The scope and nature of this activity in the early years of the industry were multidimensional with a more pro-active management involvement when compared with the activities of corporate finance firms or Private Equity/Venture Capital firms operating today.

Almost all Corporate Finance firms now just advise and are paid a fee with little ongoing involvement in creating shareholder value. Private Equity firms use funds to acquire stakes largely in well managed and profitable businesses, with insufficient involvement in or focus on the management of the businesses going forward. A similar phenomenon "afflicts" Venture Capital firms. Investment banking is now more focused on trading of equities/debt instruments and issuing of “paper” debt and equity, on behalf of clients and also own accounts. The concept of helping to develop businesses for the long term is all but extinct! 

Corporate Finance/Investment Banking (In London referred to as Merchant Banking), in its purse sense, is an all-encompassing business activity which supports businesses to help develop their corporate strategies, to consummate merger/acquisition deals and to access capital. Many traditional London Merchant Banks performed these activities, invariably for their clients until the mid-1990's. The takeover of the sector largely by U.S multinational banks changed the practices and focus of investment banking in London and the UK.

a2e manages the investment funds of the founder, Amin Amiri, and its activities may thus be viewed as operating like a traditional London Merchant Bank. This invariably extensive involvement includes providing risk capital, dealing with sourcing, negotiating and consummating investments on behalf of Amin Enterprises and thereafter enhancing and in due course crystallising shareholder value for the investee companies.

The principal of a2e Venture Catalysts, Amin Amiri, provides personal funds (equity and debt) to consummate investments in companies. The investee companies operate independently, are managed by separate boards of directors and are funded separately from each other. The shares of each of the companies are owned by Amin Amiri and the respective management teams. The collection of these commonly "owned" companies are referred to as Amiri Enterprises (AE). Strictly speaking this collection is not a conglomerate, and as such there is no legal requirement to produce annual consolidated accounts of these associated/commonly owned companies.