Since 2013 researchers at the University of Cambridge have been tracking and analysing the development of the online alternative finance market in the United Kingdom. This is the fourth annual industry study, which includes data collected from 77 alternative finance platforms, as well as over 8,300 retail investors within the UK. Our data revealed that the UK online alternative finance market

The UK again topped European league tables for venture capital investment in 2018, attracting £6.3bn ($7.9bn) in funding from investors, according to new figures from Dealroom and Tech Nation. Over the same period the UK also had a landmark year for exits: achieving sales, IPOs and mergers worth $40bn, ahead of every other country in Europe including Sweden, the source of Europe’s single biggest IPO in 2018.

William Charlton, Managing Director at Pavilion Alternatives Group, on how 2018 is shaping up to be a year of challenges as well as opportunities. A major positive for the upcoming year is the recent increase in global growth expectations. Growing economies generally would be beneficial to most private equity fund managers with the possible exception of distressed managers. In any case, most institutional investors are maintaining or increasing their allocations to private equity which may aggravate capital deployment. Pavilion have highlighted five key areas for private equity in 2018......

Who are the UK's Top 100 fastest-growing businesses?

Find out in this new report from SyndicateRoom Top 100: Britain’s Fastest-Growing Businesses

The CBI commented on the publication of a PwC report, which estimates the total tax contribution of the 100 Group (FTSE 100) in 2017 at £82.9 billion.  This represents 13% of total Government tax receipts and represents a record high since this survey began in 2006. 

Business is booming, despite Brexit uncertainty, according to entrepreneurs and scale-up leaders says Smith & Williamson.  Nearly 80% of respondents are planning for growth over the next twelve months, despite the looming March deadline. 

Smith & Williamson has published this special Brexit report examining how UK entrepreneurs and scale-up businesses have been affected by the EU referendum over the past 12 months.

Download report here

A lot of talk but does this budget really ‘move towards change’ or ‘away from it’ 

“This was a Budget that was long on politics, but short on economics,” said Giles Murphy, head of business interests at Smith & Williamson, the accountancy, investment management and tax group.

Chancellor's new Budget measures show a return to the 'spirit of EIS', says Deepbridge Capital

Lord Leigh of Hurley, co-founder and senior partner at Cavendish Corporate Finance, commented:

"I welcome the fact that the Government intends to double Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) investment limits for knowledge intensive businesses while ensuring that the EIS is not used as a shelter for low risk schemes. This will allow EIS to retain its essential features as a key funding mechanism for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises. This is along the lines of something I called for in a debate in the House of Lords last week.

Initial reaction to announcements in the Budget about EIS, the British Business Bank and venture capital from EIS and venture capital manager, Oxford Capital.

Patrick Reeve, Managing Partner, Albion Capital, says: “The measures announced in today’s Budget recognise the valuable contribution VCTs make to the economy. VCT investments have created thousands of UK jobs and transformed small, innovative businesses into household names.