increased by 8% to £2.897m (2020: £2.718m) includes
intangible asset depreciation and amortisation of acquired businesses
amounting to £3.2m (2021: £1.1m)

·    Robust financial position following £10m Placing; £25m Mezzanine
Loan facility

 

Operational Highlights (including post period events):

 

·    Group Sales for 2022 Q1 are up 84% to £2.38m (Q1 2021: £1.29m)

 

·    Labskin

-     Revenues increased exponentially year-on-year, growing in excess of
10 times 2018 revenues

-     Labskin laboratory expansion in US to support for Tier 1 skin care
manufacturing clients

 

·    Skin Trust Club

-     Largest skin microbiome database in the world with expanding range
of applications

-     Over 20,000 members, 30,000 skin microbiota sampled and more than
50,000 consumer site visits per month

-     Intense interest post US Launch resulted in unprecedented demand for
Skin Trust Club test kits

-     The marketplace service expanding rapidly with more than 300
products available from leading skin care companies

-     Best New Disruptor Brand 2022 from the Pure Beauty Global Awards

 

·    Modern Water

-     Production orders up 39% worth £5m for Modern Water equipment

-     £1.1m acquisition of Glanaco Engineering to reduce chain supply
challenges

-     Expanding collaboration with Microsaic Systems plc with
Manufacturing services framework

-     Engagement with multiple US cities for wastewater pathogen detection

-     First UK Deployments of Microtox(®)PD Pathogen Detection Systems in
UK Wastewater

-     Modern Water sales to India £1.9m in 2021

-     Multiple £1m+ installations bids for sites in the Middle East and
South Asia.

-     Framework agreement with Abingdon Health plc for Lateral Flow Tests
to integrate with Modern Water optofluidic units to increase the volume of
recurring consumable tests

 

Enquiries:

 

 DeepVerge plc                                   Gerard Brandon, CEO         +44 (0) 7340 055 648

 SPARK Advisory Partners Limited                 Neil Baldwin/Andrew Emmott  +44 (0) 113 370 8974

 (Nominated Adviser)

 Turner Pope Investments (TPI) Limited (Broker)  Andy Thacker/James Pope     +44 (0) 20 3657 0050

 

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER
THE UK VERSION OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION NO 596/2014 WHICH IS PART OF
ENGLISH LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018, AS AMENDED.  ON
PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS
INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

 

About DeepVerge plc (www.deepverge.com)

DeepVerge is an environmental and life science group of companies that
develops and applies AI and IoT technology to analytical instruments for the
analysis and identification of bacteria, virus and toxins; Utilising
artificial intelligent data analytics to scientifically prove the impact of
skincare product claims on skin.

 

 

 

Chairman's Statement

For the year ended 31 December 2021

 

Dear Fellow Shareholder,

 

I have pleasure presenting the Company's report and results for the year ended
31 December 2021.

 

Our Business

DeepVerge Plc ("DeepVerge", "Group" or "the Company") was incorporated and
registered in England and Wales on 28 May 2016 and was admitted to trading on
the AIM market of London Stock Exchange plc on 5 April 2017. The current
management team took control of the business in August 2018. The core Labskin
health division was dramatically altered with the strategic acquisitions of
artificial intelligence software company Rinocloud Limited, in 2019, and
environmental equipment and services company Modern Water plc, in November
2020. The enlarged DeepVerge Group now comprises two distinct divisions, human
health and environmental test services, each reliant on the use of artificial
intelligence to inform new products, services and insights for customers and
partners.

Labskin revenues have increased exponentially year on year, growing in excess
of a multiple of 10 times since 2018. It now incorporates multiple routes to
market validating skincare products and ingredients for skin care
manufacturers and underwrites the recently launched Skin Trust Club consumer
test services and smartphone app. This new personalised skin health tracking
and skincare recommendations service democratises and personalises skin care
for individual consumers and provides new personalised shopping experiences
for partners' customers. The Labskin division's UK laboratory space has
increased from 924 sq. ft in 2018 to 9,378 sq. ft in 2021.  We have opened
new laboratories in Fermoy, Cork, Ireland to serve the EU market. Additional
laboratory space in New Castle, Delaware, USA is currently close to completion
bringing a further 5,000 sq. ft in Q3 2022 for our Labskin B2B and Skin Trust
Club Direct to Consumer (D2C) services.

Skin Trust Club is a disruptive lifestyle technology platform for personalised
beauty, offering an entirely new marketplace for skin care manufacturers, who
are Labskin test clients, to sell skin microbiome friendly products directly
to Skin Trust Club members. It is also a B2B platform offering retailers a new
personalised shopping and loyalty club enhancing experience for their
customers. Operating in the healthcare wellness consumer sector, the
combination of home test kit and smartphone app data technology platform
creates new market opportunities using skin as a monitor. With the largest
skin microbiome database in the world, built from 15 years of R&D Labskin
heritage, Skin Trust Club offers a unique blend of skin science, AI/data
science, informatics, and modern web technologies to personalise skin care for
consumers to have scientifically tested products specifically recommended to
match their own unique skin microbiome.

The Company's acquisition of Modern Water plc ("Modern Water") completed in
November 2020 expanded DeepVerge's offering to include environmental data
management, monitoring and analysis of water contamination using AI. The roll
out of equipment and services across the environmental division has more than
doubled revenues in the first year since completion of the acquisition and
production capacity has been secured for the current demand, with excess
capacity and service support available for accelerated growth as demand
increases from external contract manufacturers and partners. Development
continues on the miniaturisation of Microtox®PD units for wastewater
detection of a range of pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.
Further details are included in the CEO Report.

 

Results

Yet again, this year has been transformational for DeepVerge, attributable to
enhancing an already successful business model and illustrated by better than
expected first EBITDA profitable half-year in H2, 2021, before costs of Modern
Water acquisition. In addition, orders exceeded £10m but supply chain delays
and pandemic related issues pushed some  equipment shipments and reagent
supplies into Q1 2022. Increased demand required additional employees across
all subsidiaries and expansion of laboratory space was maintained throughout
2021 and continues into 2022.

 

Financial Highlights:

·      Total 2021 revenue up 107% to £9.3m (2020: £4.5m). Orders
exceeded £10m but supply chain and COVID issues pushed some shipments into Q1
2022

·      H2 2021 revenue growth tripled over the first half with strong
sales of £6.0m leading to the Company's first EBITDA profitable half year
(excluding exceptional costs)

·      EBITDA losses before exceptional items fell by 98% to £0.017m
(2020: £0.859m)

·      Gross margin increased to 57% (2020: 41%)

·      Administration costs increased by 91% to £8.7m (2020: £4.6m)
with full year of Modern Water

·      Operating loss increased by 8% to £2.897m (2020: £2.718m)
includes intangible asset depreciation and amortisation of acquired businesses
amounting to £3.2m (2021: £1.1m)

·      Robust financial position following £10m Placing; £25m
Mezzanine Loan facility

 

Operational Highlights (including post period events):

 

·      Group 2022 Q1 Sales up 84% to £2.38m (Q1 2021: £1.29m)

·      Labskin

-       Revenues increased exponentially year-on-year, growing in excess
of 10 times 2018 revenues

-       Labskin laboratory expansion in US, UK and EU to support for
Tier 1 skin care manufacturing clients

·      Skin Trust Club

-       Largest skin microbiome database in the world with expanding
range of applications

-       Over 20,000 members, 30,000 skin microbiota sampled and more
than 50,000 consumer site visits per month

-       Intense interest post US Launch resulted in unprecedented demand
for Skin Trust Club test kits

-       The marketplace service is expanding rapidly with more than 300
products available from leading skin care companies

-       Best New Disruptor Brand 2022 from the Pure Beauty Global Awards

·      Modern Water

-       Production orders up 39% worth £5m for Modern Water equipment

-       £1.1m acquisition of Glanaco Engineering to reduce chain supply
challenges

-       Expanding collaboration with Microsaic Systems plc with
Manufacturing services framework

-       Engagement with multiple US cities for wastewater pathogen
detection

-       First UK Deployments of Microtox®PD Pathogen Detection Systems
in UK Wastewater

-       Modern Water sales to India £1.9m in 2021

-       Multiple consortium £1m+ installations bids for projects in the
Middle East and South Asia

-       Framework agreement with Abingdon Health plc for Lateral Flow
Tests to integrate with Modern Water optofluidic units to increase the volume
of recurring consumable tests

 

Further information on our products, technologies and advances Post-Year-End
can be found in the Chief Executive's Report.

 

Corporate governance

I believe that good corporate governance is important to support our future
growth and the Board, which has extensive experience in publicly listed
companies and running companies in the personal healthcare sector, is
committed to the highest standards.

 

Outlook

If 2019 and 2020 were defined by acquisition growth and integration of tried
and tested diverse technologies, 2021 has seen adaption and consolidation
leading to the creation of multiple revenue streams that have expanded rapidly
driving growth across all divisions. Laboratories have expanded on two
continents and staff have increased to 81 to meet demand of new products and
services. The outcome has once again resulted in an increase of new and core
business from Labskin, Modern Water and the new Skin Trust Club consumer
division. These include new products and services coming online throughout
2022.

 

The injection of capital from the £10m placing in June prepared the Group for
an increase in staff, upgraded laboratories, and expansion of our offering of
innovative products and services across all divisions. While we have seen
supply chain issues effect external consortium partners, to date there has
been minimal impact on Group sales. The Board expect growth in sales in 2022
to continue the Q1 momentum.

 

Ross Andrews

Chairman

23 June 2022

 

Chief Executive's Statement

For the year ended 31 December 2021

 

Dear Fellow Shareholder,

 

DeepVerge

DeepVerge is an environmental and life science group of companies that
develops and applies AI and web technology for the analysis and identification
of bacteria, virus and toxins. Utilising artificial intelligent data analytics
to scientifically prove the impact of skincare product claims on skin
microbiome for most of the top 20 global cosmetic company clients and remotely
detect and identify in real-time, dangerous pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2 in
wastewater treatment plants, drinking water, rivers, lakes and reservoirs.

 

High Bar for 2021:

The Board set a high bar in January 2021 with guidance on revenues to December
2021 hitting £10m.

·      Orders exceeded £10 million. Supply chain delays pushed
shipments of reagent supplies into 2022.

·      Yet another triple digit percentage growth year, up 107% to £9.3
million from £4.5 million in 2020.

·      EBITDA loss was only £0.017m (2020: £0.859m).

·      EBITDA Margin loss of just 1.4% (2020: 19%).

Our core services:

·      Labskin human skin equivalent platform to validate and verify the
safety and impact on skincare companies' products for regulatory authority
approval & Labskin test services for skin care product manufacturers.

·      AI and microbiome platform to facilitate clinical trials for
skincare companies.

·      Regulated environmental toxicology services.

·      Monitoring and data analytics platform for real-time detection
and identification of pathogens in water and wastewater.

Our evolving services:

·      Skin Trust Club Direct to Consumer (D2C) home test kit and
consumer app.

·      Skin Trust Club Business to Business (B2B) home test kit sales
and data supplier for retail store loyalty programs.

·      Skin Trust Club B2B home test kit services for medical
(dermatology).

·      Skin Trust Club test kit sales for R&D and Business to
Government (B2G) - military programs.

·      Anonymised data sales and services to pharma, medical, cosmetic,
and industrial clients for R&D.

 

Labskin expansion in US

Labskin has successfully demonstrated its sales growth capabilities throughout
2021 and continues exhibiting new products and service developments at
conferences in San Diego, San Francisco, London, and Paris. Major
existing and several Tier 1 customers urged the Labskin division to expand
laboratories in the USA for skin testing services. Part of the proceeds
of the Placing in June 2021 provided for the expansion of the life science
division for new business in the US market.  Labskin unveiled new products
and services including a new scalp model and has received demand for a very
strong pipeline of new business across the hair care and shampoo sector.

 

Modern Water

Acquired in 2020, Modern Water continues to deliver as the Gold standard for
heavy metals and toxicity pollution monitoring with its equipment and reagents
now significantly upgraded. This includes the increasing use of AI to leverage
data generated in water and wastewater, currently in beta testing on the
predictive abilities of the old and new technologies. Demand for the
Microtrace heavy metals and Microtox toxicity product ranges continue to grow
strongly through an expanding network of local and international distributors.

 

New Generation

New Microtox®PD instruments came on stream this year using optofluidic
technology to identify pathogens including the addition of mass spectroscopy
to identify PFAS (Forever Chemicals) also in real time. Partnership with
Microsaic Systems has helped redesign existing equipment and pioneer new
instruments that deliver on-site and remote mass spectrometry-based monitoring
of PFAS. The combined Microsaic micro-electronic engineering team and Modern
Water scientists, engineers and technologists are currently working on the
next generation - mobile, miniature, and rugged - designs of the Microtox®PD
range for pathogen detection.

 

The integration of three levels of pollution detection - heavy metals/toxicity
of pathogens, PFAS - now offers the 'last mile' of detection. The automation
of integrated technologies can now fulfil the demand for point-of-need
detection, into partner and customer solutions such as SCADA. This was
achieved with Rinocloud software and machine learning aided by Acumen PTY, a
specialist software collaborator in South Africa. Reference sites in the UK,
US, EU, China and India have been deployed to show the total ecowaterOS
solution in action and its benefits.

 

Membrane Business

Modern Water membrane division installed multiple water treatment reference
sites showing the company's reverse and forward osmosis technology. Clients
were secured in the garment industry, chemicals sector, oil and gas, and local
authorities across China, the Middle East and India. The company also deployed
a mobile membrane service that can be moved between landfill sites.

 

Expertise in Manufacturing

In March 2022, DeepVerge completed the acquisition of Cork-based manufacturing
firm Glanaco Limited. Glanaco is a specialist engineering services company,
originally providing solutions for the management of dirty water from
municipal dumps and engineering/construction projects with a range of owned
and partner equipment. The business has since expanded its facility to
assemble and maintain equipment ranging from robotic extensions for large
plants to biohazard wash systems and to Modern Water's All Membrane Brine
Concentration (AMBC) systems. Glanaco extends Modern Water's engineering
services to the design, production, maintenance, upgrading and shipping of
instruments that were traditionally controlled by Modern Water's suppliers.

 

3-Step Strategic Plan Across All Divisions

The group has consolidated the acquisitions and leveraged consortium and
collaboration partners to offer multiple products with multi uses, as
in-demand needs, to clients and consumers. This has been achieved through well
established multiple routes to markets, built on the heritage of 35 years of
Modern Water and 15 years of Labskin's strategy leveraging its core platforms.
It is also actively building Intellectual Property to create value during this
process, also establishing further barriers to entry for future competition.
We are also putting collaborations and partnerships at the core of our
research and development.

 

1.      Grow Profits Across Related Markets

We will continue to leverage existing blue-chip clients and collaboration
partner relationships to secure additional high value product test service
contract revenues, as well as creating new products and accessing cost
effective routes to market with additional sales resources.

 

2.      Product & Service Investment

In addition, AI and analysed data continues to be a key and growing enabling
factor that delivers services across the Group. All divisions control the
generation of their own data, generating results and delivering on learnings
from that data. This data informs and helps create new products and services
and provides new and invaluable insights for customers, clients and partners.
The roll-out of physical and digital cloud-based reporting services, to keep
our Life Science and Environmental Health offering competitive and relevant to
our clients, is key to delivering more value to our clients and increasing
revenue per client in return.

 

3.      Collaboration & Acquisition

We actively pursue a broader portfolio of services through revenue shared
collaboration and acquisitions targeting partnerships across science and
technology, that expands our reach and ability to serve customers and markets.
These areas have been previously mentioned in RNS announcements and include,
but are not limited to, data analytics, software and biophysics integration
services. All of these have lead to extending the scope and reach of all
divisions. The key criteria in our collaboration and partner targets is to
increase revenue per client and earnings from repurposed assets to enhance
shareholder value.

 

 

Gerard Brandon

Chief Executive Officer

23 June 2022

 

The Board

Ross Andrews, Non-Executive Chairman

Ross was appointed Chairman on 21 May 2019, having been a non-executive
director since April 2017. He is a corporate financier with over 30 years'
experience, has a strong understanding of corporate governance regimes and is
chairman and non-executive director of several UK listed companies. In 2018,
he established Guild Financial Advisory, a corporate finance boutique focused
on ambitious and fast-growing companies.

 

 

Gerard Brandon (Chief Executive Officer)

Gerard was appointed Director and CEO of DeepVerge in August 2018. Previously,
he joined Cellulac Limited (Ireland) as its Chief Executive Officer in May
2012 and assumed the same role for Cellulac plc in October 2013. In 1996 he
became founder and CEO of Alltracel Pharmaceuticals PLC, where he built a team
that oversaw numerous patents granted on refined cellulose. Alltracel was
admitted to trading on AIM in 2001. In 2004, he was appointed as a Managing
Partner for Farmabrand Private Equity. In 2009, he was appointed as an
Executive Consultant to Eplixo Limited. He is a Fellow of the Ryan Academy of
Entrepreneurs in Dublin.

 

 

Camillus Glover (Chief Financial
Officer)

Camillus was appointed Director and COO of DeepVerge on 8 August 2018. On 29
August 2018 he took over as Chief Financial Officer. Previously, he joined
Cellulac Limited (Ireland) as Chief Financial Officer in May 2012 and assumed
the same role for Cellulac plc in October 2013. He is a Fellow of the
Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland. In 2003, he joined Alltracel
Pharmaceuticals plc as Commercial Director and was appointed Chief Operations
Officer in 2005 until it was acquired in 2008 by Hemcon Medical Technologies
("Hemcon"). Between 2009 and 2012, he was VP of Global Business Development
for Hemcon prior to joining Cellulac plc.

 

 

Fionán (Fin) Murray, (Chief Operations Officer)

Fin is the founder of Rinocloud Limited. He was appointed Sales Director of
DeepVerge on 2 May 2019 following the acquisition of Rinocloud Ltd. On 26
February 2020 he was appointed COO of DeepVerge. He is a seasoned sales
executive with more than 30 years' experience in worldwide distribution deals,
selling complex software solutions into the multi-national corporate sectors
in financial services, biotech, utilities and government departments. He is
former CEO of LeT Systems Ltd and a senior executive at KBC Bank and Kindle
Banking systems. He was appointed Chief Operations Officer on 26 February
2020.

 

 

Dr Nigel Burton (Non-Executive Director)

Nigel was appointed non-executive director of the Company on 10 November 2020
following the acquisition of Modern Water where Nigel was a non-executive
director.  Nigel worked for over 14 years as an investment banker at leading
London City institutions including UBS Warburg and Deutsche Bank, including
serving as a Managing Director responsible for the energy and utilities
industries.  Following these roles Nigel spent 15 years as Chief Financial
Officer or Chief Executive Officer of a number of private and public companies
and is a Non-Executive Director of a number of other listed companies
including BlackRock Throgmorton Trust, eEnergy Group, Microsaic Systems and
Location Sciences.

 

Strategic Report

For the year ended 31 December 2021

 

Review of the business

A comprehensive review of the year is given in the Chairman's and Chief
Executive's Statements on pages 2 to 6.

 

Principal risks and uncertainties

The Directors continually identify, monitor and manage the risks and
uncertainties of the Group. Risk is inherent in all businesses. Set out below
are certain risk factors which could have an impact on the Group's long-term
performance and mitigating factors adopted to alleviate these risks. This list
does not purport to be an exhaustive summary of the risks affecting the Group.

 

Management and employees

The Group's future success will be dependent on key employees and their
on-going relationships with customers. To maintain continuity of the customer
relationship the Group encourages customer relationships to be maintained by
more than one individual. Retention of key employees are incentivised through
a mixture of competitive remuneration, share options and sales commission and
recruitment of talent is encouraged using competitive packages and favourable
working conditions. Board Directors are incentivised as detailed in the
Directors' Remuneration Report.

 

Delay in product delivery

The Group has identified product and service development projects to take to
market, some of which are dependent on consumer satisfaction with the end
product and service. The Group launched Skin Trust Club in the UK and soft
launched in the US and demand for home test kits for skin microbiome is
growing exponentially. If the provision of test kits and delivery of reports
to consumers takes longer than expected, this could damage consumer confidence
in the brand. The Group is monitoring supplier performance on a continuous
basis and actively looks for alternative suppliers to mitigate risk of
dependency on any one supplier. The Group also has expansion plans underway at
UK and US sites to address volume demand.

 

Potential funding requirement for products and services development

Ongoing development of products and service and any future acquisitions,
partnership or joint venture expansion may require additional capital. The
Group may seek to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings or
from other sources. There can be no guarantee that the necessary funds will be
available on a timely basis, on favourable terms, or at all, or that such
funds if raised would be sufficient. The Group tries to reduce this risk by
driving financial planning to improve  the financial resiliency of the Group.

 

Competition risk

The Group's current and future potential competitors include, amongst others,
major multinational healthcare and environmental health companies with
substantially greater resources than those of the Group. There can be no
assurance that competitors will not succeed in developing systems, products
and services that are more effective or economic than any of those developed
by the Group, which would render the Group's products obsolete or otherwise
non-competitive. The Group seeks to reduce this risk by ensuring that a
professional and high standard product and service is provided to its
customers, maintaining confidentiality agreements and selecting leading
businesses in their respective fields as collaboration and joint development
partners capable of addressing significant competition, should it arise.

 

Currency exchange risk

The Company's financial statements are denominated in pounds sterling, its
functional currency. The Group's global growth drives foreign exchange risk.
The Group mitigates this risk by increased rigour in its financial planning
and ongoing monitoring of the markets to protect the Group against this
risk. The Group intends to develop a hedging policy and currently hedges
organically by driving sales in local currency.

 

Data Breach

Some of the Group's activity involves processing personal customer data.
Deliberate theft of loss of this personal data due to inadequate technical
controls could cause significant reputational damage as well as regulatory
penalties.  Security controls and processes are updated regularly and the IT
security team are constantly monitoring activity and providing updates to
mitigate against risk of loss.

 

COVID-19 risk

While COVID-19 is no longer a principal risk its impact continues to be
monitored within the relevant principal risks above.

 

Financial risk management

The Group has instigated certain financial risk management policies and
procedures which are set out in note 3 to the financial statements.

 

Companies Act S.172 Statement

The Directors are fully appraised of their responsibilities under section
172(1) of the Companies Act 2006 and are so advised and updated on a regular
basis by the Company Secretary of DeepVerge plc.

 

Business

The Group's strategic plan was designed to have a long-term beneficial impact
on the Group and our customers by delivering the range of products and
services as the go-to brand for animal testing alternatives for human skin,
within Labskin, the go-to brand for environmental health testing in water and
wastewater in Modern Water. The Directors will continue to operate the
business within tight budgetary control and in line with regulatory
requirements.

 

Employees

The Group has increased employees because of increased demand as well as ahead
of expected future demand for products and services. Management of HR is
critical to the delivery of the Group's strategic plan. The Directors ensure
that the Group complies with all employment laws in the respective
jurisdictions of each subsidiary and have implemented appropriate standards
and systems to monitor and to ensure the welfare of all employees. For more
detail on how the Directors support the employees, see Corporate And Social
Responsibility report in this Annual Report.

 

Stakeholder engagement

The Group has built and maintained relationships with shareholders, advisers
and suppliers. The Directors have taken steps to develop and strengthen them
through dialogue and engagement. These relationships are regularly monitored
at Board level. The Chairman ensures that he is available to discuss issues
with key shareholders outside of the shareholder meetings which are held. The
Company complies with its disclosure obligations as set out in the AIM Rules
for Companies, published by London Stock Exchange to ensure that shareholders
are updated on key developments on a timely basis.

 

Governance

The Board recognises that good standards of corporate governance help the
Group to achieve its strategic goals and is vital for the success of the
Company. For more detail on the corporate governance of the Group, see
Corporate Governance Report in this annual report.

 

Disclosure of information to the Auditors

The Directors who hold office at the date of approval of this report confirm
that so far as they are each aware, there is no relevant audit information of
which the Company's auditors are unaware, and each Director has taken all the
steps that he ought to have taken as a Director in order to make him aware of
any relevant audit information and to establish that the Company's auditors
are aware of that information.

 

Outlook

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The key performance indicators currently used by the Group are revenue,
adjusted EBITDA and cash resources. The Group intends to establish other key
performance indicators in due course once the Group has matured sufficiently.
The Group does not use and does not at present intend to use non-financial key
performance indicators.

 

Review of strategy and business model

Labskin, originally developed as a research laboratory grown human skin
equivalent that allows our clients in skincare, healthcare, pharmaceutical
manufacturers and the cosmetic industry to test and validate their product
claims on human-like skin in a real-world environment with full access to
multiple state-of-the-art partner technologies. Adding the digital platform
developed by Rinocloud, acquired in 2019 has contributed to an entirely new
market place for our Labskin skincare clients and created a world first
personalised skincare service that is revolutionising consumer skincare.

 

Modern Water, the environmental health division, with its 35 year heritage of
toxicity testing across 60 countries has been transformed into a real-time
monitoring platform with external partners and consortia members in EcoWaterOS
to deliver a new kind of monitoring for dangerous pathogens and infectious
diseases, which includes but not restricted to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that
causes COVID19. These new monitoring units, developed with origins from the
Rinocloud acquisition in both engineering design and digital detection
capabilities has the potential to transform global monitoring of future
endemic and pandemic global health risks.

 

The data analytics and use of artificial intelligence to enhance the
capabilities of existing equipment and services of both the life science and
environmental health divisions remains core to our growth strategy to achieve
our long term objectives. It continues to open opportunities to explore
options of collaboration, partnership and acquisitive growth to achieve
Company goals of meeting increased demands from our clients, regulatory
compliance and enhance shareholder value.

 

Environment

The Directors consider that the nature of the Group's activities is not
inherently detrimental to the environment.

 

Employees

The Group places value on the involvement of its employees and they are
regularly briefed on the Group's activities. The Group closely monitors staff
attrition rates which it seeks to maintain at current low levels and aims to
structure staff compensation levels at competitive rates in order to attract
and retain high calibre personnel.

 

Disabled employees

Applications for employment by disabled persons are always fully considered,
bearing in mind the specific aptitudes of the applicant involved. It is the
policy of the Group that the training, career development and promotion of
disabled persons, as far as possible, be identical with that of other
employees.

 

Social, community, and human rights

The Board recognises that the Group has a duty to be a good corporate citizen
and to respect the laws, and where appropriate the customs and culture of the
territories in which it operates. It contributes as far as is practicable to
the local communities in which it operates and takes a responsible and
positive approach to employment practices.

 

The Strategic Report was approved by the Board on 23 June 2022 and signed on
its behalf by:

 

 

__________________

Gerard Brandon

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Report of the Directors

For the year ended 31 December 2021

 

The Directors have pleasure in submitting this report together with the
audited financial statements of DeepVerge Plc for the year ended 31 December
2021.

 

Corporate details

DeepVerge Plc is incorporated in England and Wales with registration number
10205396. The registered office is York Biotech Campus, Sand Hutton, York,
North Yorkshire, YO41 1LZ.

 

Directors

The Directors who held office during the year and as at the date of signing
the financial statements were as follows:

 

Gerard
Brandon

Camillus
Glover

Ross
Andrews

Fionán
Murray

Nigel
Burton

 

Principal activities

The Group is an environmental and life science group of companies that
develops and applies AI and IoT technology to analytical instruments for the
analysis and identification of bacteria, virus and toxins. Utilising
artificial intelligent data analytics to scientifically prove the impact of
skincare product claims on skin microbiome for most of the top 20 global
cosmetic company clients and remotely detect and identify in real-time,
dangerous pathogens in wastewater treatment plants, drinking water, rivers,
lakes and reservoirs.

Specific information, including key risks and future developments, have not
been included in the Directors' Report because they are shown in the Strategic
Report, Chairman's Statement and CEO Statement as permitted by section 414C
(11) of the Companies Act.

Our core services:

·      Regulated environmental toxicology services;

·      Human skin equivalent platform to validate and verify the safety
and impact on client products for regulatory authority approval;

·      AI and microbiome platform to facilitate clinical trials for
skincare companies and remote test-kits for consumer skin;

·      Monitoring and data analytics platform for real-time detection
and identification of pathogens in water and wastewater.

 

Dividends

There were no dividends paid or proposed by the Company during the period
(2020: none).

 

Going concern

The Directors have considered the applicability of the going concern basis in
the preparation of these financial statements.

 

The Directors have prepared cash flow projections to determine funding
requirements of the Group. The Directors have looked at the forecast for the
next 12 months from the date of this report, expected growth in revenues, some
of which is contracted, the cash at bank available, loan facilities and
existing liabilities as at the date of approval of this report and are
satisfied that the Group should be able to cover its working capital
requirements.

 

During June 2021 the Company raised £10m by issuing new shares to fund
accelerated sales opportunities and for general working capital purposes.

 

In March 2022 the Company secured a 3-year mezzanine loan facility of up to
£25m with Riverfort Global Opportunities PCC Limited and YA II PN, Ltd
available until March 2025.

 

After making enquiries, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the
Group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the
foreseeable future. Accordingly, they continue to adopt a going concern basis
in preparing the annual report and consolidated financial statements.

 

Directors' interests

The interests of the Directors who served during the year and previous year in
the share capital of the Company (all held beneficially) as at 31 December
2021 were as follows:

 

                  % Holding  On 31 December 2021            On 1 January 2021

                             Ordinary Shares of 0.1p each   Ordinary Shares of 0.1p each
 Gerard Brandon   3.81%      8,414,483(1)                   8,414,483(1)
 Camillus Glover  1.93%      4,250,670                      4,250,670
 Ross Andrews     0.22%      473,846                        323,846
 Fionán Murray    4.00%      8,786,758                      8,786,758
 Nigel Burton     0.86%      1,883,167                      1,883,167

(1) Includes 194,942 shares held by family member

 

Details of share options issued to Directors are detailed in the Report of the
Remuneration Committee on page 19.

 

Substantial shareholdings

At the date of signing of these financial statements, the following interests
in 3% or more of the issued Ordinary Share capital had been notified to the
Company:

 
Number
Percentage of issued

Shareholder
of
shares
share capital

Fionán
Murray
8,786,758
4.00%

Helium Rising Stars
Fund
8,703,433
3.96%

Gerard
Brandon
8,564,844(1)
3.90%

 

(1) Includes 194,942 shares held by family member

 

 

Post balance sheet events

The following events have taken place since the year end:

 

Director Purchase of Ordinary Shares

 

On 17 March 2022 Gerard Brandon, Director, purchased 150,000 Ordinary Shares
of 0.1p each on the open market at a price of 13.4p per share.

 

Acquisition of Glanaco Limited

 

On 16 March 2022 Rinocloud Ltd acquired 100% of the share capital of Irish
registered engineering services company Glanaco Limited for  consideration of
£1.08 million comprising £0.65 million in equity and £0.43 million in cash.

 

Riverfort Loan Facility

 

Also on 16 March 2022 the Company secured a 3 year mezzanine loan facility of
up to £25.0 million with Riverfort Global Opportunities PCC Limited and YA II
PN, Ltd ("Lenders") available until March 2025.

 

Further details have been disclosed in note 35.

 

Statement of Directors' responsibilities

The Directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the
financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

 

Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial statements for each
financial year. Under that law, the Directors have prepared the Group and
Parent Company financial statements in accordance with UK adopted
International Accounting Standards. Under Company law the Directors must not
approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a
true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and the Parent Company
and of the profit or loss of the Group and the Parent Company for that period.
In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are required to:

·      select suitable accounting policies and then apply them
consistently;

·      make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and
prudent;

·      state whether applicable UK adopted International Accounting
Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and
explained in the financial statements; and

·      prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis
unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Company will continue in
business.

 

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are
sufficient to show and explain the Group and the Parent Company's transactions
and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of
the Group and the Parent Company and enable them to ensure that the financial
statements comply with the Companies Act 2006.

 

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and the
Group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection
of fraud and other irregularities.

 

The Directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the Parent
Company's website (www.deepvergeplc.com). Legislation in the United Kingdom
governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ
from legislation in other jurisdictions.

 

The Directors consider that the annual report and the accounts, taken as a
whole are fair, balanced and understandable and provide the information
necessary for shareholders to assess the Group and the Parent Company's
performance, business model and strategy.

 

Each of the Directors, whose names and functions are listed in the Report of
the Directors confirm that, to the best of their knowledge:

·      the Group financial statements, which have been prepared in
accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union, give a true and fair
view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and loss of the Parent
Company;

·      the Parent Company financial statements, which have been prepared
in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union, give a true and
fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and loss of the
Parent Company; and

·      the Chairman's Statement and Chief Executive's Statement include
a fair review of the development of the business and the position of the Group
and the Parent Company, together with a description of the principal risks and
uncertainties that it faces.

 

Directors' liability insurance

The Company maintains Directors and Officers liability insurance, which is
reviewed annually and is considered to be adequate by the Company and its
insurance advisers.

 

Independent auditors

Jeffreys Henry LLP were appointed during the year and have expressed their
willingness to continue in office as auditors and a resolution to reappoint
them will be proposed at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

 

Due to change in nature and structure of the Group in 2021, advantage has been
taken of Section 3.15 of the 2016 Ethical Standards, allowing the audit
engagement partner to continue in his role for the audit for the year ended 31
December 2021.

 

Disclosure of information to the Auditors

The Directors who hold office at the date of approval of this report confirm
that so far as they are each aware, there is no relevant audit information of
which the Company's auditors are unaware, and each Director has taken all the
steps that he ought to have taken as a Director in order to make him aware of
any relevant audit information and to establish that the Company's auditors
are aware of that information.

 

Annual General Meeting

A copy of the notice convening the Annual General Meeting will be sent out
shortly under separate cover.

 

The Directors' report was approved by the Board on 23 June 2022 and signed on
its behalf by:

 

 

 

 

___________________________

Gerard Brandon

Chief Executive Officer

 

Corporate Governance Statement

For the year ended 31 December 2021

 

Compliance

The Directors recognise the value of the principles of the Corporate
Governance Code for Small and Mid-Size Quoted Companies issued by the Quoted
Companies Alliance (QCA).

 

The following statement describes how the Group seeks to address the
principles underlying the Code where practicable and appropriate for a company
of this size.

 

Board composition and responsibility

The Board currently comprises five Directors.  The Non-executive Chairman,
three executive Directors and two non-executive Director. The Board has
determined that the Non-executive Directors are independent in character and
judgement and that there are no relationships or circumstances which could
materially affect or interfere with the exercise of their independent
judgement. The Board is satisfied with the balance between executive and
non-executive Directors which allows it to exercise objectivity in decision
making and proper control of the Group's business. The Board considers this
composition is appropriate in view of the size and requirements of the Group's
business and the need to maintain a practical balance between executives and
non-executives.

 

All Directors are subject to election by shareholders at the first Annual
General Meeting after their appointment and are subject to re-election at
least every three years. The Board does not automatically re-nominate
non-executive Directors for election by shareholders. The terms of appointment
of the non-executive Directors can be obtained by request to the Company
Secretary.

 

The Board's primary objective is to focus on adding value to the assets of the
Group by identifying and assessing business opportunities and ensuring that
potential risks are identified, monitored and controlled. Matters reserved for
Board decisions include strategic long-term objectives and capital structure
of major transactions. There is a division of responsibilities between the
Non-Executive Chairman, who is responsible for the overall strategy of the
Group, and the CEO, who is responsible for implementing the strategy and day
to day running of the Group. He is assisted by the CFO and the COO.

 

Board meetings

21 Board meetings were held during the period. The Director's attendance
record during the period is as follows:

 

Gerard Brandon
 
                16

Camillus Glover
 
 
19

Ross Andrews
 
                                18

Fionán Murray
 
 
21

Nigel Burton
 
 
 
15

 

Audit and Risk Committee membership and activities

The Chair of the Audit Committee is Non-executive Director Ross Andrews. The
Committee welcomed Dr Nigel Burton to the Board as a second Non-executive
Director during the year and the third member of the Committee is Executive
Director Fionán Murray. All three Directors possess the necessary depth of
financial and commercial expertise to fulfil their role. Although not members
of the Audit Committee, the CEO and CFO are also invited to attend meetings,
unless they have a conflict of interest. Other senior members of the business
are invited to attend meetings as appropriate. The Audit Committee met twice
for scheduled meetings during the year.

 

Key activities during the year

·      Reviewed the Annual Report and Accounts, including whether they
were fair, balanced and understandable, the material judgements and estimates,
going concern and viability statements.

·      Considered the external auditor's report on the full- and
half-year audits.

·      Reviewed the full- and half-year results announcements.

·      Appraised the effectiveness and performance of our external
auditors, assessed their independence and objectivity, and recommended their
reappointment.

·      Considered the external audit fees and terms of engagement.

·      Reviewed earnings releases.

·      Reviewed the external audit fees and terms of engagement.

·      Reviewed third party related transactions.

·      Evaluated executive compensation.

 

Financial reporting

The Committee's primary responsibility in relation to the Group's financial
reporting is to review, with management and the external auditor, the quality
and appropriateness of the annual and half-yearly financial statements. The
Committee focuses on the quality of accounting policies and practices, the
appropriateness of underlying assumptions, judgements and estimates made by
management, key audit matters identified by the external auditor, the clarity
of the disclosures and compliance with financial reporting standards, an
assessment of whether the Annual Report, taken as a whole, is fair, balanced
and understandable and provides the information necessary for shareholders to
assess the Group's position and performance, business model and strategy, and
advising the Board on the form and basis underlying the three step strategic
plan.

 

Nomination Committee membership and activities

The Chair of the Nomination Committee is Non-executive Director Ross Andrews.
The Board welcomed Dr Nigel Burton to the Board as Non-executive Director
during the year and Dr Burton joined the Nomination Committee as its second
Non-executive Director.  The third member of the Committee is executive
Director Fionán Murray.  All three Directors possess the necessary depth of
management and commercial expertise to fulfil their role. Although not members
of Nomination Committee, the CEO and CFO are also invited to attend meetings,
unless they have a conflict of interest. Other senior members of the business
are invited to attend meetings as appropriate. The Nomination Committee met
twice for scheduled meetings during the year.

 

By appointing Dr Nigel Burton to the Board we are ensuring that we have the
world- class experience, skills and expertise necessary to drive the Group
forward through its three step strategic plan.

 

In the coming year, the Committee will turn its focus to ensuring the
continued growth of the executive and senior management team.

 

Remuneration Committee membership and activities

The Chair of the Remuneration Committee is Non-executive Director Ross Andrews
Dr Nigel Burton joined the Committee as the second as Non-executive
Director.  The third member of the Committee is executive Director Fionán
Murray.  Appropriate members of the management team, as well as the
Committee's advisers, are invited to attend meetings as appropriate, unless
there's a potential conflict of interest.  The remuneration of Non-executive
Directors is determined by the Executive Directors.  The Remuneration
Committee met twice for scheduled meetings during the year.

 

During the year the Committee:

-  Determined and recommended to the Board the Group's overall remuneration
policy.

-  Determined and recommended to the Board the remuneration of Executive
Directors.

-  Monitored, reviewed and approved the levels and structure of remuneration
for other senior managers.

 

Internal control

The Directors are responsible for ensuring that the Group maintains a system
of internal control to provide them with reasonable assurance regarding the
reliability of financial information used within the business and for
publication and that the assets are safeguarded. There are inherent
limitations in any system of internal control and accordingly even the most
effective system can provide only reasonable, but not absolute, assurance with
respect to the preparation of financial reporting and the safeguarding of
assets.

 

The Group, in administering its business has put in place strict
authorisation, approval and control levels within which senior management
operates. These controls reflect the Group's organisational structure and
business objectives. The control system includes clear lines of accountability
and covers all areas of the organisation. The Board operates procedures which
include an appropriate control environment through the definition of the above
organisation structure and authority levels and the identification of the
major business risks.

 

Internal financial reporting

The Directors are responsible for establishing and maintaining the Group's
system of internal reporting and as such have put in place a framework of
controls to ensure that the on-going financial performance is measured in a
timely and correct manner and that risks are identified as early as is
practicably possible. There is a comprehensive budgeting system and monthly
management accounts are prepared which compare actual results against both the
budget and the previous year. They are reviewed and approved by the Board, and
revised forecasts are prepared on a regular basis.

 

Relations with shareholders

The Company reports to shareholders twice a year. The Company dispatches the
notice of its Annual General Meeting, together with a description of the items
of special business, at least 21 days before the meeting. Each substantially
separate issue is the subject of a separate resolution and all shareholders
have the opportunity to put questions to the Board at the Annual General
Meeting. The Chairman of the Audit and Remuneration Committees normally attend
the Annual General Meeting and will answer questions which may be relevant to
their work. The Chairman advises the meeting of the details of proxy votes
cast on each of the individual resolutions after they have been voted on in
the meeting.

 

The Chairman and the non-executive Directors intend to maintain a good and
continuing understanding of the objectives and views of the shareholders.

 

Corporate social responsibility

The Board recognises that it has a duty to be a good corporate citizen and is
conscious that its business processes minimise harm to the environment,
contributes as far as is practicable to the local communities in which it
operates and takes a responsible and positive approach to employment
practices.

 

Report of the Remuneration Committee

For the year ended 31 December 2021

 

Statement of compliance

This report does not constitute a Directors' Remuneration Report in accordance
with the Directors Remuneration Regulations 2007 which do not apply to the
Company as it is not fully listed. This report sets out the Group policy on
Directors' remuneration, including emoluments, benefits and other share-based
awards made to each Director.

 

Policy on Executive Directors' remuneration

Remuneration packages are designed to motivate and retain executive Directors
to ensure the continued development of the Company and to reward them for
enhancing value to shareholders. The main elements of the remuneration package
for executive Directors are basic salary or fees, performance related bonuses,
benefits and share option incentives.

 

Directors' remuneration

The remuneration of the Directors of the Company for the year ended 31
December 2021 and 2020 is shown below:

 

                            Salary/Fee  Accrued pay                        Pension  2021    2020
                            £'000       £'000                              £'000    £'000   £'000
 Non-Executive Directors
 Ross Andrews               51          -                                  -        51      49

 Nigel Burton               35          -                                  -        35              8
                            86          -                                  -        86      57
 Executive Directors
 Gerard Brandon(1)          186                         26                 8        220     173
 Camillus Glover(1)         146         23                                 7        176     141
 Fionán Murray              146         -                                  7        153     129
                            478         49                                 22       549     443
 Total fees and emoluments  564                         49                 22       635     500

( )

(1)On 26 November 2021 Directors Camillus Glover and Gerard Brandon settled
for cash their salaries for which they had contracted for shares in lieu in
respect of their employment from 8 August 2018 to 30 June 2019. Under the
original 2018 shares in lieu of salary arrangement the Directors would have
been allotted 2,384,724 Shares with the effect of diluting existing
shareholders' holdings by 1.1%. Issuing these 2,384,724 shares would also have
resulted in a charge to the profit and loss account of £684,592.  The
Directors instead waived their rights to the shares and were paid their
salaries at a premium of 25% which was a cost to the Company of £243,438. An
amount of £194,750 had been accrued to 30 June 2019 in the accounts resulting
in an additional £49,688 charge in the current year.

 

Directors' share options

 

2017 Share Option Scheme

 

In April 2017, the Company awarded options to five officers of the Company
over 6,720,000 ordinary shares of 1p each.  These options were exercisable
after two years provided that the holder of the options is still an employee
of the Company.

 

Four of the officers have since left the Company, resulting in 6,081,600 of
the options lapsing.

 

There have been a number of share reorganisations in the interim period and
the remaining options under the scheme as at 31 December 2021 were as follows:

 Director      Date granted  No. of ordinary shares under option  Exercise    Exercise period

price
 Ross Andrews  5 April 2017  63,840                               50p-60p(1)  From 5 April 2017 to 5 April 2027

(1) 50% of the shares will vest at an exercise price of 50p and 50% at an
exercise price of 60p 0.1p ordinary shares.

 

2020 Employee Share Option Scheme

 

On 18 September 2020 the Company implemented a group wide share option scheme
for staff. The scheme incorporated an EMI Share Option Scheme for UK
employees, a Share Option Scheme for Irish employees and Non-Approved Scheme
to recognise the work and to reward, retain and recognise their contribution
to date and their importance to the Company going forward. The share option
program will reward the innovation that has been delivered by all team
associates, across the DeepVerge Group, and put in place, motivation for our
most valuable assets to continue to deliver shareholder value over the next 3
years. The EMI share options will lapse on 18 September 2030 and the Irish
Share Options will lapse on 17 September 2027.

 

On 19 November 2020 share options were awarded to the directors of
Company:

           Exercise            Vesting Date  Vesting Date  Vesting Date  Exercise  Share Option Scheme
           Price               1 Jan 2021    1 Jan 2022    1 Jan 2023    Period
 Gerard Brandon      30p       240,000       280,000       280,000       10 years  EMI Share Option Scheme
 Fionán Murray       30p       225,000       262,500       262,500       7 years   Ireland Share Option Scheme
 Camillus Glover     30p       225,000       262,500       262,500       7 years   Ireland Share Option scheme
 Ross Andrews           30p    60,000        70,000        70,000        10 years  Non-Approved Scheme
 Nigel Burton        30p       50,000        58,333        58,334        10 years  Non-Approved Scheme

 

The fair value calculation of the share options has been calculated using the
Black Scholes Model. The charge to the income statement in 2021 for the
director share options is as follows:

                                                                    2021      2020
 Director                                                           £'000     £'000
 Gerard Brandon                                                         3       9
 Camillus Glover                                                        2       8
 Fionán Murray                                                          2       8
 Ros Andrews                                                            1       2
 Nigel Burton                                                           1       2
 Total                                                                  9     29
 Full details of the Share Option Scheme are disclosed in Note 32.

 

Independent Auditor's Report to the Members of DeepVerge Plc

For the year ended 31 December 2021

 

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of DeepVerge Plc (the 'parent
company') and its subsidiaries (the 'group') for the year ended 31 December
2021 which comprise the consolidated income statement, the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income, the consolidated and company statements of
financial position, the consolidated and company statements of cash flows, the
consolidated and company statements of changes in equity and notes to the
financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies.

 

The financial reporting framework that has been applied in the preparation of
the financial statements is applicable law and UK-adopted International
Accounting Standards and, as regards the parent company financial statements,
as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006.

 

In our opinion:

•     the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of
the group's and of the parent company's affairs as at 31 December 2021 and of
the group's loss for the year then ended;

•     the group financial statements have been properly prepared in
accordance with UK-adopted International Accounting Standards;

•     the parent company financial statements have been properly
prepared in accordance with UK-adopted International Accounting Standards and
as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006; and

•     the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the
requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

 

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing
(UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those
standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the
audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of
the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to
our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC's Ethical
Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in
accordance with these requirements.

 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and
appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

 

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the director's
use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the
financial statements is appropriate. Our evaluation of the directors'
assessment of the entity's ability to continue to adopt the going concern
basis of accounting included reviews of expected cash flows for a period of 12
months, to determine expected cash burn, which was compared to the liquid
assets held in the entity and the loan facility available to draw down.

 

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material
uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or
collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group's ability to continue as
a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial
statements are authorised for issue.

 

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to
going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

 

Key audit matters

Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were
of most significance in our audit of the financial statements of the current
period and include the most significant assessed risks of material
misstatement (whether or not due to fraud) we identified, including those
which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy, the allocation
of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team.
These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial
statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not
provide a separate opinion on these matters. This is not a complete list of
all risks identified by our audit.

 

 

 Key audit matter                                                                How our audit addressed the key audit matter
 Impairment of intangible assets

 The group has intangible assets of £18,130,000 (2020: £18,241,000) at the       Intangibles are only assessed for impairment when indicators of impairment
 yearend relating to intellectual property and development costs which are       exist. We have considered the life cycle, public perception through the share
 being amortised over a 10 year period.                                          price of the Company and the

                                                                                 fair value of intangibles held by the Company.

 The risk is that the useful economic life of the intangible assets may be
 different to the management assumptions or technological advancements may

 render its market value below its carrying value.                               We have performed the following audit procedures:

 EBITDA, which is considered by management to be a key metric and is included    ·      Obtained management's forecast for future value in use of the
 as a KPI in the strategic report, is directly impacted by the amount of costs   intangible assets;
 capitalised.

                                                                                 ·      Assessed the reliability of forecasts by agreeing to historical
                                                                                 inputs;

                                                                                 ·      Reviewed management and challenged management on their judgements
                                                                                 of the forecasted sales and estimates useful life of the intangible assets;

                                                                                 ·      assessed the appropriateness and applicability of discount rate
                                                                                 applied to the current business performance;

                                                                                 ·      Assessed the ongoing projects viability and ensured they met the
                                                                                 criteria defined in the accounting standards for intangibles; and

                                                                                 ·      Tested the clerical accuracy of management's forecast.

                                                                                 ·      confirmed cost and useful life by reviewing the underlying
                                                                                 contracts for purchase of the intangible assets, including those acquired on
                                                                                 acquisition of subsidiary during the year;

                                                                                 ·      reviewed the latest management accounts to assess post year end
                                                                                 cashflows due to the technology and patents held; and

                                                                                 ·      As all the capitalised intangibles relate to enhancing its
                                                                                 product, no impairment is required.

                                                                                 Based on the audit work performed we are satisfied, that although there are
                                                                                 inherent uncertainties associated with the forecast and estimation of useful
                                                                                 economic life of intangible assets, the directors have made reasonable
                                                                                 assumptions about the valuation and useful economic life of intangible assets,
                                                                                 based on past experience and expected future revenues. We are also satisfied
                                                                                 that all necessary disclosures have been made in the consolidated financial
                                                                                 statements.

 Valuation of investments in and recoverability of amounts due from
 subsidiaries

 The parent company carried Investments in subsidiaries of £16,803,000 (2020:

 £15,603,000).                                                                   We have performed the following audit procedures:

 The parent company also had amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings of          ·      reviewed management's assessment of future operating cashflows
 £10,710,000 (2020: £2,934,000) at the year end.                                 and indicators of impairment;

 Management's assessment of the recoverable amounts from investments in and      ·      assessed the methodology used by management to estimate the
 loans to subsidiaries requires estimation and judgement around assumptions      future profitability of companies in the group and recoverable value of the
 used, including the cash flows to be generated from continuing operations.      investment, in conjunction with any intra-group balances, to ensure that the
 Changes to assumptions could lead to material changes in the estimated          method used is appropriate;
 recoverable amount, impacting the value of investment in the subsidiary,

 amounts recoverable from the subsidiaries and resulting impairment charges.

                                                                                 ·      assessed the reasonableness of the key assumptions used in

                                                                               management's estimates of recoverable value, in line with the economic and
 The directors have assessed the recoverability of intercompany balances and     industry statistics relevant to the business;
 have concluded that they are recoverable.

                                                                               ·      confirmed that any adverse changes in key assumptions will not
 There is a risk that the subsidiaries may not be able to trade as expected in   would not materially increase the impairment loss;
 the future and therefore the investment and the amounts recoverable may be

 impaired.

                                                                                 ·      challenged cash inflows from revenue generating activities and
                                                                                 the key assumptions applied in arriving at the expected revenues for the
                                                                                 foreseeable future;

                                                                                 ·      assessed the appropriateness and applicability of discount rate
                                                                                 applied to the current business performance;

                                                                                 ·      assessed the reasonability of cash outflows, including contracted
                                                                                 costs, research expenditure and expected capital expenditure;

                                                                                 ·      reviewed the latest management accounts for all entities in the
                                                                                 group to confirm reasonability of assumption used in the cashflow forecast.

                                                                                 Based on the audit work performed we are satisfied that the management have
                                                                                 made reasonable assumptions in arriving at the value of the companies in the
                                                                                 group based on net present value of future cashflow and the amounts are
                                                                                 disclosed in accordance with the reporting framework, and no further
                                                                                 impairment loss should be recognised in the parent company financial
                                                                                 statements.

 

Our application of materiality

The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. We
set certain quantitative thresholds for materiality.  These, together with
qualitative considerations, helped us to determine the scope of our audit and
the nature, timing and extent of our audit procedures on the individual
financial statement line items and disclosures and in evaluating the effect of
misstatements, both individually and in aggregate on the financial statements
as a whole.

 

Based on our professional judgment, we determined materiality for the
financial statements as a whole as follows:

 

                       Group financial statements                                                   Company financial statements
 Overall materiality   £150,000 (2020: £243,000).                                                   £150,000 (2020: £196,000).
 How we determined it  Based on 5% of Net Loss (2020: 1% of Gross Assets).                          Based on 1% of Gross Assets (2020: 1% of Gross Assets) limited to Group
                                                                                                    materiality.
 Rationale for         We believe that results are now a primary measure used by shareholders in    We believe that Gross Assets are a primary measure used by shareholders in

                     assessing the financial position of the group, and is a generally accepted   assessing the financial position of the group, and is a generally accepted
 benchmark applied     auditing benchmark.                                                          auditing benchmark.

 

For each component in the scope of our Group audit, we allocated a materiality
that is less than our overall Group materiality. The range of materiality
allocated across components was between £5,000 and £67,000.

 

We agreed with the Audit and Risk Committee that we would report to them
misstatements identified during our audit above £7,500 (2020: £11,050) as
well as misstatements below those amounts that, in our view, warranted
reporting for qualitative reasons.

 

An overview of the scope of our audit

As part of designing our audit, we determined materiality and assessed the
risks of material misstatement in the financial statements. In particular, we
looked at where the directors made subjective judgments, for example in
respect of significant accounting estimates that involved making assumptions
and considering future events that are inherently uncertain. As in all of our
audits we also addressed the risk of management override of internal controls,
including evaluating whether there was evidence of bias by the directors that
represented a risk of material misstatement due to fraud.

 

How we tailored the audit scope

We tailored the scope of our audit to ensure that we performed enough work to
be able to give an opinion on the financial statements as a whole, taking into
account the structure of the Group and the Company, the accounting processes
and controls, and the industry in which they operate.

 

The Group financial statements are a consolidation of eight reporting units,
comprising the Group's operating businesses and holding companies.

 

We performed audits of the complete financial information for DeepVerge Plc,
Innovenn UK Limited, Integumen Ireland Limited, Stoer Ireland Limited,
Rinocloud Limited and Modern Water Plc, reporting units, which were
individually financially significant and accounted for over 100% of the
Group's revenue and over 99% of the Group's absolute loss before tax (i.e. the
sum of the numerical values without regard to whether they were profits or
losses for the relevant reporting units).

 

The Group engagement team performed all audit procedures.

 

Other information

The directors are responsible for the other information. The other information
comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the
financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. Our opinion on the
financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the
extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form
of assurance conclusion thereon.

 

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility
is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other
information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our
knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially
misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material
misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material
misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the
other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that
there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to
report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

 

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

•      the information given in the strategic report and the directors'
report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared
is consistent with the financial statements; and

•      the strategic report and the directors' report have been
prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

 

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and parent
company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not
identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors'
report.

 

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to
which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

•      adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent
company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from
branches not visited by us; or

•      the parent company financial statements are not in agreement
with the accounting records and returns; or

•      certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law
are not made; or

•      we have not received all the information and explanations we
require for our audit.

 

Responsibilities of directors

As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement set out
on page 12, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial
statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and
for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable
the preparation of financial statements that are free from material
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

 

In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for
assessing the group's and parent company's ability to continue as a going
concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using
the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to
liquidate the group or the parent company or to cease operations, or have no
realistic alternative but to do so.

 

Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to
fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion.
Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that
an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material
misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and
are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could
reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on
the basis of these financial statements.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs, we exercise professional judgment
and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

·      Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the
financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit
procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is
sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not
detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one
resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional
omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

·      Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit
in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances,
but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the
company's internal control.

·      Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the
reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the
directors.

·      Conclude on the appropriateness of the directors' use of the
going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained,
whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may
cast significant doubt on the Group's ability to continue as a going concern.
If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw
attention in our auditor's report to the related disclosures in the financial
statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our
conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our
auditor's report. However, future events or conditions may cause the company
to cease to continue as a going concern.

·      Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the
financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial
statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that
achieves fair presentation.

·      Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the
financial information of the business activities within the Group to express
an opinion on the financial statements. We are responsible for the direction,
supervision and performance of the audit. We remain solely responsible for our
audit opinion.

 

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other
matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit
findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we
identify during our audit.

We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have
complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to
communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably
be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related
safeguards.

From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine
those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the financial
statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We
describe these matters in our auditor's report unless law or regulation
precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare
circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our
report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be
expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial
statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at:

www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities
(http://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities) This description forms part
of our auditor's report.

Use of this report

This report is made solely to the Company's members, as a body, in accordance
with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been
undertaken so that we might state to the Company's members those matters we
are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume
responsibility to anyone other than the Company and the Company's members as a
body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

 

 

Sanjay Parmar (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of Jeffreys Henry LLP, Statutory Auditor

Finsgate

5-7 Cranwood Street

London EC1V 9EE

23 June 2022

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

For the year ended 31 December 2021

                                                 2021     2020
                                        Notes    £'000    £'000
 Continuing operations
 Revenues
 Sales of goods and services            5        8,975    4,483
 Other Income                           5        322
 Total Revenue                                   9,297    4,483
 Costs of sales                                  (3,987)  (2,639)
 Gross profit                                    5,310    1,844
 Administrative Costs                   6        (8,732)  (4,561)
 Other Operating Income                 5        162      -
 Operating loss                                  (3,260)  (2,717)
  Depreciation                          6,16     272      172
  Amortisation                          6,14,15  2,944    941
  Impairment of Investment              17       -        354
  Exceptional items                     6,7      27       391
 EBITDA before exceptional items                 (17)     (859)
 Finance costs                          11       (420)    (183)
 Loss before income tax                          (3,680)  (2,900)
 Taxation                               12       1,001    182
 Loss for the year                               (2,679)  (2,718)

 Other comprehensive income
 Currency translation differences                (218)    33
 Total comprehensive loss for the year           (2,897)  (2,685)

 

 Loss per share from continuing and discontinued operations attributable to      Pence  Pence
 owners of the parent during the year
 Basic and diluted loss per 0.1p ordinary share*
 From operations                                                             13  1.3p   2.1p
 From loss for the year                                                      13  1.3p   2.1p

 

 

* On 16 September 2020 share consolidation of 0.01p ordinary share in 10: 1
conversion to 0.1p new ordinary share.

 

The notes on pages 29 to 66 are an integral part of these consolidated
financial statements.

 

The Company has elected to take the exemption under section 408 of the
Companies Act 2006 not to present the parent Company income statement account.

 

The loss for the parent Company for the year was £1,494,000 (2020:
£1,590,000).

Consolidated and Company's Statement of Financial Position

As at 31 December 2021

                                            Group     Group     Company   Company
                                            2021      2020      2021      2020
                                    Notes   £'000     £'000     £'000     £'000
 Assets
 Non-current assets
 Intangible assets                 15       18,130    18,241    23        38
 Property, plant and equipment     16       905       874       -         -
 Right of use assets               14       1,569     569       -         -
 Investments in subsidiaries       17       -         -         16,803    15,603
 Loans to subsidiary undertakings  29       -         -         -         2,867
 Other investments                 17       354       354       354       354
 Total non-current assets                   20,958    20,038    17,180    18,862
 Current assets
 Inventories                       19       1,712     1,347     -         -
 Trade and other receivables       20       6,786     1,448     362       179
 Loans to subsidiary undertakings  29       -         -         10,710    67
 Cash and cash equivalents         21       1,847     1,441     945       451
 Total current assets                       10,345    4,236     12,017    697
 Total assets                               31,303    24,274    29,197    19,559

 Equity attributable to owners
 Share capital                     25       2,429     2,380     2,429     2,380
 Share premium account             27       36,886    25,069    36,886    25,069
 Retained loss                     26       (20,736)  (18,964)  (21,285)  (19,851)
 Foreign currency reserve          27       (444)     (226)     -         -
 Reverse acquisition reserve       27       (4,043)   (2,843)   -         -
 Capital redemption reserve        27       9,519     9,519     9,519     9,519
 Share based equity reserve        27       151       197       151       197
      Sub total                             23,762    15,132    27,700    17,314
 Non-controlling interests         33       -         789       -         -
 Total equity                               23,762    15,921    27,700    17,314

 Non-current liabilities
 Deferred tax liabilities          23       2,434     2,780     -         -
 Deferred revenue                  16       19        24        -         -
 Lease liability                   14       1,174     358       -         -
 Borrowings                        24       -         583       -         583
 Total non-current liabilities              3,627     3,745     -         583
 Current liabilities
 Trade and other payables          22       2,451     2,667     818       745
 Deferred tax liabilities          23       356       328       -         -
 Lease Liability                   14       409       264       -         -
 Borrowings                        24       698       1,349     679       917
 Total current liabilities                  3,914     4,608     1,497     1,662
 Total liabilities                          7,541     8,353     1,497     2,245
 Total equity and liabilities               31,303    24,274    29,197    19,559

 

The notes on pages 29 to 66 are an integral part of these financial
statements.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board
on 23 June 2022.

 

Camillus Glover
 
 DeepVerge Plc

Chief Financial
Officer
Registered no: 10205396

 

 

 

Consolidated and Company's Statement of Cash Flows

For the year ended 31 December 2021

                                                                               Group    Group    Company  Company
                                                                               2021     2020     2021     2020
                                                                Notes          £'000    £'000    £'000    £'000
 Cash Flow from operating activities
 Cash used in operations                                        28             (4,642)  (2,099)  (1,164)  (4,141)
 Taxation                                                             12       (35)     77       -        -
 Net Interest (paid)/received                                         11       (420)    (183)    (371)    (90)
 Net cash used in operating activities                                         (5,097)  (2,205)  (1,535)  (4,231)

 Cash flow from investing activities
 Acquisition of subsidiary net of cash balance                  33             -        739      -        739
 Payments to acquire intangibles                                15             (2,431)  (488)    -                    -
 Purchase of property, plant and equipment                      16             (492)    (296)    -        -
 Net cash (used)/generated by in investing activities                          (2,923)  (45)     -        739

 Cash flow from financing activities
 Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares                                     11,315   1,328    11,315   1,328
 Proceeds from new loans                                                       -        1,500    -        1,500
 Capital element of finance lease                                              (1,865)  (125)    -        -
 Loans to subsidiaries                                                         -        -        (8,466)  -
 Repayments on borrowings                                                      (1,234)  (205)    (820)    -
 Net cash generated by financing activities                                    8,216    2,498    2,029    2,828

 Net increase/ (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents                         196      248      494      (664)
 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year                                1,441    1,193    451      1,115
 Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents                 210      -        -        -
 Cash and cash equivalents at end of year                       21             1,847    1,441    945      451

 

 

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Shareholders' Equity

                                                                                                  Foreign currency reserve      Reverse acquisition reserve     Capital redempt-ion reserve     Share based equity reserve      Non-controlling interests

 Group                                     Share capital                    Share     Retained

                                                                            premium   earnings                                                                                                                                                                Total
                                           £'000                            £'000     £'000       £'000                         £'000                           £'000                           £'000                           £'000                         £'000
 At 1 January 2020                         2,322                            11,743    (15,400)    (259)                         (2,843)                         9,519                           6                               -                             5,088
 Changes in equity for the year

 ended 31 December 2020
 Loss for the year                         -                                -         (2,718)     -                             -                               -                               -                               -                             (2,718)
 Non-controlling interests (note 33)                                                  (846)                                                                                                                                     789                           (57)
 Currency translation differences          -                                -         -           33                            -                               -                               -                               -                             33
 Total comprehensive loss                  -                                -         (3,564)     33                            -                               -                               -                               789                           (2,742)

 for the year
 Transactions with the owners
 Shares issued during the year             58                               13,326    -           -                             -                               -                               -                               -                             13,384
 Share option-based charge                 -                                -         -           -                             -                               -                               191                             -                             191
 Total contributions by and                -                                -         -           -                             -                               -                                                               -                             -

 distributions to owners                                                                                                                                                                        -
 At 31 December 2020                       2,380                            25,069    (18,964)    (226)                         (2,843)                         9,519                           197                             789                           15,921
 Changes in equity for the year

 ended 31 December 2021
 Loss for the year                         -                                -         (2,679)     -                             -                               -                               -                               -                             (2,679)
 Non-controlling interests (note 33)       -                                -         847         -                             -                               -                               -                               (789)                         58
 Currency translation                      .                                -         -           (218)                         -                               -                               -                               -                             (218)

 differences
 Total comprehensive loss                  -                                -         (1,832)     (218)                         -                               -                               -                               (789)                         (2,840)

 for the year
 Transactions with the owners
 Shares issued during the year             49                               13,231    -           -                             -                               -                               -                               -                             13,280
 Costs of Share issue                                                       (1,414)        -      -                             -                               -                               -                               -                             (1,414)
 Investment in subsidiary                  -                                -         -           -                             (1,200)                         -                               -                               -                             (1,200)
 Share option-based charge                 -                                  -       -           -                             -                               -                               14                              -                             14
 Transfer from Share based equity reserve  -                                -         60          -                             -                               -                               (60)                            -                             -
 Total contributions by and                49                               11,817    60          -                             (1,200)                         -                               (46)                            -                             10,680

 distributions to owners
 At 31 December 2021                       2,429                            36,886    (20,736)    (444)                         (4,043)                         9,519                           151                             0                             23,762
                                                                                                                                                Capital redemption reserve      Share based equity reserve

 Company                                                          Share capital       Share                      Retained

                                                                                      premium                    earnings                                                                                                                      Total
                                                                  £'000               £'000                      £'000                          £'000                           £'000                                                          £'000
 At 1 January 2020                                                2,322               11,743                     (15,076)                       9,519                           6                                                              8,514
 Changes in equity for the year

 ended 31 December 2020
 Loss for the year                                                -                   -                          (1,590)                        -                               -                                                              (1,590)
 Total comprehensive loss                                         -                   -                          (1,590)                                                                                                                       (1,590)

 for the year                                                                                                                                   -                               -
 Transactions with the owners
 Shares issued during the year                                    58                  13,326                     -                              -                               -                                                              13,384
 Share option-based charge                                        -                   -                          -                              -                               191                                                            191
 Subsidiary loan forgiveness (note 17)                            -                     -                        (3,185)                        -                               -                                                              (3,185)
 Total contributions by and                                       -                   -                          -                                                                                                                             -

 distributions to owners                                                                                                                        -                               -
 At 31 December 2020                                              2,380               25,069                     (19,851)                       9,519                           197                                                            17,314
 Changes in equity for the year

 ended 31 December 2021
 Loss for the year                                                -                   -                          (1,494)                        -                               -                                                              (1,494)
 Total comprehensive loss                                         -                   -                          (1,494)                                                                                                                       (1,494)

 for the year                                                                                                                                   -                               -
 Shares issued during the year                                    49                  13,231                     -                              -                               -                                                              13,280
 Costs of Share issue                                                                 (1,414)                    -                              -                               -                                                              (1,414)
 Share option-based charge                                        -                     -                        -                              -                               14                                                             14
 Transfer from Share based equity reserve                         -                   -                          60                             -                               (60)                                                           -
 Total contributions by and                                       49                  11,817                     60                                                             (46)                                                           11,880

 distributions to owners                                                                                                                        -
 At 31 December 2021                                              2,429               36,886                     (21,285)                       9,519                           151                                                            27,700

 

 

 

 

 

Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 December 2021

 

1. General information

DeepVerge Plc is a company incorporated in England and Wales. The registered
number of the Company is 10205396. At General Meeting of shareholders on 15
September 2020 the company changed its name from Integumen Plc to DeepVerge
Plc.

 

The Company is a public limited company admitted to trading on the AIM market
of the London Stock Exchange since 5 April 2017. The address of the registered
office is York Biotech Campus, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ.

 

The Company is an environmental and life science group whose principal
activities is the development and application of AI and IoT technology to
analytical instruments for the analysis and identification of bacteria, virus
and toxins. Utilising artificial intelligent data analytics to scientifically
prove the impact of skincare product claims on skin microbiome and the remote
detection and identification in real-time, dangerous pathogens, such as
SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater treatment plants, drinking water, rivers, lakes and
reservoirs.

 

Skin Trust Club is a direct to consumer addition to the business to business
home test kits from Labskin and is becoming core to the growth of the Labskin
Division. The Skin Trust Club gives every skin care product consumer the
opportunity to understand their unique skin microbiome, track their skin
health, follow personalised skincare routines, and to make informed decisions
about skincare and cosmetic products. The platform has evolved from 15 years
of R&D of laboratory growing skin testing, helping people find skincare
routines that fit their lifestyles, focusing on driving innovation and
empowering people with the knowledge to know their skin.

 

The financial statements are presented in pounds sterling, the currency of the
primary economic environment in which the Group's trading companies operate.
The Group comprises DeepVerge Plc and its subsidiary companies as set out in
note 17.

 

2. Summary of significant accounting policies

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these
consolidated financial statements are set out below. The policies have been
consistently applied throughout the year, unless otherwise stated.

 

Basis of preparation

These are the first financial statements prepared under UK adopted
international accounting standards.  On 31 December 2020, IFRS as adopted by
the European Union at that date was brought into UK law and became UK adopted
international accounting standards, with future changes being subject to
endorsement by the UK Endorsement Board. DeepVerge Plc transitioned to
UK-adopted International Accounting Standards in its consolidated and parent
company financial statements on 1 January 2021. This change constitutes a
change in accounting framework. However, there is no change on recognition,
measurement or disclosure in the financial year reported as a result of the
change in framework.

 

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared under the historical
cost convention.

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires the
use of certain critical accounting estimates. It also requires management to
exercise its judgement in the process of applying the Group's accounting
policies. The areas involving a higher degree of judgement or complexity, or
areas where assumptions and estimates are significant to the consolidated
financial statements are disclosed in note 4.

 

Under Section 479A of the Companies Act 2006, exemptions from an audit of the
accounts for the financial year ended 31 December 2021 have been taken all
subsidiary companies of the Company as listed in Note 17 Investments. As
required, the Company guarantees all outstanding liabilities to which the
subsidiary companies listed are subject at the end of the financial year,
until they are satisfied in full and the guarantee is enforceable against the
parent undertaking by any person to whom the subsidiary companies listed above
is liable in respect of those liabilities.

 

Changes in accounting policies and disclosures

 

(a) New and amended standards adopted by the Group

Several amendments and interpretations have been applied for the first time in
2021.

 Standard or Interpretation                  Title                                                        Effective for annual periods beginning on or after
 IFRS 16                                     COVID-19-Related Rent Concessions (Amendment to IFRS 16)     1 June 2020
 IFRS 9, IAS 39, IFRS 7, IFRS 4 and IFRS 16  Interest Rate Benchmark Reform - Phase 2                     1 January 2021

                                             (Amendments to IFRS 9, IAS 39, IFRS 7, IFRS 4 and IFRS 16)

 

(b) Standards, amendments and interpretations to existing standards that are
not yet effective and have not been

early adopted by the Company in the 31 December 2021 financial statements.

 

 Standard or Interpretation  Title                                                                           Effective for annual periods beginning on or after
 IFRS 16                     COVID-19-Related Rent Concessions beyond 30 June 2021. (Amendment to IFRS 16)   1 April 2021
 IAS 37                      Onerous Contracts - Cost of Fulfilling a Contract. (Amendments to IAS 37)       1 January 2022
 IAS 16                      Property, Plant and Equipment: Proceeds before Intended Use. (Amendments to     1 January 2022
                             IAS 16)
 IFRSs                       Annual Improvements to IFRS Standards 2018-2020                                 1 January 2022
 IFRS 3                      Reference to the Conceptual Framework. (Amendments to IFRS 3)                   1 January 2022
 IAS 1                       Classification of Liabilities as Current or Non-current. (Amendments to IAS 1)  1 January 2023
 IFRS 17                     IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts and amendments to IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts       1 January 2023
 IAS 1                       Disclosure of Accounting Policies. (Amendments to IAS 1 and IFRS Practice       1 January 2023
                             Statement 2)
 IAS 12                      Deferred Tax related to Assets and Liabilities arising from a Single            1 January 2023
                             Transaction. (Amendments to IAS 12)
 IAS 8                       Definition of Accounting Estimates. (Amendments to IAS 8)                       1 January 2023

 

The Directors anticipate that the adoption of these standard and the
interpretations in future period will have no material impact on the financial
statements of the company.

 

Going concern

The financial statements have been prepared on the assumption that the company
is a going concern. When assessing the foreseeable future, the Directors have
looked at the forecast for the next 12 months from the date of this report,
expected growth in revenues, some of which is contracted, the cash at bank
available, loan facilities and existing liabilities as at the date of approval
of this report and are satisfied that the Group should be able to cover its
working capital requirements.

 

The Directors have considered the applicability of the going concern basis in
the preparation of these financial statements. In March 2022 the Company
secured a 3-year mezzanine loan facility of up to £25.0 million. See Note 36
for full details.

 

After making enquiries, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the
Group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the
foreseeable future. Accordingly, they continue to adopt a going concern basis
in preparing the annual report and consolidated financial statements.

 

Basis of consolidation

The consolidated financial statements incorporate the financial statements of
the Company and its subsidiary and associated undertakings. Subsidiaries are
all entities over which the Group has the power to govern their financial and
operating policies generally accompanying a shareholding of more than fifty
per cent of the voting rights. The existence and effect of potential voting
rights that are currently exercisable or convertible are considered when
assessing whether the Group controls another entity. Subsidiaries are fully
consolidated from the date on which control is transferred to the Group. They
are de-consolidated from the date that control ceases.

 

Inter-company transactions, balances and unrealised gains on transactions
between Group companies are eliminated. Unrealised losses are also eliminated.
Accounting policies of subsidiaries have been changed where necessary to
ensure consistency with the policies adopted by the Group. The Group's share
of post-acquisition profit or loss is recognised in the income statement, and
its share of post-acquisition movements in other comprehensive income is
recognised in the comprehensive income with a corresponding adjustment in the
carrying amount of the investment.

 

(a) Acquisition accounting

The Group uses the acquisition method of accounting to account for business
combinations. The consideration transferred for the acquisition of a
subsidiary is the fair values of the assets transferred, the liabilities
incurred, and the equity interests issued by the Group. The consideration
transferred includes the fair value of any asset or liability resulting from a
contingent consideration agreement. Acquisition related costs are expensed as
incurred. Identifiable assets acquired and liabilities and contingent
liabilities assumed in a business combination are measured initially at their
fair values at the acquisition date. On an acquisition by acquisition basis,
the Group recognises any non-controlling interest in the acquiree either at
fair value or at the non-controlling interest's proportionate share of the
acquiree's net assets.

 

The excess of the consideration transferred, the amount of any non-controlling
interest in the acquiree and the acquisition date fair value of any previous
equity interest in the acquiree over the fair value of the Group's share of
the identifiable net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. If this is less
than the fair value of the net assets of the subsidiary acquired in the case
of a bargain purchase, the difference is recognised directly in the income
statement.

 

Investments in subsidiaries are accounted for at cost less impairment. Cost is
adjusted to reflect changes in consideration arising from contingent
consideration amendments.

 

(b) Reverse acquisition accounting

The acquisition of Innovenn UK Limited and its subsidiary by DeepVerge Plc on
17 November 2016 has been accounted using the principles of reverse
acquisition accounting. Although the Group financial statements have been
prepared in the name of the legal parent, DeepVerge Plc, they are in substance
a continuation of the consolidated financial statements of the legal
subsidiary, Innovenn UK Limited. The following accounting treatment has been
applied in respect of the reverse accounting:

 

The assets and liabilities of the legal subsidiary, Innovenn UK Limited are
recognised and measured in the Group financial statements at the
pre-combination carrying amounts, without restatement of fair value. The
retained earnings and other equity balances recognised in the Group financial
statements reflect the retained earnings and other equity balances of Innovenn
UK Limited immediately before the business combination and the results of the
period from 1 January 2014 to the date of the business combination are those
of Innovenn UK Limited. However, the equity structure appearing in the Group
financial statements reflects the equity structure of the legal parent,
DeepVerge Plc, including the equity instruments issued in order to effect the
business combination.

 

Foreign currency translation

(a) Functional and presentational currency

Items included in the financial statements of each of the Group's entities are
measured using the currency of the primary economic environment in which the
entity operates (the functional currency). The consolidated financial
statements are presented in sterling, which is the functional and
presentational currency of the main operating entities.

 

(b) Transactions and balances

Foreign currency transactions are translated into the functional currency
using the exchange rates prevailing at the dates of the transactions where
items are re-measured. Foreign exchange gains and losses resulting from the
settlement of such transactions and from the translation at year-end exchange
rates of monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are
recognised in the income statement within 'administrative expenses', except
when deferred in other comprehensive income as qualifying cash flow hedges and
qualifying net investment hedges.

 

(c) Group companies

The results and financial position of all the Group entities (none of which
has the currency of a hyper-inflationary economy) that have a functional
currency different from the presentation currency are translated into the
presentational currency as follows:

·      assets and liabilities for each balance sheet presented are
translated at the closing rate at the date of that balance sheet;

·      income and expenses for each income statement are translated at
average exchange rates; and

·      all resulting exchange differences are recognised in other
comprehensive income.

 

On consolidation, exchange differences arising from the translation of the net
investment in foreign operations are taken to other comprehensive income. When
a foreign operation is partially disposed of or sold, exchange differences
that were recorded in equity are recognised in the income statement as part of
the gain or loss on sale.

 

Goodwill and fair value adjustments arising on the acquisition of a foreign
entity are treated as assets and liabilities of the foreign entity and
translated at the closing rate.

 

Segmental reporting

Operating segments are reported in a manner consistent with the internal
reporting provided to the chief operating decision-maker. The chief operating
decision-maker, who is responsible for allocating resources and assessing
performance of the operating segments, has been identified as the Executive
Directors who make strategic decisions.

 

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at historical cost less accumulated
depreciation and any provision for impairment. Historical cost includes
expenditure that is directly attributable to the acquisition of the asset and
bringing the asset to its working condition for its intended use.

 

Subsequent costs are included in the asset's carrying amount or recognised as
a separate asset, as appropriate, only where it is probable that future
economic benefits associated with the asset will flow to the Group and the
cost of the asset can be measured reliably. The carrying amount of the
replaced part is derecognised. All other repairs and maintenance are charged
to the income statement during the financial period in which they are
incurred. Any borrowing costs associated with qualifying property plant and
equipment are capitalised and depreciated at the rate applicable to that asset
category.

 

Depreciation on assets is calculated using the straight-line method or
reducing balances method to allocate their cost to its residual values over
their estimated useful lives, as follows:

 

Fixtures and fittings
                                    20% -
33%

Plant and
machinery
16% - 20%

 

The assets' residual values and useful economic lives are reviewed regularly,
and adjusted if appropriate, at the end of each reporting period.

 

An asset's carrying value is written down immediately to its recoverable
amount if the asset's carrying amount is greater than its estimated
recoverable amount.

 

Gains and losses on the disposal of assets are determined by comparing the
proceeds with the carrying amount and are recognised in administration
expenses in the income statement.

 

Intangible assets

Intellectual property rights

Intellectual property rights relate to patents, and licences acquired by the
Group. Amortisation is calculated using the straight-line method over the
expected life of 5 - 10 years and is charged to administrative expenses in the
income statement.

 

Development costs

Development costs that are directly attributable to the design and testing of
identifiable and unique products controlled by the group are recognised as
intangible assets when the following criteria are met:

·    it is technically feasible to complete the product so that it will be
available for use;

·    management intends to complete the product and use or sell it;

·    there is an ability to use or sell the project;

·    it can be demonstrated how the products will generate probable future
economic benefits;

·    adequate technical, financial and other resources to complete the
development and to use or sell the product are available;

·    the expenditure attributable to the product during its development
can be reliably measured. Directly attributable costs that are capitalised as
part of the product include employee costs and an appropriate portion of
relevant overheads.

 

Capitalised development costs are recorded as intangible assets and amortised
from the point at which the asset is ready for use using the straight-line
method over the expected life of 5 - 10 years and is charged to administrative
expenses in the income statement.

 

Know how acquired as part of business combinations is capitalised at fair
value at the date of acquisition. Following the initial recognition, the
carrying amount of the know how is its cost less accumulated amortisation and
any accumulated impairment losses. Amortisation is charged on the basis of the
estimated useful life on a straight-line basis and the expense is taken to the
Statement of Comprehensive Income which management estimate to be ten years.

 

Impairment of non-financial assets

Assets that have an indefinite life such as goodwill are not subject to
amortisation and are tested annually for impairment. Assets that are subject
to amortisation are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in
circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. An
impairment loss is recognised for the amount by which the carrying amount
exceeds its recoverable amount.

 

The recoverable amount is the higher of an asset's fair value less costs to
sell and value in use. In assessing value in use, the estimated future cash
flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that
reflects current market assessments of the time value of the money and the
risks specific to the asset which the estimates of future cash flows have not
been adjusted.

 

For the purposes of assessing impairment, assets are grouped at the lowest
levels for which there are separately identifiable cash flows. Impairment
losses recognised for cash-generating units, to which goodwill has been
allocated, are credited initially to the carrying amount of goodwill. Any
remaining impairment loss is charged pro rata to the other assets in the
cash-generating unit.

 

Where an impairment loss subsequently reverses, the carrying amount of the
asset (cash-generating unit) is increased to the revised estimate of its
recoverable amount, but so that the increased carrying amount does not exceed
the carrying amount that would have been determined had no impairment loss
been recognised for the asset (cash-generating unit) in the prior period. A
reversal of an impairment loss is recognised in the income statement
immediately. If goodwill is impaired however, no reversal of the impairment is
recognised in the financial statements.

 

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Cost is
based on the first-in first-out method and includes expenditure incurred in
acquiring the inventories and bringing them to their existing location and
condition.  Net realisable value is based on estimated selling price in the
ordinary course of business, less further costs expected to be incurred to
completion and disposal.  Provision is made for obsolete, slow-moving or
defective items where appropriate.

 

Financial instruments

Recognition and initial
measurement

Financial assets and financial liabilities are initially classified as
measured at amortised cost, fair value through other comprehensive income, or
fair value through profit and loss when the group becomes a party to the
contractual provisions of the instrument.
 

Financial assets at amortised cost

The group's financial assets at amortised cost comprise trade and other
receivables. These represent debt instruments with fixed or determinable
payments that represent principal or interest and where the intention is to
hold to collect these contractual cash flows.

 

They are initially recognised at fair value, included in current and
non-current assets, depending on the nature of the transaction, and are
subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method
less any provision for impairment.

 

Financial liabilities at amortised cost

Financial liabilities at amortised cost comprise trade and other payables, and
borrowings. They are classified as current and non-current liabilities
depending on the nature of the transaction, are subsequently measured at
amortised cost using the effective interest method.

 

Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income (FVOCI)

Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income are
comprised of the investment in Cellulac plc. The election has been made to
designate this asset as FVOCI. FVOCI assets are recognised and measured at
fair value with gains and losses recognised in OCI.

 

The fair value measurement of the group's financial and non- financial assets
and liabilities utilises market observable inputs and data as far as possible.
Inputs used in determining fair value measurements are categorised into
different levels based on how observable the inputs used in the valuation
technique utilised are (the 'fair value hierarchy').

 

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets

Level 2 - Observable direct or indirect inputs other than Level 1 inputs

Level 3 - Inputs that are not based on observable market data

 

The Group measures financial instruments relating to other investments at fair
value using Level 3, as the investment is not listed, and has no readily
available market price.

 

Derecognition

The Group derecognises a financial asset when the contractual rights to the
cash flows from the financial asset expire, or when it transfers the rights to
receive the contractual cash flows in a transaction in which substantially all
of the risks and rewards of ownership of the financial asset are transferred
or in which the Group neither transfers nor retains substantially all of the
risks and rewards of ownership and it does not retain control of the financial
asset.

 

The Group derecognises a financial liability when its contractual obligations
are discharged, cancelled or expire.

 

Impairment

In accordance with IFRS 9 an expected loss provisioning model is used to
calculate an impairment provision. We have implemented the IFRS 9 simplified
approach to measuring expected credit losses ('ECL') arising from trade and
other receivables, being a lifetime expected credit loss. In the previous year
the incurred loss model is used to calculate the impairment provision.

 

Research and development

Research expenditure is written off to the statement of comprehensive income
in the year in which it is incurred. Development expenditure is written off in
the same way unless the Directors are satisfied as to the technical,
commercial and financial viability of individual projects. In this situation,
the expenditure is deferred and amortised over the period during which the
company is expected to benefit.

 

Trade and other receivables

Trade receivables are initially recognised at fair value, being the original
invoice amount, and subsequently measured at amortised cost less provision for
impairment. A provision for impairment is established when there is objective
evidence that the Group will not be able to collect all amounts due according
to the original terms of the receivable. Trade receivables that are less than
three months past due date are not considered impaired unless there are
specific financial or commercial reasons that lead management to conclude that
the customer will default. Older debts are considered to be impaired unless
there is sufficient evidence to the contrary that they will be settled. The
amount of the provision is the difference between the asset's carrying value
and the present value of the estimated future cash flows. The carrying amount
of the asset is reduced through the use of an allowance account, and the
amount of the loss is recognised in the income statement within administrative
expenses. When a trade receivable is uncollectible it is written off against
the allowance account. Subsequent recoveries of amounts previously written off
are credited against administrative expenses in the income statement.

 

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and short-term deposits in the balance sheet comprise cash at bank and in
hand and short-term deposits with an original maturity of less than three
months, reduced by overdrafts to the extent that there is a right of offset
against other cash balances.

 

For the purposes of the consolidated cash flow statement, cash and cash
equivalents consist of cash and short-term deposits as defined above net of
outstanding bank overdrafts.

 

Share capital

Ordinary Shares and Deferred shares are classified as equity. Proceeds in
excess of the nominal value of shares issued are allocated to the share
premium account and are also classified as equity. Incremental costs directly
attributable to the issue of new Ordinary Shares or options are deducted from
the share premium account.

 

Trade payables

Trade payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been
acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable
are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or
less (or in the normal operating cycle of the business if longer). If not,
they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade payables are recognised
initially at fair value and  subsequently measured at amortised cost using
the effective interest method.

 

Borrowings

Borrowings are recognised initially at the fair value of proceeds received, ne
of transaction costs incurred. Borrowings are subsequently carried at
amortised cost. Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the
Group has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at
least 12 months after the balance sheet date.

 

Borrowing costs are expensed in the consolidated Group income statement under
the heading 'finance costs'. Arrangement and facility fees together with bank
charges are charged to the income statement under the heading 'administrative
costs'.

 

Current and deferred income tax

The tax expense comprises current and deferred tax. Tax is recognised in the
income statement, except to the extent that it relates to items recognised in
other comprehensive income where the associated tax is also recognised in
other comprehensive income.

 

The current income tax charge is calculated on the basis of the tax laws
enacted or substantively enacted at the balance sheet date in the countries
where the Company and its subsidiaries operate and generate taxable income.
Management evaluates positions taken in tax returns with respect to situations
in which applicable tax regulation is subject to interpretation and
establishes provisions where appropriate on the basis of amounts expected to
be paid to the tax authorities.

 

Deferred tax is recognised, using the liability method, on all temporary
differences at the balance sheet date between the tax bases of assets and
liabilities and their carrying amounts for financial reporting purposes.
Deferred tax liabilities are recognised in respect of all temporary
differences except where the deferred tax liability arises from the initial
recognition of goodwill in business combinations.

 

Deferred tax assets are recognised for all deductible temporary differences,
carry-forward of unused tax assets and tax losses, to the extent that they are
regarded as recoverable. They are regarded as recoverable where, on the basis
of available evidence, there will be sufficient taxable profits against which
the future reversal of the underlying temporary differences can be deducted.

 

The carrying value of the amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each
balance sheet date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable
that sufficient taxable profit will be available to allow all, or part, of the
tax asset to be utilised.

 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured at the tax rates that are
expected to apply to the year when the asset is realised or the liability is
settled, based on the tax rates (and tax laws) that have been substantively
enacted at the balance sheet date.

 

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally
enforceable right to offset current tax assets against current tax liabilities
and when the deferred income tax assets and liabilities relate to income taxes
levied by the same taxation authority on either the taxable entity or
different taxable entities where there is an intention to settle the balances
on a net basis.

 

Exceptional items

These are items of an unusual or non-recurring nature incurred by the Group
and include transactional costs and one-off items relating to business
combinations, such as acquisition expenses.

 

Leases

Right of use assets

The Company recognises right-of-use assets at the commencement date of the
lease (i.e., the date the underlying asset is available for use). Right-of-use
assets are measured at cost, less any accumulated depreciation and impairment
losses, and adjusted for any remeasurement of lease liabilities. The cost of
right-of-use assets includes the amount of lease liabilities recognised,
initial direct costs incurred, and lease payments made at or before the
commencement date less any lease incentives received. Unless the Company is
reasonably certain to obtain ownership of the leased asset at the end of the
lease term, the recognised right-of-use assets are depreciated on a
straight-line basis over the shorter of its estimated useful life and the
lease term. Right-of-use assets are subject to impairment.

 

Lease liabilities

At the commencement date of the lease, the Company recognises lease
liabilities measured at the present value of lease payments to be made over
the lease term. The lease payments include fixed payments (including
in-substance fixed payments) less any lease incentives receivable, variable
lease payments that depend on an index or a rate, and amounts expected to be
paid under residual value guarantees. The lease payments also include the
exercise price of a purchase option reasonably certain to be exercised by the
Company and payments of penalties for terminating a lease, if the lease term
reflects the Company exercising the option to terminate. The variable lease
payments that do not depend on an index or a rate are recognised as expense in
the period on which the event or condition that triggers the payment occurs.

 

In calculating the present value of lease payments, the Company uses the
incremental borrowing rate at the lease commencement date if the interest rate
implicit in the lease is not readily determinable. After the commencement
date, the amount of lease liabilities is increased to reflect the accretion of
interest and reduced for the lease payments made. In addition, the carrying
amount of lease liabilities is remeasured if there is a modification, a change
in the lease term, a change in the in-substance fixed lease payments or a
change in the assessment to purchase the underlying asset.

 

Short-term leases and leases of low-value assets.

The Company applies the short-term lease recognition exemption to its
short-term leases of machinery and equipment (i.e., those leases that have a
lease term of 12 months or less from the commencement date and do not contain
a purchase option). It also applies the lease of low-value assets recognition
exemption to leases of office equipment that are considered of low value
(i.e., below £5,000). Lease payments on short-term leases and leases of
low-value assets are recognised as expense on a straight-line basis over the
lease term.

 

Employee benefits

Pension obligations

Group companies operate a pension scheme with defined contribution plans. A
defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which the Group pays fixed
contributions into a separate entity with the pension cost charged to the
income statement as incurred. The Group has no further obligations once the
contributions have been paid.

 

Revenue recognition

(a) Revenue from sale of goods

Revenue represents the fair value of consideration received or receivable for
goods delivered to customers in the normal course of business, net of trade
discounts and VAT. Goods delivered to customers comprise of Skin Trust Club
kits, which are used by customers to provide sample of their skin microbiome
for sequencing, Bioinformatics and Artificial Intelligence analysis.

 

(b) Revenue from services to customers

Revenue is recognised to the extent that it is probable that economic benefits
will flow to the Company and the revenue can be reliably measured. Revenue
represents the fees and commissions, net of discounts, derived from services
provided to and invoiced to customers. Revenue is recognised in the period in
which the service is performed, in accordance with contractual arrangements.
Income billed in advance of the performance of service is deferred and income
in respect of work carried out but not billed at the period end is accrued.
Where the contract outcome cannot be measured reliably, revenue is recognised
to the extent of the costs recognised that are recoverable.

 

(c) Revenues recognised from recurring government grants

Recurring income, in the form of grants, received from various government
bodies across the globe are recognised only when there is reasonable assurance
that:

(a) the entity will be able to complete the project and comply with any
conditions attached to the award; and

(b) the award will be received due to the nature of the project undertaken.

 

These awards are granted to the entities due to innovation projects undertaken
and are not the same as government assistance. The awards are recognised as
other income over the period necessary to match them with the related costs,
for which they are intended to subsidise, in accordance with the matching
concept.

 

(d) Interest income

Interest income is accrued on a time basis, by reference to the principal
outstanding and at the effective interest rate applicable, which is the rate
that exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts through the expected
life of the financial asset to that asset's net carrying amount.

 

(e) Royalty and licence income

Royalty and licence income is recognised on an accruals basis in accordance
with the substance of the relevant agreements.

 

Government grants

Government grants are not recognised until there is reasonable assurance that
the Group will comply with the conditions attaching to them and that the
grants will be received.

 

Government grants are recognised in profit or loss on a systematic basis over
the periods in which the Group recognises as expenses the related costs for
which the grants are intended to compensate.

 

Dividend distribution

Dividend distributions to the Company's shareholders are recognised as a
liability in the Group's financial statements in the period in which the
dividends are approved by the Company's shareholders. Interim dividends are
recognised when paid.

 

3. Financial risk management

Financial risk factors

The Group's activities expose it to a variety of financial risks: market risk
(foreign exchange risk and cash flow interest rate risk), credit risk,
liquidity risk, capital risk and fair value risk. The Group's overall risk
management programme focuses on the unpredictability of the financial markets
and seeks to minimise the potential adverse effects on the Group's financial
performance. The Group does not use derivative financial instruments to hedge
risk exposures.

 

Risk management is carried out by the head office finance team. It evaluates
and mitigates financial risks in close co-operation with the Group's operating
units. The Board provides principles for overall risk management whilst the
head office finance team provides specific policy guidance for the operating
units in terms of managing foreign exchange risk, credit risk and cash and
liquidity management.

 

(a) Market risk

 

Foreign exchange - cash flow risk

The Group's presentational currency is sterling although it operates
internationally and is exposed to foreign exchange risk arising from various
currency exposures, primarily between GBP and both Dollars and Euro such that
the Group's cash flows are affected by fluctuations in the rate of exchange
between sterling and the aforementioned foreign currencies.

 

Management do not use derivative financial instruments to mitigate the impact
of any residual foreign currency exposure not mitigated by the natural hedge
within the business model. The Group does not speculate in foreign currencies
and no operating Company is permitted to take unmatched positions in any
foreign currency.

 

Foreign exchange - Fair value risk

Translation exposures that arise on converting the results of overseas
subsidiaries are not hedged. Net assets held in foreign currencies are hedged
wherever practical by matching borrowings in the same currency. The principal
exchange rates used by the Group in translating overseas profits and net
assets into Euro are set out in the table below:

 

 
Average rate             Year end rate
Average rate     Year end rate  Compared to Sterling
 
2021                             2021
                           2020
                                2020

Euro
   0.86                              0.84
 
0.89
                   0.90

US
Dollar
0.73
0.74
0.78
0.73

 

A 5% strengthening of the foreign exchange rates as at 31 December 2021, and
for the year then ended, would have increased the net liabilities by £52,000
(2020: £59,000). A 5% weakening would have had an equal and opposite effect.

 

Cash flow and fair value interest rate risk

The Group has assets in the form of cash and cash equivalents and limited
interest-bearing liabilities which relate to long-term borrowing. Interest
rates on cash and cash equivalents are currently zero whilst interest rates on
bank borrowings are 4.25% over the banks Cost of Funds Rate and therefore
expose the Group to fair value interest rate risk. The Group does not
speculate on future changes in interest rates.

 

It is the Group's policy not to trade in derivative financial instruments. The
Group does not use interest rate swaps.

 

(b) Credit risk

Credit risk is managed on a Group basis, except for credit risk relating to
accounts receivable balances. Each local subsidiary and operating business
unit is responsible for managing and analysing the credit risk for each of
their new customers before standard payment and delivery terms and conditions
are offered. Credit risk is managed at the operating business unit level and
monitored at the Group level to ensure adherence to Group policies. If there
is no independent rating, local management assesses the credit quality of the
customer, taking into account its financial position, past experience and
other factors. Individual risk limits are set based on internal or external
ratings in accordance with limits set by the board. The utilisation of credit
limits is regularly monitored.

 

Credit risk also arises from cash and cash equivalents, derivative financial
instruments and deposits with banks and financial institutions, as well as
credit exposures to customers.

 

(c) Liquidity risk

Cash flow forecasting is performed in the individual operating entities of the
Group and is aggregated by Group finance. Group finance monitors cash and cash
flow forecasts and it is the Group's liquidity risk management policy to
maintain sufficient cash and available funding through an adequate amount of
cash and cash equivalents and committed credit facilities from its bankers.
Due to the dynamic nature of the underlying businesses, the head office
finance team aims to maintain flexibility in funding by keeping sufficient
cash and cash equivalents available to fund the requirements of the Group.

 

The Group's policy in relation to the finance of its overseas operations
requires that sufficient liquid funds be maintained in each of its
subsidiaries to support short and medium-term operational plans. Where
necessary, short-term funding is provided by the parent Company. Typically,
excess funds are placed as short-term deposits, to provide a balance between
interest earnings and flexibility.

 

The table below analyses the Group's non-derivative financial liabilities into
relevant maturity groupings based on the remaining period at the balance sheet
date to the contractual maturity date. The amounts disclosed in the table are
the contractual undiscounted cash flows.

 
 
Less than            Between
Between       More than

 
Notes                      one year    1 and 2
years    2 and 5 years             5 years
Total

 
£'000
£'000                  £'000
£'000          £'000

At 31 December 2021:

Borrowings
 
24
698
-
-                         -
698

Trade and other
payables
22
2,468
-
-                         -          2,468

At 31 December 2020:

Borrowings
 
24
1,349
583
-                         -          1,932

Trade and other
payables
22
2,667
-
-                         -          2,667

 

(d) Capital risk management

The Group's objectives when managing capital are to safeguard the ability to
continue as a going concern in order to provide returns for shareholders and
benefits for other stakeholders and to maintain an optimal capital structure
to reduce the cost of capital.

 

The Group monitors capital on the basis of the gearing ratio. This ratio is
calculated as net debt divided by total capital. Net debt is calculated as
total borrowings (including "current and non-current borrowings" as shown in
the consolidated balance sheet) less cash and cash equivalents. Total capital
is the sum of net debt plus equity.

 

4. Critical accounting estimates and judgements

In the process of applying the Group's accounting policies, management has
made accounting judgements in the determination of the carrying value of
certain assets and liabilities. Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in
making assumptions and estimates, actual outcomes will differ from those
assumptions and estimates. The following judgements have the most significant
effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements.

 

(a) Impairment of cost of intangibles and investments

The Group tests annually whether goodwill has suffered any impairment, in
accordance with the accounting policy stated in note 2. The recoverable
amounts of cash-generating units have been determined based on value-in-use
calculations. These calculations require the use of estimates as set out in
note 15. In addition, the Company has also considered the impairment of the
investments in and loans to subsidiary undertakings.

 

 (b) Intangible assets (including capitalised development costs and know how)

The assessment of the future economic benefits generated by these separately
identifiable intangible assets and the determination of its amortisation
profile involve a significant degree of judgement based on management
estimation of future potential revenue and profit and the useful life of the
assets. Reviews are performed regularly to ensure the recoverability of these
intangible assets. Should the intangible asset be deemed irrecoverable it will
be impaired in the period.

 

5. Segmental analysis

 

(a)   Reportable segments

Management has determined the Group's operating segments based on the monthly
management reports presented to the Chief Operating Decision Marker ('CODM').
The CODM is the Executive Directors and the monthly management reports are
used by the Group to make strategic decisions and allocate resources. With the
Company gaining control of Modern Water on 9 November 2020 for management
reporting purposes the group is organised into three operating segments of (i)
Life Science, (ii) Data AI and (iii) Monitoring.

 

Administrative expenses which are directly attributable to the three main
operating Divisions (comprised of business development, sales, operations and
technical expenditure) are reported as expenditure in the respective
Division.  However, a significant proportion of the Group's expenditure
(legal, marketing, finance, facilities and directors' expenditure) is managed
and reported centrally. A proportion of these charges have been recharged to
subsidiary companies. As the commercial activities of the Group continue to
develop, this financial information is expected to evolve further.

 

Currently the key operating performance measures used by the CODM are revenue,
EBITDA and cash resources.

 

                             2021                                                         2020
                             Life Science  Data AI    Monitor-ing  Central  Total         Life Science  Data AI  Monitor  Central  Total

                                                                                                                 -ing
                             £000          £000       £000         £000     £000          £000          £000     £000     £000     £000
 Revenue                     2,805         2,006      4,164        -        8,975         2,443         919      1,121    -        4,483
 Other Income                -               322      -            -           322        -             -        -        -        -
 Cost of Sales               (940)          (1,207)   (1,840)      -        (3,987)       (1,483)       (421)    (735)    -        (2,639)
 Gross Profit                1,865         1,121      2,324        -          5,310       960           498      386      -        1,844

 Admin expenses *            (1,574)       (1,134)    (1,604)      (1,176)  (5,489)       (1,213)       (477)    (283)    (730)    (2,703)
 Other Operating Income      -             -            162        -             162      -             -        -        -        -
 EBITDA                      292             (13)     882          (1,177)      (17)      (253)         21       103      (730)    (859)

 Depreciation**              (237)           (5)      (27)         (3)        (272)       (147)         (1)      (23)     (1)      (172)
 Amortization                (291)         (147)      (569)        (1,937)  (2,944)       (114)         (141)    (64)     (622)    (941)
 Impairment                  -             -          -            -        -             -             -        -        (354)    (354)
 Exceptional items           -             -          -            (27)         (27)      -             -        -        (391)    (391)
 Operational (Loss)/Profit   (237)         (165)      286          (3,144)   (3,260)      (514)         (121)    16       (2,098)  (2,717)
 Finance Costs                 (7)         -          (41)         (372)        (420)     (34)          -        (3)      (146)    (183)
 (Loss)/Profit before tax    (244)         (165)      245          (3,516)  (3,680)       (548)         (121)    13       (2,244)  (2,900)
 Taxation                    711           (2)        (40)         332      1,001         77            -        -        105      182
 (Loss)/Profit for the Year  467           (167)      205          (3,184)  (2,679)       (471)         (121)    13       (2,139)  (2,718)

*Admin expenses excludes Depreciation, Amortisation, Impairment and
Exceptional Costs

**Depreciation includes Capital Grant amortisation of £5k (2021:£1k)

 

(b)   Geographical information

 

 Disclosure of group revenue by geographical location is follows:

                           2021    2020
                           £'000   £'000
 United Kingdom            2,236   612
 Europe                    1,562   264
 United States of America  823     2,680
 Rest of World             4,676   927
 Total revenue             9,297   4,483

 

Revenues of £1,927,000 (2020: £2,639,000) are derived from 1 (2020: 3)
customer  representing more than 10% of the group revenue.

 

6. Expenses - analysis by nature

                                                                         2021    2020

                                                                         £'000   £'000
 Employee benefit expense (note 9)                                       3,465   1,415
 Depreciation (note 16)                                                  277     173
 Capital Grants amortization (note 16)                                   (5)     (1)
 Amortisation right of use asset (note 14)                               436     144
 Amortisation (note 15)                                                  2,508   797
 Impairment of investment (note 17b)                                     -       354
 Exceptional items (note 7)                                              27      391
 Auditors' remuneration - audit of the parent company and consolidation  25      20
 Auditors' remuneration - other services                                 30      30
 Foreign exchange differences                                            (95)    50
 Share option-based charge                                               14      191
 Other expenses                                                          2,050   997
 Total administrative costs                                              8,732   4,561

 

7. Exceptional items

 

Included within administrative expenses are exceptional items as shown below:

                                         2021    2020
                                         £'000   £'000
 Exceptional items include:
 - Transaction costs and DTR advice      27      391
 Total exceptional items                 27      391

 

Majority of the above costs relate to advice obtained by the Company in
relation to the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules (DTR) applicable to
the Company. As the Company is listed on AIM, only DTR 5 rules apply.

 

8. Directors' remuneration

 

The remuneration of the Directors in DeepVerge Plc who held office during the
year ended 31 December 2021 was as follows:

                                      2021    2020
                                      £'000   £'000
 Aggregate emoluments                 587     471
 Share option-based charge (note 32)  9       29
 Total Directors' remuneration        596     500

 

A breakdown of Directors' remuneration has been provided on page 17.

 

9. Employee benefit expense

                                                            2021    2020

                                                            £'000   £'000
 Wages and salaries                                         3,084   1,387
 Social security costs                                      305     113
 Pension Costs                                              102     25
 Other Benefits                                             130     9
 Capitalised salaries during the Year to Intangible Assets  (176)   (119)
 Total employee benefit expense                             3,445   1,415
 Share option-based charge (note 32)                        14      191

 

10. Average number of people employed

                                                                         2021  2020

                                                                         No    No
 Average number of people (including Executive Directors) employed was:
 Administration                                                          16    13
 Operations and research                                                 46    18
 Sales and marketing                                                     3     6
 Total average number of people employed                                 65    37

 

The total number of employees at 31 December 2021 was 73 (2020: 43)

 

11. Finance costs

                                          2021    2020
                                          £'000   £'000
 Interest expense:
 - Bank borrowings                        148     93
 - Other finance costs                    210     25
 - Interest on right of use asset leases  18      25
 - Other interest                         44      40
 Finance costs                            420     183

 

12. Income tax expense

                                                    2021     2020

 Group                                              £'000    £'000
 Current tax:
 Current tax for the year                           42       -
 Research and development tax credit                (711)    (77)
 Total current tax (credit)                         (669)    (77)

 Deferred tax (note 23):
 Origination and reversal of temporary differences  (332)    (105)
 Total deferred tax                                 (332)    (105)
 Income tax (credit)                                (1,001)  (182)

 

 

The tax on the Group's results before tax differs from the theoretical amount
that would arise using the standard tax rate applicable to the profits of the
consolidated entities as follows:

                                                                                2021     2020

                                                                                £'000    £'000
 Loss before tax                                                                (3,680)  (2,900)

 Tax calculated at domestic tax rates applicable to UK standard rate of tax of  (699)    (551)
 19% (2020 - 19%)
 Tax effects of:
 - Impact of actual tax rates                                                   128      11
 - Expenses not deductible for tax purposes                                     135      140
 - Research and development tax credit                                          (711)    (77)
 - Losses carried forward                                                       146      295
 Tax (credit)                                                                   (1,001)  (182)

 

There are no tax effects on the items in the statement of comprehensive
income. The effect of losses is discussed in note 23.

 

13. Loss per share

At a General Meeting of the Company on 15 September 2020 a share consolidation
was approved. With effect from 16 September 2020 all ordinary shares of 0.01
pence each were consolidated into new ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each, on a
10 for 1 basis.

 

The following table when detailing the comparative basic loss for 2020
converts a 10:1 consolidation for all 0.01 pence ordinary shares in issue
pre-15 September 2020 to 0.1 pence new ordinary shares.

 

(28)
Basic

Basic loss per share is calculated by dividing the loss attributable to equity
holders of the Company by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in
issue during the year.

                                                           2021          2020

 Loss from continuing operations                           £2,679,000    £2,718,000
 Loss attributable to owners of the parent                 £2,679,000    £2,718,000
 Weighted average number of 0.1p Ordinary Shares in issue                128,715,344

                                                           196,932,854

 Basic loss per ordinary share
 From continuing operations                                1.3p          2.1p
 From loss for the year                                    1.3p          2.1p

 

(28) Diluted

Diluted earnings per share is calculated by adjusting the weighted average
number of ordinary shares outstanding to assume conversion of all dilutive
potential ordinary shares. The options and warrants are anti-dilutive in view
of the losses in the year. Details of warrants outstanding are given in note
25.

 

14. Right of use of assets and lease liabilities

 

 Right of use assets                     2021    2020
 Leasehold Property                      £'000   £'000
 As at 1 January                         569     503
 On acquisition of subsidiary (note 33)  -       159
 Additions                               1,804   48
 Disposals                               (360)   -
 Amortisation                            (436)   (144)
 Foreign Exchange Movements              (8)     3
 As at 31 December                       1,569   569

 

 Lease Liabilities                           2021     2020

                                             £'000    £'000
 As at 1 January                             622      504
 On acquisition of subsidiary (note 33)      -        191
 Additions                                   1,752    44
 Disposals                                   (368)    -
 Interest expense                            19       25
 Lease Payments                              (420)    (150)
 Foreign Exchange Movements                  (22)     8
 As at 31 December                           1,583    622
 Current                                     409      264
 Non-current                                 1,174    358

 

15. Intangible fixed assets

 Group                                        Development Costs and Intellectual Property Rights  Total

                                              £'000                                               £'000
 Cost
 At 1 January 2020                            5,545                                               5,545
 On acquisition of subsidiary (note 33)       14,882                                              14,882
 Additions                                    488                                                 488
 Exchange differences                         60                                                  60
 At 31 December 2020                          20,975                                              20,975

 Amortisation
 At 1 January 2020                            1,891                                               1,891
 Charge for the year - continuing operations  -                                                   -
 Impairment - continuing operations           797                                                 797
 Exchange differences                         46                                                  46
 At 31 December 2020                          2,734                                               2,734

 Net book value
 At 31 December 2020                          18,241                                              18,241

 Cost
 At 1 January 2021                            20,975                                              20,975
 On acquisition of subsidiary (note 33)       -                                                   -
 Additions                                    2,431                                               2,431
 Exchange differences                         (78)                                                (78)
 At 31 December 2021                          23,328                                              23,328

 Amortisation
 At 1 January 2021                            2,734                                               2,734
 Charge for the year - continuing operations  2,508                                               2,508
 Exchange differences                         (44)                                                (44)
 At 31 December 2021                          5,198                                               5,198

 Net book value
 At 31 December 2021                          18,130                                              18,130

( )

 

 Company              Development Costs and Intellectual Property Rights  Total

                      £'000                                               £'000
 Cost
 At 1 January 2020    75                                                  75
 Additions            -                                                   -
 At 31 December 2020  75                                                  75

 Amortisation
 At 1 January 2020    22                                                  22
 Charge for the year  15                                                  15
 At 31 December 2020  37                                                  37

 Net book value
 At 31 December 2020  38                                                  38

 Cost
 At 1 January 2021    75                                                  75
 Additions            -                                                   -
 At 31 December 2021  75                                                  75

 Amortisation
 At 1 January 2021    37                                                  37
 Charge for the year  15                                                  15
 At 31 December 2021  52                                                  52

 Net book value
 At 31 December 2021  23                                                  23

 

At 31 December 2021, the Group had intangible assets arising from intellectual
property recognised on acquisitions, development costs on certain research and
development and licence agreements.

Management performed an impairment analysis to determine the fair value of the
intangible assets.  In assessing fair value, the estimated future cash flows
of each underlying business unit were discounted to their present value that
reflects management's current market assessments of the time value of the
money and were adjusted for risks specific to each business segment

For the purpose of impairment testing, other intangible assets are allocated
to the operating segments to which they relate as set out below and is
compared to their recoverable value.

The recoverable amounts were determined using the higher of the Cash
Generating Units (CGU) fair value less costs of disposal (FV) and value in use
(VIU) calculations. The fair value less costs of disposal method calculates
the fair value of each CGU based on the Company's share price and the selling
prices of comparable businesses. The VIU method requires the estimation of
future cash flows before tax and the selection of a suitable discount rate in
order to calculate the net present value (NPV) of these cash flows.

The discount rates applied to each CGU for the value in use projections were
between 8% and 12% and all assumptions were reviewed at the end of the year
and revised where necessary.

The key assumptions for the Labskin, Data AI and Monitoring divisions fair
value in use calculations are sales (volume, new product and services
delivery, geographic growth)  and gross margin. Management's forecasts are
based on the current five-year business plan and assume the Division delivers,
on average, double digit revenue growth and maintains stable profit margins,
based on past experience in this market. A discount rate of 10% and a terminal
growth rate of 2% were used to calculate the NPV.

 

The estimate of recoverable amount is particularly sensitive to the revenue
growth rate and the assumption of a terminal value. This was stress tested by
reducing revenue growth by 10% and removing the terminal value entirely which
show that no impairment would be recognised.

 

Management is not currently aware of any other reasonably possible changes to
key assumptions that would cause a unit's carrying amount to exceed its
recoverable amount.

 

The remaining intangible asset value is predominantly our actively managed
patent portfolio, which is continually reviewed for impairment in the normal
course of business and the individual patents are also amortised on an annual
basis over their lives.

 

As a result of the impairment analysis, the Directors have decided that the
current value represents fair value so no impairment of intangible asset for
the year 2021: £Nil (2020: £241,000).

 

16. Property, plant and equipment

a)  Fixed Assets

 Group                                            Fixtures and fittings  Total

                                                  £'000                  £'000
 Cost
 At 1 January 2020                                697                    697
 Additions                                        320                    320
 On acquisition of subsidiary (note 33)           273                    273
 Exchange differences                             3                      3
 At 31 December 2020                              1,293                  1,293
 Depreciation
 At 1 January 2020                                226                    226
 On acquisition of subsidiary (note 33)           -                      -
 Charge for the year - continuing operations      173                    187
 Exchange differences                             20                     6
 At 31 December 2020                              419                    419

 Net book value
 At 31 December 2020                              874                    874

 Cost
 At 1 January 2021                                1,293                  1,293
 Additions                                        492                    492
 Disposals                                        (208)                  (208)
 Exchange differences                             -                      -
 At 31 December 2021                              1,577                  1,577
 Depreciation
 At 1 January 2021                                419                    419
 Charge for the year                              277                    277
 Disposals                                        (24)                   (24)
 Exchange differences                             -                      -
 At 31 December 2021                              672                    672

 Net book value
 At 31 December 2021                              905                    905

 

 

The Company had no property, plant and equipment.

 

b)   Capital Grants

 Group                2021     2020

                      £'000    £'000
 Cost
 At 1 January         25       -
 Additions            -        25
 At 31 December       25       25

 Amortisation
 At 1 January         (1)      -
 Charge for the year  (5)      (1)
 At 31 December       (6)      (1)

 Net book value
 At 31 December       19       24

 

Capital grants relating to assets are presented as deferred income.

 

 

17. Investments

(a) Investments in subsidiaries

                                         Investments  Loan to Subsidiaries
 Company                                 £'000        £'000
 At 1 January 2020                       3,488        3,259
 Acquisition during the year (note 33b)  12,115       -
 Loans advanced                          -            (325)
 At 31 December 2020                     15,603       2,934

 

 

 At 1 January 2021                       15,603  2,934
 Acquisition during the year (note 33a)  1,200   -
 Loans advanced                          -       7,236
 At 31 December 2021                     16,803  10,710

 

Investments in subsidiaries are recorded at cost, which is the fair value of
the consideration paid, less impairments.

 

On 15 January 2021 the Company acquired the remaining 6.53% of the share
capital of Modern Water plc at a value of £1.2m. This represented the
compulsory acquisition of the remaining shareholding having acquired 93.47% of
the share capital of Modern Water Plc, on 23 November 2020, at a value of
£12.1m. Total consideration paid for entire acquisition amounted to £13.3m.

 

Amounts owing from subsidiary companies less than one year have been
classified as current assets in the financial statements. The total amount
owing at 31 December 2021 is £10,710,000 (2020: £67,000).

Amounts owing from subsidiary companies greater than one year have been
classified as non-current assets in the financial statements. The total amount
owing at 31 December 2021 is £Nil (2020: £2,867,000).

Management performed an impairment analysis to determine the fair value of the
investments in, and loans to, subsidiaries. In assessing fair value, the
estimated future cash flows of each investment were discounted to their
present value that reflects management's current market assessments of the
time value of the money and were adjusted for risks specific to each
investment.

 

The result of the impairment analysis supported the fair value of £16,803,000
(2020: £15,603,000) for the Company's investments at the balance sheet date.
Impairment of £Nil (2020: £Nil) was recognised in the financial statements
for the year. During the year, the Directors considered it reasonable for the
Company to forgive loans due © its subsidiaries of £Nil (2020: £3.185m).
The loan forgiven during 2020 reflected historical expenditure incurred by
Innovenn UK Limited on behalf of the Group, from which the entire Group has
benefitted.

 

Impairment of investments and loans to subsidiaries

Management have considered various indicators that may suggest that the
carrying amount of the investments and loans to subsidiaries, may be impaired.
The recoverable amount of the investments has been determined to be the value
in use based on the cash flows generated from the continuing operations of the
entities. In performing this assessment, management has applied the following
assumptions and estimates:

 

·      cash flows have been projected over a period of 5 years from 1
January 2022, which management considers appropriate due to the nature of the
market and related return period. This duration is a generally accepted
industry practice and is allowed under IAS 36;

·      cash inflow projections reflect the following key assumptions:

o  revenues in the short to medium term are based on actual sales, current
orders received awaiting completion, high probability pipeline from current
discussions, manufacturing and production currently undertaken and completion
of R&D projects for new technology over the next 12 months;

o  the growth rate for revenue is projected to be 5% (compared to 107% during
2021) from January 2024 to December 2026.

o  gross margin range is expected to be 77% to 45% (based on the revenue
stream) from June 2022 to December 2026.

 

The pre-tax discount rate used to calculate at the discounted cash flows was
10%.

 

The subsidiaries of DeepVerge Plc are as follows:

 

Name of
Company
Proportion Held     Class of Shareholding           Country of
Incorporation

Innovenn UK
Limited
100% (direct)
Ordinary                      United Kingdom

DeepVerge Ireland
Limited(1)
100% (indirect)       Ordinary
Ireland

Lifesciencehub UK
Limited
100% (direct)
Ordinary                      United Kingdom

Lifesciencehub Ireland
Limited
100% (indirect)       Ordinary
Ireland

Rinocloud
Limited
100% (direct)
Ordinary                      Ireland

STOER Ireland
Limited
100% (direct)
Ordinary                      Ireland

Integumen
Limited
100% (direct)
Ordinary                      United Kingdom

Modern Water
plc(2)
100% (direct)
Ordinary                      United Kingdom

Modern Water Holdings Limited
 
100% (direct)
Ordinary                      United Kingdom

Modern Water Technology (Shanghai) Co Limited
                       100%
(indirect)                      Ordinary   China

Aguacure
Limited
100% (indirect)       Ordinary
United Kingdom

Surrey Aquatechnology
Limited
100% (indirect)       Ordinary
United Kingdom

MW Monitoring
Limited
100% (indirect)       Ordinary
United Kingdom

Cymtox
Limited
100% (indirect)       Ordinary
United Kingdom

Modern Water
INC
100% (indirect)       Ordinary
USA

MW Monitoring IP
Limited
100% (indirect)       Ordinary
United Kingdom

Liabilities in the analysis above are all categorised as 'other financial
liabilities at amortised cost' for the Group and Company.

 

(c) Credit quality of financial assets

The Group is exposed to credit risk from its operating activities (primarily
for trade receivables and other receivables) and from its financing
activities, including deposits with banks and financial institutions, foreign
exchange transactions and other financial instruments.

 

Trade receivables

The credit quality of trade receivables that are neither past due date nor
impaired have been assessed based on historical information about the
counterparty default rate. The Group does not hold any other receivable
balances with customers, whose past default has resulted in the non-recovery
of the receivables balances.

 

Cash at bank

The credit quality of cash has been assessed by reference to external credit
ratings, based on reputable credit agencies' long-term issuer ratings:

           2021    2020
  Rating   £'000   £'000
 A - AAA   1,887   1,441
 Total     1,887   1,441

 

 

19. Inventories

                                   Group   Group
                                   2021    2020
                                   £'000   £'000
 Raw materials and finished goods  1,712   1,347
 Inventory                         1,712   1,347

 

There are no inventories in the Company. The Directors consider that the
carrying amount of inventory approximates to their fair value. During the
year, the Group expensed £3.8m (2020: £2.5m) of inventory.

 

 

20. Trade and other receivables

                                                      Group   Group   Company  Company
                                                      2021    2020    2021     2020
                                                      £'000   £'000   £'000    £'000
 Trade receivables                                    4,727   1,061   -        -
 Less: provision for impairment of trade receivables  (132)   (53)    -        -
 Trade receivables - net                              4,595   1,008   -        -
 Prepayments and accrued income                       553     160     43       10
 Taxation                                             425     177     99       68
 Other receivables                                    1,213   103     220      101
                                                      6,786   1,448   362      179

 

The Directors consider that the carrying amount of trade and other receivables
approximates to their fair value.

The carrying amounts of the Group's trade and other receivables denominated in
foreign currencies were as follows:

 

             Group   Group   Company  Company
             2021    2020    2021     2020
             £'000   £'000   £'000    £'000
 Sterling    3,179   697     -        -
 US Dollars  260     537     -        -
 Euro        367     163     -        -
             3,806   1,397   -        -

 

 

 

 

21. Cash and cash equivalents

                            Group   Group   Company  Company
                            2021    2020    2021     2020
                            £'000   £'000   £'000    £'000
 Cash at bank and on hand   1,847   1,441   945      451
 Cash and cash equivalents  1,847   1,441   945      451

 

The Group's cash and cash equivalents are held in non-interest-bearing
accounts. The Directors consider that the carrying amount of cash and cash
equivalents approximates to their fair value.

 

 

22. Trade and other payables

                                       Group   Group   Company  Company
                                       2021    2020    2021     2020
                                       £'000   £'000   £'000    £'000
 Trade payables                        1,375   1,714   269      271
 Social security and other taxes       294     181     69       2
 Accrued expenses and deferred income  735     652     434      352
 Other creditors                       46      120     46       120
                                       2,450   2,667   818      745

 

23. Deferred income tax

 

Deferred tax liabilities

 Deferred tax balances were as follows:                           Group   Group
                                                                  2021    2020
                                                                  £'000   £'000
 Deferred tax liability to be recovered after more than one year  2,434   2,780
 Deferred tax liability to be recovered within one year           356     328
                                                                  2,790   3,107

 Deferred tax liabilities were made up as follows:
 Accelerated tax depreciation                                     2,790   3,107
                                                                  2,790   3,107

 

 The movement on the deferred tax income tax account is as follows:  Group   Group
                                                                     2021    2020
                                                                     £'000   £'000
 At 1 January                                                        3,107   561
 On acquisition of subsidiary                                        -       2,651
 Income statement movement - continuing operations (note 12)         (317)   (105)
  At 31 December                                                     2,790   3,107

There were no deferred tax liabilities in the Company.

 

Deferred tax assets

Deferred income tax assets are recognised to the extent that the realisation
of the related tax benefit through future taxable profits is probable. The
Group did not recognise deferred income tax assets of approximately
£1,617,238 (2020: £1,566,000) mainly in respect of tax losses amounting to
approximately £8,853,274 (2020: £8,684,000) that can be carried forward
against future taxable income. An average tax rate of 18% (2020: 18%) has been
used.

 

There was no deferred tax asset recognised for the Company.

 

24. Borrowings

                    Group   Group   Company  Company
                    2021    2020    2021     2020
                    £'000   £'000   £'000    £'000
 Non-current
 Bank borrowings    -       583     -        583
 Other borrowings   -       -       -        -
 Total Non-current  -       583     -        583

 Current
 Bank borrowings    698     1,187   679      917
 Other borrowings   -       162     -        -
 Total Current      698     1,349   679      917

 

 

The maturity profile of bank borrowings was as follows:

                        Group   Group   Company  Company
                        2021    2020    2021     2020
                        £'000   £'000   £'000    £'000
 Amounts falling due
 Within 1 year          698     1,349   679      917
 Between 1 and 2 years  -       583     -        583
 Between 2 and 5 years  -       -       -        -
 Total borrowings       698     1,932   679      1,500

 

Security on bank borrowings

 

On 29 July 2020 the Company signed a £3,000,000 loan facility with Riverfort
Global Opportunities PCC Limited and YA II PN, Ltd with a 3-year term. On the
date of signing the Company drew down £1,500,000, 50% of the facility, as a
24-month loan with the first six months interest only. The interest applicable
to outstanding drawdown amounts is 1.05% per month with a repayment fee of 8%
payable on the date the principal sums are repaid. The amount of the loan
outstanding at 31 December 2021 was £679,000 (2020: £1,500,000). The loan is
secured by a cross-company guarantee.

 

As at 31 December 2021 loan balance of £Nil (2020: £139,000) was owing to
Ulster Bank Ireland. The 5-year term loan matured in August 2021. The loan was
secured with a floating charge against the assets of Innovenn UK Limited and
the charge was satisfied in full on 6 September 2021.

 

As at 31 December 2021 loan balance of £Nil (2020: £131,000) was owing to
Barclays Bank by Modern Water plc. The loan was secured by a fixed and
floating charge over the assets of Modern Water plc and all subsidiary
companies through a cross guarantee. The loan was fully repaid in March 2021
and a statement of satisfaction releasing the security was registered with
Companies House on 7 May 2021.

 

The Company has been compliant with its banking covenants throughout the year.
The bank borrowings are repayable by monthly instalments. The Company is not
exposed to interest rate changes or contractual re-pricing dates at the end of
the reporting period, as the borrowings are fixed in nature.

 

The fair value of both current and non-current borrowings equals their
carrying amount, as the impact of discounting is not significant.

 

25. Share capital

                                                           Group   Group   Company  Company
                                                           2021    2020    2021     2020
                                                           £'000   £'000   £'000    £'000
 215,156,378 0.1p Ordinary shares (2020: 165,877,296)      215     166     215      166

 223,685,232 Deferred shares of 0.99p (2020: 223,685,232)  2,214   2,214   2,214    2,214

 Total                                                     2,429   2,380   2,429    2,380

 

Shares issued for cash consideration in 2021:

 

 Date         Transaction       No of shares  Exercise price  Consideration
 18 January   Share Options     25,860        0.1p            £ 26
 25 January   Placing Warrants  535,714       20p             £ 107,143
 1 February   Placing Warrants  178,570       20p             £ 35,714
 26 February  Placing Warrants  1,230,708     20p             £ 246,148
 26 February  Broker Warrants   557,999       15p             £ 83,700
 26 February  Broker Warrants   814,285       14p             £ 114,000
 5 March      Placing Warrants  17,857        20p             £ 3,571
 16 March     Placing Warrants  188,071       20p             £ 37,614
 23 March     Placing Warrants  35,714        20p             £ 7,143
 24 March     Placing Warrants  78,570        20p             £ 15,714
 7 April      Share Options     18,102        0.1p            £ 18
 13 April     Placing Warrants  10,714        20p             £ 2,143
 21 April     Placing Warrants  221,285       20p             £ 44,257
 21 April     Broker Warrants   7,050,000     5p              £ 352,500
 29 April     Placing Warrants  942,857       20p             £ 188,571
 30 April     Placing Warrants  384,425       20p             £ 76,885
 11 June      Share Placing     21,086,888    30p             £ 6,326,066
 25 June      Share Placing     12,246,446    30p             £ 3,673,934
 7 July       Share Placing     18,102        0.1p            £ 18
 Sub Total                      45,642,167                    £ 11,315,165

 

Shares issued for Modern Water plc share offer agreement in 2021:

 

 Date granted  Number of shares  Price at Date of Listing  Consideration
  15 January   3,636,915         33p                       £ 1,200,182

On 19 November 2020 the Company having obtained control obtained the
acceptances of 93.47% of Modern Water plc shareholders to the offer to acquire
the company.

 

On 15 January 2021 the Company allotted 3,636,915 ordinary 0.1p shares in
respect of the compulsory acquisition of all the remaining Modern Water plc
shares. The £1.2m consideration took the total cost of the 100% acquisition
of shares to £13.3m.

 

Share Capital Movement

 

                                     Ordinary Share
                                     0.1p
 As 1 January                                  165,877,296
 Modern Water plc acquisition                  3,636,915
 Exercise of Warrants                          12,246,769
 Exercise of Staff Options                     62,064
 Placing 11 June 2021                          21,086,888
 Placing 25 June 2021                          12,246,446
 Shares in Issue at 31 December                215,156,378

 

 

As at 31 December 2021, the Company had an issued share capital of 215,156,378
ordinary shares of 0.1p each and 223,685,232 deferred shares of 0.99p each.

 

Share Warrant Movement

 

 

Note 1:   3,824,485 exercised and 450,016 expired, total 4,274,501

 

26. Retained earnings

 

                                                     Group     Company
                                                     £'000     £'000
 At 1 January 2020                                   (15,400)  (15,076)
 Loss for the year                                   (2,718)   (1,590)
 Subsidiary loan forgiveness                         -         (3,185)
 Premium on acquisition of Non-Controlling Interest  (846)     -
 At 31 December 2020                                 (18,964)  (19,851)

 At 1 January 2021                                   (18,964)  (19,851)
 Loss for the year                                   (2,679)   (1,494)
 Subsidiary loan forgiveness                         -         -
 Premium on acquisition of Non-Controlling Interest  847       -
 Transfer from share-based payment reserve           60        60
 At 31 December 2021                                 (20,736)  (21,285)

 

 

27. Other reserves

  Group

                                                Share premium  Foreign currency reserve  Reverse acquisition reserve  Capital      Share based equity reserve

                                                                                                                      Redemption

                                                                                                                      reserve
                                                £'000          £'000                     £'000                        £'000        £'000
 At 1 January 2020                              11,743         (259)                     (2,843)                      9,519        6
 Issue of ordinary shares (note 25)             13,326         -                         -                            -            -
 Currency translation differences               -              33                        -                            -            -
 Share option-based charge (note 32)            -              -                         -                            -            191
 At 31 December 2020                            25,069         (226)                     (2,843)                      9,519        197

 At 1 January 2021                              25,069         (226)                     (2,843)                      9,519        197
 Issue of ordinary shares (note 25)             13,231         -                         -                            -            -
 Costs of Share Issue                           (1,414)
 Currency translation differences               -              (218)                     -                            -            -
 Investment in subsidiary                       -              -                         (1,200)                      -            -
 Share option-based charge (note 32)            -              -                         -                            -            14
 Transfer from share-based payment reserve      -              -                         -                            -            (60)
 At 31 December 2021                            36,886         (444)                     (4,043)                      9,519        151

 

 

The reverse acquisition reserve brought forward arose as result of the reverse
acquisition of Innovenn UK Limited and its subsidiary by DeepVerge Plc. The
reverse acquisition reserve for the year arose due to additional investment in
Modern Water Plc and its subsidiaries during January 2021.

 

Currency translation differences arose from the translation of the net
investment in foreign subsidiaries.

 

  Company

                                                    Share premium  Capital      Share based equity reserve

                                                                   Redemption

                                                                   reserve
                                                    £'000          £'000        £'000
 At 1 January 2020                                  11,743         9,519        6
 Issue of ordinary shares (note 25)                 13,326         -            -
 Costs of Share issue                               -              -            -
 Transfer to retained earnings (note 32)            -              -            -
 Share option-based charge (note 32)                -              -            191
 At 31 December 2020                                25,069         9,519        197

 At 1 January 2021                                  25,069         9,519        197
 Issue of ordinary shares (note 25)                 13,231         -            -
 Costs of Share issue                               (1,414)        -            -
 Transfer to retained earnings (note 32)            -              -            -
 Share option-based charge (note 32)                -              -            14
 Transfer from share-based payment reserve          -              -            (60)
 At 31 December 2021                                36,886         9,519        151

 

 

28. Cash used in operations

                                               Group    Group    Company  Company
                                               2021     2020     2021     2020
                                               £'000    £'000    £'000    £'000
 Loss for the year from continuing activities  (2,679)  (2,718)  (1,495)  (1,590)
 Adjustments for:
 - Depreciation and amortisation               3,216    1,113    15       15
 - Impairment of intangible assets             -        -        -        -
 -- Impairment of investments                  -        354      -        354
 - Foreign currency translation of net assets  95       36       2        59
 - Exceptional Items                           -        -        -        -
 - Net finance costs                           420      303      371      210
 - Taxation                                    (1,001)  (182)    -        -
 - Share option-based charge                   -        191      55       191
 Changes in working capital
 - Inventories                                 (363)    344      -        -
 - Trade and other receivables                 (5,070)  (513)    (184)    (3,151)
 - Trade and other payables                    740      (1,026)  72       (229)

 Net cash generated/(used) in operations       (4,642)  2,098    (1,164)  (4,141)

 

 

 

29. Related Party Disclosures

 

Amounts due to connected parties

                        Group   Group   Company  Company
                        2021    2020    2021     2020
                        £'000   £'000   £'000    £'000
 Microsaic Systems plc  247     -       -        -
 Cellulac Ltd           11      -       -        -
                        258     -       -        -

 

Amounts due from connected parties

                               Group   Group   Company  Company
                               2021    2020    2021     2020
                               £'000   £'000   £'000    £'000
 Drive4Growth Company Limited  36      36      -        -
 Microsaic Systems plc         66      -       -        -
                               102     36      -        -

 

Gerard Brandon and Nigel Burton were appointed directors of Microsaic Systems
plc on 5 February 2021.  On 24 March 2021 the Company signed a 3 year
Technology and Framework Agreement with Microsaic Systems plc under which
Microsaic supplies its equipment and services to the Company on a
non-exclusive basis.  On 11 April 2022 the Company signed a Manufacturing
Services Framework Agreement with Microsaic Systems plc for Microsaic to
improve and manufacture Company equipment based on the Company's approved
specifications.

The Company owns 9.35% of Cellulac plc (note 17). Gerard Brandon and Camillus
Glover are directors of Cellulac Ltd and Cellulac plc.

Fionán Murray is a director of Drive4Growth Company Limited which held a
sales agency agreement with Rinocloud Ltd until 31 October 2019.

During the year, the Company paid £25,800 (2020: £27,000) to Dagmara
Brandon, close family member of the director Gerard Brandon, for professional
services provided to the Company.

The Company

 

Amounts due from group companies

                                                                                                                Company
                            Company
                                                                 2021                                           2020
                            £'000                                                                               £'000
 Innovenn UK Limited        5,398                                                                               1,188
 Lifesciencehub UK Limited  233                                                                                 217
 Rinocloud Limited          2,565                                                                               1,095
 Deepverge Ireland Limited  575                                                                                 316
 STOER Ireland Limited      127                                                                                 51
 Modern Water Plc           995                                                                                 67
 Modern Water Inc           817                                                                                 -
                            10,710                                                                              2,934
 Non-Current Assets         -                                                                                   2,867
 Current Assets             10,710                                                                              67

 

As part of the review of the recoverability of subsidiary indebtedness to the
Company, during the year ended 31 December 2020, the Directors considered the
position of Innovenn UK in the group since listing in April 2017 and in
particular the contribution the subsidiary has made to the overall group. It
was considered reasonable that £3,185,000 of monies owing by Innovenn UK to
the Company be forgiven and that the ultimate cost of this would be borne by
the Company, resulting in the amount owing from Innovenn UK falling to
£1,188,000. During the year ended 31 December 2021, the loan forgiveness
amounted to £Nil.

 

During the year, the Company charged management charges of £241,000 (2020:
£105,000) to Innovenn UK Limited, £466,000 to Rinocloud Limited (2020:
£84,000), £86,000 to Stoer Ireland Ltd (2020: £25,000) and £16,000 (2020:
£8,000) to Lifesciencehub UK Limited.

 

Rinocloud Limited charged sales and management charges to Innovenn UK Limited
of £303,000 (2020: £215,000), to Modern Water Holdings £ 51,000 (2020: £
Nil).

 

Innovenn UK Limited charged to Rinocloud Limited £ 90,000 (2020: £ Nil) to
DeepVerge Plc £ 171,000 (2020: £ Nil) and to Modern Water Holdings £
118,000 (2020: £ Nil).

 

During the year, the Company was recharged costs by Deepverge Ireland Limited
of £ 679,000 (2020: £280,000).

 

Key management compensation has been disclosed in note 8. There only key
management personnel are the Directors of the Company.

 

30. Capital commitments

The Group had no capital commitments at 31 December 2021.

 

31.  Financial commitments

The Group had no financial leases.

 

32. Share options

The Company has achieved multiple positive milestones since 2018 and
shareholder value has improved substantially in that time. Team members across
the Group have been entirely responsibly for achieving the returns by as much
as 500% from the lows of 2018. Therefore, it is only right and fitting that
future growth is incentivised for all Team members who contribute to increased
returns for shareholders. That is why management have implemented only
recently a Share Options Scheme to deliver on this objective.

 

Management and Staff options

The Company introduced an EMI approved share option scheme for employees in
the UK, a Share Options Scheme for employees and in Ireland and an unapproved
share options scheme as a means to act as motivation to staff to deliver
overall shareholder.

 

Options were granted to management and staff for 5,609,650 ordinary shares of
0.1p each at an exercise price of 30p, and 492,790 ordinary shares of 0.1p
each at an exercise price of 35.5p, each vesting over a period of 3 years.
Further options for 465,670 ordinary shares of 0.1p each were granted to staff
at an exercise price of 0.1p, each vesting over a period of 9 months. The
options are conditional upon a number of performance conditions and options
lapse if the employee leaves the Company.

 

Share Options Issued and as at 31 December 2021 are as follows:

 

 Date                Number of Shares  Exercise Price  Vesting Date      Vesting Date    Vesting Date
                     30%                               35%                               35%
 18 September 2020   220,397           0.1p            31 December 2020  31 March 2021   30 June 2021
 18 September 2020   916,680           30p             1 January 2021    1 January 2022  1 January 2023
 19 November 2020    98,000            0.1p            31 December 2020  31 March 2021   30 June 2021
 19 November 2020    4,476,305         30p             1 January 2021    1 January 2022  1 January 2023
   4 November 2021   1,100,000         30p             1 January 2022    1 January 2023  1 January 2024
                     6,811,382

 

The estimated fair values of the share options is calculated by applying the
Black Scholes Model. The period of exercise of the options is 10 years for the
EMI approved and unapproved scheme and 7 years for the Irish Share Options
Scheme. Due to the volatility in the share price for the period since listing
in April 2017 to March 2022, management consider a volatility coefficient of
45% to be representative of expected future volatility.  The volatility
assumption, measured at the standard deviation of expected share price
returns, is based on a statistical analysis of monthly share prices over the
last three years.

 

Of the total number of options outstanding at 31 December 2021, 2,376,721
(2020: 465,671) had vested and were exercisable.

 

 

 Date          Number of Shares  Exercise Price  Vesting Date  Fair Value  Vesting Date  Fair Value   Vesting Date  Fair Value
               31 Dec 2020                       Share Price               31 Mar 2021   Share Price  30 Jun 2021   Share Price
 18 Sept 2020  220,397           0.1p            54,051        28.7p       83,173        28.7p        83,173        28.7p
 19 Nov 2020   98,000            0.1p            29,400        17.2p       34,300        17.2p        34,300        17.2p
                                                 Vesting Date              Vesting Date               Vesting Date
                                                 1 Jan 2021                1 Jan 2022                 1 Jan 2023
 18 Sept 2020  916,680           30p             275,004       9.7p        320,838       9.7p         320,838       9.7p
 19 Nov 2020   4,476,305         30p             1,335,669     3.0p        1,570,318     3.0p         1,570,318     3.0p
                                                 Vesting Date              Vesting Date               Vesting Date
                                                 1 Jan 2022                1 Jan 2023                 1 Jan 2024
 04 Nov 2021   1,100,000         30p             366,667       6.1p        366,667       6.1p         366,666       6.1p

 

 

2017 Management Options

In 2017, the Company had awarded options to key management over 6,720,000
ordinary shares of 1p each. These options were exercisable after two years
provided that the holder of the options is still an employee of the Company.
Of these, 3,360,000 have an exercise price of 5p and 3,360,000 have an
exercise price of 6p each.

 

During the 2019 options over 963,200 ordinary shares of 1p each lapsed when
option holders left the employment of the Company. An amount of £9,010 in
2019 was transferred from the share option-based reserve to retained earnings
with respect to these lapsed options. The cumulation of lapsed options since
2017 has meant that options over only 638,400 ordinary shares of 1p each
remain.

 

Following the share consolidation on 15 September 2020, when every 10 ordinary
existing shares of 0.01p was consolidated into one ordinary share of 0.1p, the
outstanding options granted were as follows at 31 December 2020:

 Director      Date granted  No. of 0.1p ordinary shares under option  Exercise  Exercise period

price
 Ross Andrews  5 April 2017  63,840                                    50p-60p   From 5 April 2017 to 5 April 2027

 

The market vesting condition was factored into the valuation of the options by
applying an appropriate discount due to the size of the company and the
exercise conditions. During the year, management amended the estimated
discount factor applied to the share option valuation, after a review of the
exercise conditions over the last 3 years. Due to the sub-optimal exercise
conditions, the discount factor applied to the fair value was increased from
10% to 50%.

 

The share option-based charge with respect to all share options for the year
was £14,000 (2020: £191,000).

 

33. Business combinations

 

On 13 October 2020 the Company issued an Offer Document to the shareholders of
Modern Water plc to acquire the full share capital of the company. This all
share offer was based on the issue of 1 DeepVerge ordinary 0.1p share for
every 10 Modern Water plc 0.25p ordinary shares. The purchase consideration
was paid by the Company through the issue of 55,669,222 ordinary shares of
0.1p each at an average market price of 23.92 per share, valuing the
acquisition at £13,315,114.

 

33. (a) Acquisition of Modern Water plc

 Date acceptance          No. of MW ordinary shares  % acceptance cumulative  Issued DV shares  Closing Share Price on listing date  Valuation Cumulative
   3 November 2020        406,775,279                77.23%                   40,677491         23.00p                               £9,355,823

   9 November 2020           17,418,730              80.85%                    1,741,870        22.50p                               £9,747,744

  17 November2020         96,129,677                 93.47%                    9,612,946        24.625p                                    £12,114,932

     15 January 2021      36,369,528                       100.00%            3,636,915         33.00p                                     £13,315,114

 

As at 9 November 2020 based on 80.85% acceptances of the offer to Modern Water
plc shareholders the Company gained control

of Modern Water plc as the offer become unconditional.

 

Fair Value Calculation

As at 31 December 2020 the Company had acquired 93.47% of Modern Water plc
shares for a consideration of £12,114,932. Modern Water has a 30-year legacy
and global footprint across industries that monitor for toxicity. The
Directors believe the acquisition will provide the Company with:

 

•   Access to Modern Water distributors and customers across 60 countries
and 5 continents

·   Access to a brand that is the gold standard for water monitoring and in
many countries is the regulatory standard

·   Immediate presence in North America and China extending the Company's
reach and expertise with laboratories and trading entities to expand business
in these territories

·   Access to a range of equipment and membrane to add to the group's
EcoWaterOS vision of a total water monitoring and mitigation solution that
will be enhanced by the group's software and Ai capabilities

·   Equipment and expertise to allow the rapid development of the Company's
COVID-19 and pandemic surveillance system

·   Generation of recurring revenue opportunities with a range of leading
reagents sold with all equipment

 

The following table summarises the consideration paid, and the amounts of the
assets acquired, the fair value of these assets and liabilities assumed at the
acquisition date of Modern Water plc.

                                              31 December 2020

 Modern Water plc
                                              £'000
 Fair value consideration
 Initial Consideration                        9,748

 Non Controlling Interest at fair value       2,309
 Total fair value consideration               12,057

 Net Asset Acquired
 Intangible Asset arising on Acquisition      13,960
 Tangible fixed assets (note16a)              273
 Intangible assets                            922
 Right of use of asset (note14)               159
 Inventory                                    1,606
 Trade and other receivables                  371
 Bank and cash                                739
 Trade and other payables                     (2,811)
 Lease Liability                              (191)
 Bank Loans                                   (319)
 Deferred tax liabilities (note 23)           (2,652)
 Total fair value of identifiable net assets  12,057
 Excess of net assets over consideration      -

 

During the year, the Company issued a further 3,636,915 shares to the
shareholders of Modern Water Plc to acquire the remaining 6.53% of the entire
shareholding of Modern Water Plc. Modern Water Plc is now a wholly owned
subsidiary of the Company.

At 31 December 2021 the Non Controlling Interest (NCI) balance was £Nil
(2020: £789k).

The directors have reviewed the book value of the assets acquired is the same
as the fair value as the value attributed on acquisition.

The fair value of acquired trade and other receivables is £371,000. The gross
contractual amount for trade and other receivables due is £237,000, all of
which is expected to be collectible. The fair value of Inventory is
£1,606,000 as of which is valued at the lower of cost and net resaleable
value.

33. (b)

 

Non-controlling interests

 

Minority Interest arising from the acquisition of Modern Water plc arising
from the dates on which share acceptance from Modern Water shareholders for
the share for share consideration.

                                                                              2020
 Non-controlling interests reserve                            % NCI           £'000
 Opening balance 1 January 2020                                        -
 Upon control on acquisition on 9 November 2020               19.15%   2,309
 Acquisition of non-controlling interest on 19 November 2020  -12.62%  (1,520)
 Closing Balance 31 December 2020                             6.53%       789
 Acquisition of non-controlling interest on 15 January 2021   6.53%    (789)
 Closing Balance 31 December 2021                             0.00%    -

 

 

 

 Premium on Acquisition of non-controlling interests                                                                                    2020

                                                                                                                                        £'000
 Acquisition fair value at 9 November 2020 if 100% ownership                                                                                   12,057
 Value of non-controlling interests at 9 November 2020 19.15%                                                                                 2,309

 Fair value of non-controlling interest at 23 November 2020  19.15%                                                                     2,367
 Acquired value of non-controlling interest at 19 November 2020  12.61%                                                                 (1,520)
 Equity movement in retained profits                                                                                                    847

 Fair value on 9 November 2020 of remaining NCI of 6.53%                                                                                789
 Acquired value of non-controlling interest at 15 January 2021 6.53%                                                                    (789)
 Fair value on 15 January 2021 of remaining NCI of 0.00%                                                                                -

 

 

34. Ultimate controlling party

 

There is no one controlling party.

 

35. Post balance sheet events

 

Acquisition of Glanaco Limited

On 16 March 2022 Rinocloud Ltd acquired 100% of the share capital of Irish
registered engineering services company Glanaco Limited for  consideration of
£1.08 million comprising £0.65 million in equity and £0.43 million in
cash. The equity issue consists of 4,550,000 DeepVerge plc ordinary shares of
0.1 pence issued at a price of 14.25p (being the closing mid-market price at
close of business on 14

 

 

Riverfort Loan Facility

Also on 16 March 2022 the Company secured a 3 year mezzanine loan facility of
up to £25.0 million with Riverfort Global Opportunities PCC Limited and YA II
PN, Ltd ("Lenders") available until March 2025. The facility is in the form of
12-month mezzanine loan with the in the initial drawdown of £4.0 million
advance on the same day.

 

Each drawdown must be repaid in full by the first anniversary of each drawdown
and any outstanding amounts a monthly interest rate of 1.0% applies, payable
quarterly in arrears. For each drawdown amount a 5% implementation fee
applies.

 

The Lenders may elect at their discretion to convert any unpaid balance into
DeepVerge plc ordinary shares of 0.1p at a fixed subscription price
representing a 40% premium to the average daily volume weighted average price
("VWAP") for the previous 5 days' trading prior to the drawdown of the
relevant amount ("the Reference Price"). For the initial drawdown of £4.0m
the fixed subscription price has been set at 20.0p per 0.1p ordinary share,
representing a 40.8 per cent premium to the Reference Price.

 

The Lenders will receive warrants of 40% of the value of each drawdown with
the number of warrants to be issued being calculated by dividing the drawdown
amount by the Reference Price. For the initial drawdown 11,265,622 warrants
will be issued with an exercise price of 20.0p.

 

In relation to share conversion authorities the initial drawdown the Company
has reserved (non- pre-emption share) authorities in respect of 25,170,180
Ordinary Shares as available to the Lenders solely in respect of their
conversion rights.

 

In relations to conversion authorities for warrants to be issued for the
initial drawdown the Company will convene a general meeting before 31 July
2022, at which a resolution will be put to shareholders to grant the requisite
authorities to issue the warrants in respect of the initial drawdown,
multiplied by a factor of 1.5.

 

The loan is secured by a composite guarantee across the group companies.

 

The initial drawdown is to be repaid by the payment of £500,000 on the 16th
day of each month for five months commencing from 16th October 2022, with the
balance of £1,500,000 being repaid on 16th March 2023.

 

Director Purchase of Ordinary Shares

On 17 March 2022 Gerard Brandon, Director, purchased 150,000 Ordinary Shares
of 0.1p each on the open market at a price of 13.4p per share.

 

 

 

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