A fast-growing South Wales fintech company has closed a £1.25million funding round backed by Mercia Fund Managers, Development Bank of Wales and TTI Angels.

Draper Esprit, a leading venture capital firm investing in and developing high growth digital technology businesses, hosted its Annual General Meeting on 23rd July.

Seatfrog, the technology company revolutionising rail and airline upgrades through live bidding for seats on mobile right up to departure, has announced a £4.5 million Series A funding round, led by one of Europe’s most successful Venture Capital firms, Octopus Ventures.

Kernel Capital has led an investment into Datactics Limited, a Belfast-based provider of RegTech solutions for the banking and financial services sector. Full details of the investment round, which includes investment from the Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Growth Fund (NI), have not been disclosed. 

PwC and CB Insights' Q2 2018 MoneyTree report highlights the latest trends in venture capital funding globally.

SaleCycle, a high-growth behavioural marketing business whose clients include Tommy Hilfiger and Nike, has received an £11.5m investment from BGF to further scale its operations.

Founded in 2011 by Dominic Edmunds, SaleCycle helps online retailers to increase conversion rates, recover abandoned sales, gain visitor insights and drive customer loyalty through its sophisticated software platform and email remarketing service. Since its inception the business has grown rapidly, delivering £15m in sales to a global blue-chip customer base across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific.

Episode 1's Adrian  Lloyd gives advice on how to make sure your pitch results in an actual investment.

Univercells SA and Global Health Investment Fund have closed a €16 million ($18.8M) Series B equity financing. Investment proceeds will support the continued development of Univercells’ game-changing biomanufacturing technology, which has the potential to dramatically reduce the capital expenditure, physical footprint and operating costs required to produce a variety of complex biologics.

SilverStreet Capital, a leading investor across the agricultural value chain, has been awarded Ethical Investor of the Year award as part of Corporate LiveWire’s 2018 Global Fund Awards.

Camtronics Vale Limited have completed a management buy-out with the support of a £400,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales. 

Led by Managing Director Paul Macleur, the senior management team have acquired the £2million turnover contract electronics manufacturing business from the parent company PhotonStar LED Plc. Based on Tredegar Business Park, Camtronics offers a full range of electronics manufacturing services and employs 31.

Economy Secretary Ken Skates has launched a new research unit tasked with addressing the gap in Welsh SME finance data.

Economic Intelligence Wales, a new collaboration between the Development Bank of Wales, Cardiff Business School and the Office for National Statistics, was formally launched by the Economy Secretary at an event held at the Royal Mint in Llantrisant at the end of last month.

Beringea, the international growth capital investor, has completed the sale of its stake in Watchfinder.co.uk Limited, the leading global platform for pre-owned premium watches, to Richemont, the Swiss luxury goods group. Watchfinder has spearheaded the development of the market for pre-owned luxury watches, delivering over £275m in sales since foundation.