Net Investor, the UK high-tech venture capital investment trust, wants to buy back up to 14.99% of its share capital in a bid to boost its flagging shareprice in the wake of the technology shakedown.

Shares in the trust, which invests in US venture capital funds, floated at 200p (€3.25) in February last year and are now trading at 148p. The current price represents a 31% discount to net asset value - compared with the 3% premium to NAV at launch.