PRIVATE equity house WestBridge has appointed a new Investment Director to open its new Manchester office and lead investments across the North of England.

PIMFA, the trade association for investment managers and financial advisers, has launched the 2019 CEO Sentiment Research Report, the latest report in the annual CEO Sentiment series.

The Digital Security Exchange Nexthash is investing £2.5m of growth capital in Skills Matter, the network publishing business and continuous learning platform for software engineers.

Blackfinch Ventures has invested £540,000 into innovate start-up Kokoon. The London based company has developed the world’s first sleep aiding headphones, allowing customers to take control of their sleep. Kokoon has developed noise cancelling headphones that include bio-sensors, measuring when the wearer falls asleep.  The product is specifically designed to help the customer sleep using its relaxing audio and soundscapes. The connected app, Kokoon Relax, monitors and tracks the users’ sleep journey, providing suggested audio that is specifically designed to protect the user from disturbances throughout the night.

This weekend saw the world's leaders come together to discuss a number of problems facing the planet, from fires in the Amazon rainforest to global economic instability. But while the Prime Minister attended this global meeting, SMEs are continuing to thrive and grow.

Esme Loans, the standalone digital lending platform for SMEs and scale up businesses, has now lent over £70million to UK businesses.

A Birmingham-based wholesale supplier of quality products to the food and drink industry has secured £1.5m from MEIF Maven WM Debt Finance, part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund.  The loan will enable Indus Foods to create manufacturing units and extend its existing warehousing to improve efficiencies. The funding will also provide investment into the company’s new production hub and support the creation of a number of jobs in the region.

Nomanini, the pioneering fintech platform for the informal retail ecosystem, has today announced a $4m funding round led by Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank, and completed by Goodwell Investments, an Amsterdam-based investment firm focused on fintech and financial inclusion.

Dr Kerstin Braun, President of Stenn Group, a global provider of trade finance, comments on the Yuan at its weakest level since 2008

Following the recent acquisition of London based legal technology company Justis, vLex has announced the opening of their first London headquarters. 

Whilst most of us are no strangers to the concept of crowdfunding, what most people don’t know is how to create a successful campaign that hits your funding target! Founder and CEO of Tropicfeel, Alberto Espinos shares his wisdom. 

Clyde Biosciences Ltd. has raised a £2 million ‘Series A’ investment led by Epidarex Capital, a leading international early-stage life science venture capital fund. Scottish Enterprise’s investment arm, the Scottish Investment Bank, also participated in the round along with Glasgow University Holdings, Ltd.