Four in 10 alternative asset managers have said they are under pressure to review their investment structures and potentially strengthen them in order to ensure they are BEPS-compliant, according to new research¹ commissioned by Intertrust, a leading global provider of high-value trust, fund and corporate services.

Nearly half (45%) of small businesses don’t have a cyber security plan for their business according to research by Smith & Williamson, the accountancy, investment management and tax group.*  The recent cyber attack crippled businesses around the globe.  However,  despite the well-publicised effect of what was a relatively low tech attack, recent research has indicated that many small businesses do not have a plan for their business should they find themselves in a similar situation.

European Buy & Build activity in 2016 reached its highest level on record² with the largest number of deals in the UK & Ireland, according to Silverfleet Capital’s latest annual European Buy & Build Monitor¹.  

HNW Lending, an alternative lender that provides individual loans of between £50,000 and £2 million to clients against their valuable assets, has announced it lent £14.4m in 2016, 334% higher than in 2015.  Since its launch in April 2014, it has lent well over £30m.

Latest research from the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) using Matrix Financial Clarity has revealed purchases of investment companies by advisers and wealth managers on adviser platforms hit a record level over the 12 months to end of March 2017 at £777m.  This is 11% higher than in the year to December 2015 (£698m), which was the previous record for a 12-month period. 

AIC stats for May 2017.  For full report download here

For six months, Diversity VC worked with the BVCA and Craft.co to analyse more than 1,500 senior investment professionals at 160 U.K. firms. While not exhaustive, this report is the very first of its type, and provides a valuable insight into the decision makers who are helping create the companies, jobs, cultures and products of the future.

Download the report here

The Go Beyond Investor report provides an update to the 2015 and 2016 reports on business angel portfolio strategies and performance and includes the following key findings: 

• Go Beyond Investing’s community as of December 31 2016, included 439 early stage investors. 374 have invested at least once and 291 have already invested multiple times. Members come from 33 countries across 5 continents, with the majority in Europe. 42% are women. Members interact virtually and meet in various locations throughout Europe and the US. In 2016, Go Beyond Investing began activities in Africa and the Middle East.

• Go Beyond Investing’s community have made investments in 60 companies from 14 countries through 143 investment rounds. These innovative startups come from a wide variety of sectors.

• Go Beyond Investing’s community have portfolio returns and liquidity: CHF 17.6m has been invested returning CHF 15.7m in cash, before fees, to investors up to December 2016. Of the 60 companies invested; 4 have exited positively and 51 are still active. 88% of members who made at least one investment have a break even or positive portfolio return. 37% have annualized returns >= 20%. Investors with 5 or more investments have an average portfolio annualized return of 16%.

Nearly half (45%) of small businesses don’t have a cyber security plan for their business according to research by Smith & Williamson, the accountancy, investment management and tax group.*

Britain’s investors are increasingly focusing their attention on traditional asset classes such as property in the current political climate, according to new research by peer-to-peer lending platform Kuflink Ltd. 

Private equity fundraising for investment into companies across Europe hit its highest level since 2008 last year at €74.5 billion, a 37% year-on-year increase, according to new data released today by Invest Europe.

The full report is free to download from its website, investeurope.eu.

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