Europe represents 30% of the global market for smart manufacturing and factory automation, according to a new report released by leading technology advisory and investment firm GP Bullhound.

The latest MarketInvoice Business Insights survey sheds light on company valuations and priorities of UK SME business owners. 

Venture capital firms with a track record of working together by investing in the same venture are more likely to produce a successful venture, but working together repeatedly will eventually have a negative impact, new research from the UCL School of Management finds.

In recent years, Alternative Finance funding channels that exist outside of the traditional finance system have revolutionised how small and medium enterprises are able to operate. The rapid growth of the Alternative Finance industry, in areas such as Crowdfunding, is making it increasingly less ‘alternative’, but where is this development seen the most? 

Read Beauhurst's SaaS Brief which gives an overview of Software-as-a-Service companies in the UK, who the top companies are and the latest funding trends.

Tech Nation, the leading network for ambitious tech entrepreneurs in the UK, has for the fifth-year running revealed a continued rise in demand for applications for the Tech Nation Visa, as the UK’s world-leading digital technology sector continues to attract exceptional talent from around the world.

UK boards are seriously lacking non-executive directors with skills and expertise in technology, new research from Russell Reynolds Associates a leading global leadership advisory and search firm, reveals.

Fewer than half (44 percent) of FTSE 100 companies have a technology expert on their board, falling to 37 percent for FTSE 350 businesses (excluding technology and telecoms companies). Russell Reynolds Associates defines a technology expert as someone with substantial technology experience, gained through either a senior commercial role in a technology company or a technology role in a corporate (e.g., CIO or CTO) [2].

The diversity of investor types in the UK contributes to the success of the nation's high-growth scene, as different companies have varying requirements from their backers. In Part 1 of a new blog series, Beauhurst has compiled a rundown of the most active types of investors in the UK and how they function, from venture capital to crowdfunding and angel networks. 

The amount of equity invested in smaller UK businesses rose 5% to £6.7bn in 2018, the highest amount recorded, reveals British Business Bank’s annual Small Business Equity Tracker report.

European Buy & Build activity reached its highest recorded level in 2018 with a total disclosed deal value of £9.5 billion, according to Silverfleet Capital’s European Buy & Build Monitor. Despite increased Brexit uncertainty, the UK & Ireland remained steadfast as the most active region for add-ons.

Research by Funding Options, the UK’s leading business finance marketplace, has revealed that half (51%) of UK small and medium business owners 

The latest research from eFront, the leading financial software and solutions provider dedicated to Alternative Investments, has thrown into sharp relief the differences in deployment and distribution characteristics of US LBOs funds. 

Analysis shows that small cap LBO funds are more profitable than funds that focus on target companies of larger market capitalization. In addition, small cap funds deploy capital at a faster rate and reinvest a significantly higher proportion of fund sizes than other funds. They also continue to invest significantly until year eight of the fund cycle, against a normal investment period of five years, and distribute capital much earlier than medium, large and mega cap LBO funds.