Simon Acland was a successful venture capitalist for over 25 years. He was managing director of Quester, one of the UK's most active early-stage technology investors with more than GBP250 million under management, and non-executive director of more than 20 companies in its portfolio. He has been involved with many successful trade sales and flotations; he has also had failures and learned from them. Simon was a long-standing member of the British Venture Capital Association's Technology Committee, and was also Director of the British Business Angels' Association.