Blackfinch Ventures has completed on 12 new investment deals totalling in excess of GBP11 million ahead of the tax-year-end deadline in a move which ‘significantly increases’ the number of technology and tech-enabled companies within its portfolio.

Baseimmune, the early-stage UK biotech startup, is combining big data and biological expertise to predict how viruses will change and identify ‘future-proof’ antigens that will form the crucial elements of the next generation of vaccines.  In order to further the development of its platform and start pre-clinical development in the lab, Baseimmune has secured a £685,000 investment, led by European university VC fund, Creator Fund, and includes Mike Watson, ex-president of Moderna's infectious disease spin-out with the support of Vaccitech and Oxford University. Maki VC and Rockmount Seed Investments also joined the round.

Worldwide M&A activity totals US$1.3 trillion during year-to-date 2021, up 93% compared to the same period last year according to Refinitiv Deals Intelligence.

The Recovery Loan Scheme, a new scheme to support access to finance for UK businesses as they recover and grow following the pandemic, has opened to applications. The scheme, announced at the Budget on 3 March 2021, is scheduled to run until 31 December 2021, subject to review.

Silverfleet Capital, the European private equity firm, has invested in the fast-growing, SaaS provider, OneStock, a European leader in modern and agile OMS software for retail.  Silverfleet will hold a significant minority stake in OneStock. 

Luke Davis, CEO of IW Capital discusses the shift in sentiment and the sectors most attractive to investors this year.

A former Teacher whose passion for upcycling led her to launch her own business two years ago is set to go full circle, with ambitions to launch dedicated workshops later this year to teach her skills and ideas to fellow creatives.

Reckitt’s London-based purpose-led venture arm, has announced a new strategic partnership between heritage clothes care brand Vanish and space-age laundry and dry-cleaning startup Oxwash. The ‘Oxwash, powered by Vanish’ partnership will see Oxwash use the new Vanish sustainable formula - Vanish 0% - in its London state of the art washing facilities, also known as lagoons, to help give old clothes a new life, preventing tonnes of clothes from ending up in landfill. 

Par Equity has led a £5 million in Cyan to accelerate Cyan’s ambitious global growth plans as the Company works to help law enforcement, social media and cloud companies find and block harmful content from paedophiles and terrorists.  Other investors in the round included Mercia Asset Management, TriplePoint Capital, SIS Ventures, and Scottish Enterprise. 

Advantage Business Angels has raised £580k from its members as part of a £2.5m seed round for OneBanks Ltd a disruptive Fintech newcomer exploiting Open Banking Technology.

Proptech company Cubic Lease secures early stage funding from SFC Capital and Cornerstone Partners to digitise the property and letting process.

Collectia has announced that it has completed the acquisition of the Danish operations of Kredinor. Financial terms have not been disclosed.