27 July 

Nearly four out five entrepreneurs are predicting growth over the next 12 months according to the latest Enterprise Index research by Smith & Williamson. However, it also reveals that expectations for the wider economy have plummeted with just over a third expectingn the economy to improve over the coming year, down from 50% in the previous quarter.

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Libertine FPE Ltd, a Yorkshire company developing high performance linear motor-generator systems is set to target growth in commercial markets following a funding boost from NPIF - Enterprise Ventures Equity Finance, an NPIF product fund managed by Enterprise Ventures.

Prosperity Hub Community Interest Company (CIC) has today received an investment of £70,000 from the Resonance Health and Wellbeing Challenge Fund, an impact led investment fund focusing on social enterprises in the South West. 

Provenance has secured £650K in private investment from investors including from Angel Academe, to complement ongoing grant funding, and enable a market launch in the UK and beyond.

The first half of 2017 saw a record amount invested into UK high-growth businesses, despite deal numbers failing to recover from last year’s slump.

Key findings from the last six months:

• 74.7% increase in amount invested compared to H2 2016, to a record £3.03bn.
• Two of the three largest deals on record, involving virtual reality firm Improbable (£389m) and e-commerce site FarFetch (£313m).
• The number of deals involving non-UK funds rose 26.7% from the previous quarter.
• Deal numbers are down 3.54% compared to H1 2016.
• Later stage companies saw a 7.6% decline in deal numbers from the previous half.
• Deal numbers from crowdfunding platforms were up slightly (2.6%) from H2 2016, but have fallen by 18% in the last three months.

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Mobeus Equity Partners has provided £5 million of growth capital to Wetsuit Outlet, one of Europe’s leading online retailers of technical clothing and equipment for water sports.

Puma Investments, the specialist provider of tax efficient investment solutions is delighted to be named as a finalist in three separate categories at the 2017 Growth Investor Awards - Best BPR Investment Manager, Best AIM Investment Manager and Best EIS Investment Manager.

Maven Capital Partners, manager of the £20m Finance Durham Fund, is open for business in the North East after moving into Salvus House at Aykley Heads, the new £3.4m office building run by Business Durham.

The London Co-investment Fund, the Mayor of London’s early stage business fund, has selected five new co-investment partners to join its existing Tech Fund - Albion Capital, Concentric Team LLP, Mustard Seed Impact Ltd, Startup Funding Club Ltd, Venture Founders. 

Promise Gluten Free, a highly innovative bakery which entered the gluten free market in 2012, is delighted to announce that it has sold a majority stake to Mayfair Equity Partners.

SuperAwesome, the technology company which powers the kids’ digital media ecosystem, has received new growth capital from Mayfair Equity Partners.

Ideal Flatmate, the UK’s first algorithm based flatmate matchmaker has closed its seed funding round, taking total investment into the platform up to £500k.