Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the bank for innovative businesses, enterprises and their investors, has provided Icelolly, the UK’s leading holiday comparison platform and award-winning travel brand with £2m in finance to support its future growth plans. 

BGF’s North West team has now invested £311m across 34 businesses in the region with £59m of that total invested in the past 12 months. 

New investments included Manchester-headquartered FinTech company Planixs, international schools group Orbital Education and Joloda International, a fast-growing manufacturing firm based in Merseyside. This investment took BGF past its £2bn investment milestone and scooped Deal of the Year (sub £10m) at the 2019 Insider North West Dealmakers Awards. Last month BGF announced a £10m investment in CurrentBody, a Manchester-based online retail specialist for home-use beauty devices.

InMotion, Jaguar Land Rover’s venture capital and mobility services arm, has invested in blockchain technology firm Circulor.  The investment will enable Jaguar Land Rover to source premium materials with greater transparency as to the provenance, welfare, and compliance of suppliers throughout its networks. As part of its commitment to be a responsible business, Jaguar Land Rover is always innovating to reduce the environmental and ethical impact of its products across their lifecycle. 

Direct Online Services, the UK’s largest online retailer of kitchen worktops, has announced a record year of sales and profits, as well as a £5m internal investment plan.

The Gloucester-based, family-founded business has seen a 150% increase in profits in the last 12 months, with an expected EBITDA in excess of £4m in 2019. This has been driven by margin and productivity improvements, as well as the fruition of operational investments over the last few years. The group has seen a 14% increase in UK sales, as well as a 22% increase in revenue for its German business.

A popular hotel in a Pembrokeshire beauty spot has secured a bright new future after being bought by new owner Robert Jones and hotel manager Matthew Pugsley and securing a £50,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales.

Whirli, the toy sharing subscription service, has raised a £4m Seed funding round led by Octopus Ventures, with participation from MMC Ventures.

ZeroAvia, the leading innovator in decarbonising commercial aviation, has secured £12.3m ($16.3m) in Government funding through the ATI Programme to deliver a breakthrough 19-seat hydrogen-electric powered aircraft that is market-ready by 2023.

The UK Government grant for the HyFlyer II project will see ZeroAvia develop a certifiable hydrogen-electric powertrain that can power airframes carrying up to 19 passengers. To do this, it will collaborate with two partners, the European Marine Energy Centre and Aeristech. The HyFlyer II project will conclude with another world’s first hydrogen-electric flight by ZeroAvia in a 19-seat aircraft, with a 350 mile flight in early 2023.

The latest research from eFront, the leading financial software and solutions provider dedicated to Alternative Investments.

ABAKA, the London-based digital r etirement solutions provider, has completed its Series A funding round with a joint investment of $6.5 million from Thames Trust, Ace&Co and Downing Ventures. The news means that total investment in ABAKA to date has now reached $10 million, with the firm receiving one of the biggest investments in technology for the pensions and retirement space.

CurrentBody, the online retail specialist for home-use beauty devices, has now reached £10m in funding with BGF this week joining NVM Private Equity in backing the Manchester-based business. The investment announcement comes as the company completed its strongest year to date, going live with its 11th international site and launching on Tmall in China.

Bamboo Capital Partners, an impact investing platform, has announced that ElectriFI, the impact investment facility funded by the European Union, has invested $8 million in BEAM, a pioneering investment platform set to revolutionise energy access for millions in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

Maven Capital Partners has made a profitable exit from Prime Document Limited following the sale to Belgium-based Unifiedpost Group SA, generating a 2.6x return.