The North East Development Capital Fund, supported by the European Regional Development Fund (“ERDF”) has invested £750,000 in Newcastle-based CRL Foods Ltd, a specialist food & beverage canning, sterilisation and pasteurisation business. The funding will allow the business to scale, increasing its production capacity and streamline efficiencies in order to service its growing list of international customers. The investment will also enable CRL Foods to expand its team, creating 7 new jobs in Newcastle.

Qualus, the leading provider of sustainable solutions to the leather industry, has secured £1 million of financing in a round led by Irrus Investments, an Ireland based angel syndicate. Co-investors in the round include CPI Enterprises and angels from Cambridge Capital Group and Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of London.  After years of optimising its solution through in-field trials at tanneries, Qualus now has multiple customers transitioning all production to its innovative system and a strong pipeline of potential customers in Asia, Europe, and Latin America that have successfully applied its system at a pilot scale.

Revolutionary synthetic diamond production business, Dyman Advanced Materials, based at the North East Technology Park (NETPark) in County Durham, is set to disrupt the $12bn market in 2021 after raising £571,466 in equity investment. 

Sylvan Enterprises has received a £500,000 loan through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) ESEM Debt Finance fund and backed by the  Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), managed by Maven Capital Partners.

Innovative Scottish start-up, QuickBlock, has received more than £250,000 in seed funding that will create four skilled jobs and accelerate growth of the company’s unique rapid-assembly building blocks made from 100% recycled plastic into new markets.

The investment from Equity Gap and Scottish Enterprise comes as the company sets its sights on global market opportunities within agriculture, humanitarian aid and disaster relief. It will help create a variety of permanent new roles, including securing the long-term appointment of it's interim CEO, Andrew Vincent (pictured). Other new positions include head of sales, sales executive and graduate-level marketing and product designer.

Jaguar Land Rover’s venture capital and mobility arm, InMotion Ventures, has invested in Battery Resourcers, a lithium ion battery recycling and materials company.

Circularity Capital LLP has continued to build its portfolio of European growth stage businesses enabling the circular economy by leading a growth capital investment in PackBenefit, a European innovator in high-performance fibre-based food packaging. The investment sees AXA IM Alts co-invest alongside Circularity Capital through the AXA Impact Fund Climate and Biodiversity. Through this investment, Circularity Capital and AXA IM team up with JZ International, who invested in the company at inception in 2013.  

Pembroke VCT, the venture capital trust focused on building the brands of tomorrow, has made an initial investment of £1.75 million into Dropless, the eco-friendly vehicle maintenance company revolutionising its sector.

Dropless was launched in 2018 by co-founders Christian Duncan and Mike Grindy, to bring digital and sustainable innovation, alongside exceptional customer service, to vehicle owners globally.

BGF, the UK’s most active growth capital investor, has invested in secure lock and hardware supplier, Brisant Secure, which is based in the East Midlands and West Yorkshire. The investment will support Brisant’s ambitious long-term growth plans and enable the company to develop further innovations and opportunities.

BGF has invested in Northern Building Plastics to support its growth ambitions.  Northern Building Plastics is a specialist distributor of high-quality uPVC plastics and building products to trade customers. Led by co-founders, Judah Wilson and Richard Lindop, the business opened its first super depot in Leeds in 2010, followed by a second site successfully opened in Bolton in May 2018 on the back of strong growth and a proven model.  

UK-pump specialists, Hydromarque Ltd, is set for significant expansion following its acquisition by a specialist private equity backer. BCF Equity Partners has acquired Peterborough-based Hydromarque in a deal totalling £2.7m.

Additive Manufacturing Technologies (AMT), whose equipment automates the final stage of the 3D production process, has raised £2.5m secured funding from NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, Foresight Williams Technology, the government’s Future Fund, DSM Venturing, the global startup investment arm of Royal DSM and private investors.