The latest data on equity investment trends in the UK. Beauhurst has analysed every publicly-announced equity fundraising in Q3 2019, to spot emerging trends and patterns in the market. Its yearly edition of The Deal gives in-depth analysis and features on key market trends.

Latest market analysis from the British Business Bank finds that, contrary to widespread misperceptions, UK Venture Capital produces similar returns to that of the US.

The new report, Analysis of UK Venture Capital Financial Returns, draws together data from existing data sources including PitchBook and Preqin, and from the Bank’s own programmes, to provide as comprehensive a picture as possible of the asset class and its performance.

63% of UK venture capital firms have no women at all in senior investment positions, according to a report released in Diversity VC back in July. 

Children are naturally creative, but these entrepreneurs capitalised on their ideas by creating huge businesses from scratch. 

The conversation on private markets is changing among Wealth Managers, according to a recent report by Delio.

Private markets are going mainstream, as Wealth Managers increasingly establish or grow private market propositions. Nine out of ten surveyed already offer private market propositions or are planning to launch one; with direct investments and impact investments emerging more and more in the market.

eFront, the leading financial software and solutions provider dedicated to Alternative Investments, has published its latest Quarterly Private Equity Performance report, showing that private equity funds globally have maintained a high level of performance, despite falling from the record level seen in 2017. Sharply reduced selection risk and shorter time-to-liquidity signal strong activity and a solid exit and refinancing environment.

Unprecedented volumes of data and advances in AI are transforming the marketing services industry, according to a report released today by leading technology advisory and investment firm GP Bullhound. 

AI and the Services Revolution reveals that investments in marketing-related AI have grown steadily, with $2.5bn of investments in emerging companies in 2018 – and $1 billion invested in Q2 2019 alone. A total of $11bn has been invested in the sector since 2014.

A report from the Female Founders Forum – with a foreword from Rt Hon Liz Truss MP – reveals that while the percentage of deals to female-led teams slightly dipped in 2018, female-led businesses represent a growing share of investment activity and receive similar rates of follow-on funding.

• Female-founded startups are receiving a growing share of investment. In 2011, 11% of startups that raised equity investment were female founded. By 2018, this figure had nearly doubled to 21%. 
• Of the 6,147 investment deals made in 2018, 17.9% went to companies with at least one female founder, down from 18.2% in 2017.
• Nonetheless the total amount invested in businesses with at least one female founder in 2018, as a percentage, was 11.4%, up from 9.9% in 2017.

Angel Investment Network (AIN), the world’s largest online angel investment platform, has announced strong growth, with annual revenues up 9.4% year on year and a record number of deals for the broking business. AIN connects startups with angel investors and now has more than a million users in total on the platform.

AIN received over 100,000 pitches in the past year from entrepreneurs across the globe, with the figure doubling over the last two years. Alongside existing markets there has been a rapid growth of startups coming from emerging markets. Meanwhile investors registering on the site have surged nearly 40% year on year, now standing at more than 200,000 registered business angels.

There are many reasons why investors might want to avoid Europe. Slowing growth, political crises and the ongoing Brexit uncertainty present several challenges and could make investors think twice before investing in the region. 

Launching the #MeTooPay campaign, more than 100 of the UK’s most successful women seek to end pay discrimination. Fronted by Moya Greene, the former boss of the Royal Mail, it is to be seen whether companies will take notice and level the playing field for female business leaders. 

New research from Mactavish, the leading expert on commercial insurance placement and disputes, reveals many private equity firms are not placing enough focus on the quality of insurance cover in place at portfolio companies.