In the second of three articles on the changes brought in with the Budget, James Ramsay, a independent tax efficient specialist, takes an adviser’s eye view of the changes and their implications to firms and their clients.

The end of the tax year is just one month away.  Here are five things to do before then.

Foresight Group has been appointed equity fund manager for the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, as the British Business Bank launches up to £100 million of equity funding for the region, as part of the wider £250 million Midlands Engine programme.

Mobeus VCT fundraising offers have reached their aggregate £80 million target, bringing the firm’s total funds under management to more than £430 million.

Mobeus now advises on approximately £270 million of VCT capital, focused on growth capital investment, and manages a £166 million institutional fund, targeting buyouts. Its large and experienced team of 19 new investment professionals across growth and buyouts is actively targeting exciting new investment opportunities.

In the last 18 months, Mobeus has made 13 new investments, totalling over £70 million. Its total portfolio now includes investments in more than 40 companies, covering a wide range of sectors and stages of growth.

Foresight Group has sold its investment in ICA Digital, realising a 2.4x return, through a trade sale to ASL Group.

Foresight originally invested £2 million to fund the management buyout of ICA Digital, a managed print services business based in Horley, UK. During the course of the investment, Foresight support

Daniela Tsoneva shares her advice for entrepreneurs embarking on the fundraising journey.

East Kilbride based SHE Software has secured a £3 million growth capital investment from NVM Private Equity as it prepares to enter international markets with its highly configurable health and safety software and create over 50 new jobs by the end of 2018.

SMEs are less optimistic than a year ago and cite finding skilled staff, red tape and political uncertainty as their biggest barriers to growth, according to research from Albion Capital, the independent investment manager. 

Foresight has invested several million pounds into PowerLinks Media Limited.  

Leading VCT mangers, including Puma Invesgments' Eliot Kaye, discussed the VCT market at the AIC's Media Roundtable. 

The new investment managers will support growth SMEs across the West Midlands, as part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF), supported by the European Regional Development Fund.

Calculus Capital has invested £3m in Open Energy Market, an online platform that helps companies secure the best deal with energy suppliers.

Businesses provide details of their usage for all major suppliers to submit bids for the contracts through a live reverse auction process.

Dairy Crest, EasyJet, Southampton Football Club and London Business School are among more than 200 businesses and organisations that have used the Open Energy Market platform to find the most attractive contracts with suppliers.