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.

YFM Equity Partners has made a £3.75m investment into ARRACO Global Markets, the award-winning and disruptive interdealer broker for global commodities, from its managed VCTs, British Smaller Companies and British Smaller Companies 2. The investment will allow ARRACO to drive the next stage of the company’s growth as it expands its product offering and global footprint.

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

Snowdrop Independent Living has opened a new mobility aid showroom in Cardiff. Taking over Hearing and Mobility’s Cardiff branch, located on Merthyr Road in Whitchurch, the shop will retain its existing staff and knowledge while benefitting from Snowdrop's twenty years of customer and industry expertise and manufacturer relationships.

Blackfinch Group has launched the Blackfinch Spring VCT, an investment portfolio of technology and technology-enabled companies, which have already raised funding, gained traction and are seeking to accelerate the scale-up process. The Spring VCT will also be a natural follow-on funder for the Blackfinch Ventures EIS Portfolios, which invests in technology-focused companies on the cusp of their growth journey.

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.

During recent meetings with angel friends of mine, I discovered some common ground between them of  which I was previously unaware.  It seems that many angel investors are also pension fund trustees or at the very least have considerable experience of setting up pension funds on behalf of the staff of their own companies or perhaps those of their most successful investees.

Young British SaaS company Cyclr has announced £0.5million of new investment, led by Juno Capital. The investment round also includes capital from SyndicateRoom and existing shareholders.

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.

Birmingham-based Zipabout Limited has secured a £650,000 investment from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) Equity Finance Fund, managed by venture capital firm Midven. The MEIF investment closed a £1.35m funding round, which involved participation from First Derivatives and Founders Factory.