Keywords Studios has announced that it has established Keywords Ventures which will make modest investments in innovative technologies and services that will benefit its clients, while further accelerating the success of investee companies through access to its global platform and relationships.

Complementing existing Keywords services, KWV will identify and support innovative new ventures where the Group believes that its game developer and publisher client base would benefit from improved access to those technologies and services.

Booksy, the world’s largest and fastest growing booking app for appointment-based beauty businesses, has announced that it has secured $13.2 million (£9.5 million) in funding. 

NPIF - Maven Equity Finance, part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, managed by Maven Capital Partners, has completed its 25^th deal by investing £1m in industry leading tech platform MirrorWeb Limited. The funding secured will fuel the company’s next phase of growth, strengthening the team by creating 12 new jobs to develop its innovative range of products and enter new markets.

Manchester-based MirrorWeb has developed an innovative, robust and highly scalable cloud-based unified electronic communications archiving and monitoring platform that enables frequent archiving of web and social media assets for businesses in the private, and public sector. 

A.I.-powered reputation management and decision support platform, Signal Media, has announced a $16 million series B funding round. The funding round was led and priced by GMG Ventures LP. MMC Ventures was the largest investor in the round, which included a debt facility from Kreos Capital. Other investors include Frontline, Hearst Ventures, Reed Elsevier Ventures and LocalGlobe.

The UK’s tech industry is leading the way in the creation of billion-dollar businesses despite Brexit fears, according to research released today by technology investment bank GP Bullhound.

Nine companies which have been backed by BGF are in the London Stock Exchange Group's 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2018, including Medigold Health, PPS Equipment and The Coaching Inn Group.

Mercia Technologies' investment Crowd Reactive, which trades under its EventsTag brand, has acquired Excelerated Applications Limited, the developer of a sophisticated radio-frequency identification (RFID) event engagement platform.

Draper Esprit and the Earlybird Digital West partner group have entered into a Strategic Partnership Agreement to share dealflow, investment resources and expertise to coinvest together in high growth European technology companies.

easyCoffee’s plan to roll out 800 vending machines nationally in the next year have been given a boost following a £10 million investment by Stellar Asset Management. The UK’s only value coffee chain - part of the ‘easy’ family of brands that includes easyJet - has enjoyed rapid growth since it launched in 2016 and recently installed its 50^th vending machine in the market, matched by serving its millionth cup of coffee in its eight coffee stores.

Livingbridge has sold its stake in Portman Dental Care, the fastest growing, privately led dental group in the UK.

Founded in 2009 by Sam Waley-Cohen, Livingbridge invested in Portman in 2014. Since then, this investment has helped grow the group from 27 to over 75 practices across the UK, building a strong reputation for modern facilities, patient friendly appointments, friendly and caring staff and the highest clinical standards.

Rcapital has backed Scottish shopfitter Havelock, based in Kirkcaldy, Fife.  The deal secures over 300 jobs and the firm’s manufacturing sites, providing financial stability for the business.

Manchester-based Ardenton Capital has backed PP Control & Automation in the investor’s second deal.  Ardenton now owns a majority stake in PP Control & Automation, which employs more than 230 people at its world-class manufacturing facility in the West Midlands.