BGF has invested £6m in Amdaris, an industry-leading software developer and digital transformation specialist, to support its organic and acquisitive growth strategy.

Headquartered in Bristol, Amdaris is one of the UK’s fastest-growing technology companies, employing more than 200 developers averaging 40 percent revenue growth per annum over the past three years to £7.2m. The firm’s key sectors of operation include real estate, recruitment, education, financial services and energy.

Navenio, the healthcare scale-up whose location-based technology has been shown to double the throughput of hospital teams, has received c. £50k from the UK government and Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, as part of a government boost for cutting-edge companies. 

Climeworks has successfully raised CHF 73 million (USD 75 million) in equity from private investors.  This is the largest private investment into direct air capture to date. The funding will help to drive forward the company’s scale-up roadmap and expand its carbon dioxide removal capacities.

Although the world is struck by a global pandemic, the urgency of the climate crisis does not subside. Investment in the large-scale deployment of climate solutions provides the opportunity to stimulate economies and build a more resilient world – meaning every dollar invested works harder, bringing additional benefit.

Service Robotics Limited, a health and wellbeing business focusing on supporting the vulnerable and elderly through innovative technology, has raised £600,000 in their latest funding round. The funding includes a £300,000 equity investment from the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF) and investment from Britbots and the Enterprise 100 Angel Investment Club.  The company has created an intelligent companion robot that will assist the elderly via patient-centred interactions. GenieConnect® helps users by providing companionship and support by offering services such as prescription management, medication reminders, daily welfare checks, video calls and music entertainment.

 Aberystwyth based Agxio has completed a £750,000 equity investment round to support the development of advanced data science and AI solutions in agri-tech and agri-fintech.

The £750,000 investment comes from a mix of existing investors and the Development Bank of Wales plus match funding from new professional investors.

Inflexion has sold Glide, the UK’s leading provider of infrastructure to difficult to serve markets, like high-density accommodation, to US infrastructure investor Alinda Capital. The sale follows a six-year period of transformational growth for the business, which became the clear UK market leader during its partnership with Inflexion.

BGF is to make donations totalling £100,000 to support local community-based charities across the UK & Ireland following the onset of Coronavirus. Covid-19 has created immense challenges, especially for vulnerable groups. As a regional business, active in different local economies, BGF recognises the need for increased support to local charities, many of whom are operating without the safety nets of their broader networks. It is estimated that fundraising for UK charities may fall as much as 40% in 2020.

Poplar has closed a $2.1million investment, led by Fuel Ventures, to push its ambition to become the world’s leading augmented reality (AR) creative platform. This seed round, which sees Haatch Ventures, Ascension Ventures and Super Ventures also invest, will help Poplar deliver on-demand creation of premium AR and 3D experiences to accommodate the growing demand for branded AR campaigns. Since the pandemic lockdown in March, AR engagement has spiked by 19% as consumers turn to social, web and mobile for alternative ways to engage with retailers and brands.

Caerphilly based X4 Software Limited has secured follow-on investment of £175,000 from the Development Bank of Wales and the backing of business angel investors.  X4 Software trades as SourceMogul. Introduced by Angels Invest Wales, David James is the latest investor to support the business. He previously led Hudman Solutions, an award winning software development business, through two funding rounds as an investor and Managing Director before successfully selling to Advanced in 2017.

The Silicon Valley Bank’s Future of Robotics Report, which looks at emerging topics in the industry, including VC appetite for robotics, how automation affects the labour market and the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic might have on the next wave of automation, has been published.

The value of venture capital raised by UK companies rose to its highest first quarter total on record according to research from Refinitiv. UK companies raised £2.1bn from 137 deals in the first three months of 2020 – up from the £1.9bn in Q1 2019 from 135 deals. This represents a 13% rise in value and a 1% rise in volume year on year. Deal value was also slightly down from the last three months of 2019 which saw £2.4bn raised from 132 deals.

Sarissa Biomedical , a Coventry-based biotech business has raised £1.2m for a new hand-held device that allows paramedics and emergency doctors to quickly diagnose patients who are having a stroke.  Sarissa Biomedical has secured funds from a consortium of investors including the MEIF Proof of Concept & Early Stage Fund, which is managed by Mercia and part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, Mercia’s EIS funds, and private investors including Wren Capital and the Wood Family.