Downing-managed funds have invested £1.82 million in Populo Energy Ltd to acquire the entire share capital of C&G Renewables Ltd, which owns and operates two wind turbines in Ayrshire, Scotland.

Achieving an exit in less than two years is no mean feat in the angel community. This is Astia Angels latest achievement. 

The announcement that Monzo raised money from 6,500 investors on Crowdcube may not strictly be an angel deal, but as a record-breaking funding round deserves profiling. 

Another David this month, but based in Scotland this time!

Despite problem with the FDA the practical success of Exroid's Technology in dealing with haemorhhoids has created a £1m turnover medical technology business which is determined to succeed. 

The Local Residue Energy (Loreen) project, which is developing a cost-effective combined heat and power (CHP) plant fuelled by the gasification of unprocessed, dry biomass residues from agriculture and wood-based manufacturing, is celebrating a stellar first year.  Milestones since the projects inception in 2016 have included securing €2.9 million investment from InnoEnergy

The EIS Association (EISA) has produced a guide to the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS).  Grow your business with the Enterprise Investment Scheme is designed as an introduction to EIS and SEIS for businesses that are considering seeking external funding.

Online investment platform, InvestingZone, has added access to the Seneca EIS Portfolio service to enhance its offering for private investors.  The addition of the Seneca EIS Portfolio to the platform is the first stage of a strategic investment to broaden and reposition InvestingZone, which joined the North West-based Seneca Partners in early 2016.

YFM Equity Partners (YFM) has today announced the appointment of James Savage as Portfolio Director. Based in the London office, James will focus on actively managing YFM’s growth and buy-out investments as part of the portfolio team led by David Bell.

ThoughtRiver, a developer of contract intelligence AI software, has raised more than $1m from a group of investors, including former Vodafone UK CEO Guy Laurence and Michael Findlay, chairman of Morgan Sindall and former co-head of investment banking for Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

The Deal: Q1 2017

• Overall deal numbers increased by 2.7% from the previous quarter. However, deal numbers were still 6.72% lower than in the same quarter last year.

• The total amount invested increased by 2.2%, the highest amount since Q1 last year.

• However, growth in deal numbers was only seen in early-stage deals.

• Growth was seen in medical technology and life sciences, with 3 of the quarter’s 5 biggest deals in this space.

• Crowdfunding saw almost £45m invested over 80 deals, an 11% growth in deal numbers. Again, growth was only seen in early-stage deals.

Download the report here

May 2017 

The news yesterday that Seedrs will be commencing Trading Tuesdays with a limited secondary market opportunity for Seedrs funded businesses, following hot on the heels of Crowdcube’s buyers led secondary market, is the latest piece of activity in the obvious development of the next stage in the private investor equity market. Meanwhile, established secondary markets like AIM, Asset Match, NEX Exchange and JPJ Jenkins are seeing an upsurge of interest as more and more investors look to deal with the challenge of taking up the right to sell something they were previously given the right to buy.