Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance has provided a six-figure invoice finance facility to Hay and Brecon to support the agricultural manufacturer’s investment in new machinery, as it looks to automate its production line.

QuoteOnSite has announced a cash injection to facilitate aggressive growth over the next 12 months thanks to investment from the Development Bank of Wales and Deri Green.

FibreCRM, a Penryn-based software company, has secured a £250,000 investment from the Chelverton Investor Club (managed by Chelverton Asset Management) as part of a £750,000 funding package, which also includes funding from Cass Entrepreneurship Fund, the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund and the FSE Angel Network.

SteamaCo, a UK-based technology supplier to utilities in Africa and Asia, has completed a $5m Series B equity financing. This latest round of funding supports the company's continued technology development and growth, enabling reliable electricity services for hundreds of thousands of previously underserved people across 10 countries. Praetura Ventures and Shell co-led the investment round, with participation from existing shareholders.

UK-founded graphene-based electronics technology company Paragraf has closed a £12.8m Series A round led by Parkwalk. The round also included investment from IQ Capital Partners, Amadeus Capital Partners and Cambridge Enterprise, the commercialisation arm of the University of Cambridge, as well as several angel investors. The funding will see Paragraf’s first graphene-based electronics products reach the market, transitioning the company into a commercial, revenue-generating entity.

Deep-tech venture capital firm IQ Capital has launched a new $125 million Growth Opportunities Fund and closed its third venture fund, IQ Capital Fund III, at $175 million, bringing the total new capital to be invested to over $300 million.

North East entrepreneurs developing industry-changing innovation have taken to the stage in the first of a series of new pitching events delivered by the recently launched Newcastle Angel Hub.

Maven Capital Partners, has led a £650,000 investment in Manchester-headquartered passenger transfers booking platform Ski-Lifts Limited.  A total of £500,000 has been invested by NPIF – Maven Equity Finance, part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund and a £150,000 was provided by the Greater Manchester Loan Fund, also managed by Maven.

This month’s Start-up Spotlight features an interview with Head of Access to Funding and Finance at the Knowledge Transfer Network, Ian Tracey.

Crypta Labs has completed a £2.7 million (US$ 3.4m) funding round led by Bloc Ventures and includes £1,000,000 (US$ 1.3m) debt finance from Innovate UK.

Crypta Labs is a quantum cybersecurity company which develops IP, hardware and related software using the quantum properties of light to secure highly critical data and communication devices embedded in critical infrastructure for the aerospace, communication, medical, military, and transport sectors

BGF, the UK and Ireland’s most active investor in growing businesses, has committed £2 billion into UK and Irish SMEs from its balance sheet of £2.5 billion.

The landmark capital investment was reached following £7.5m of growth funding for Merseyside-based manufacturer Joloda International, as well as BGF’s most active day ever for capital deployment in mid-June, with a total of £48m committed.

A British games and Jukebox entrepreneur, Alexander Walder-Smith, has acquired Rock-Ola, the last authentic American Jukebox manufacturing company and one of the world's most iconic Jukebox brands. Rock-Ola famously inspired the term 'Rock and Roll', and has been manufacturing games and Jukeboxes since 1927, starting out in Chicago and later moving to California's West coast, seen by many as the jukebox's spiritual home.