Innovative biometric tracking service, Forth, which helps people to navigate their way to better health using simply at-home finger-prick blood tests, has secured new investment from its first institutional investor.  The new investment came from The Development Bank of Wales, together with a group of angels from Angels Invest Wales and South West based angel investors, including Craig Gulliford, CEO of Creo Medical.

Gulliford, who was an early investor in the company during its first raise on Crowdcube in 2017 and has since joined the board, said: “I have an affinity for technology-based companies that have an innovative and disruptive proposition backed by great people. Forth ticks this box and the management team crucially also have the energy, passion, determination to succeed at all costs”.

For much of 2018, China’s tariff wars with the US dominated media headlines. In 2019 so far, investors are also witnessing increasing signs of a Chinese slowdown, and with it a new approach to economic stimulus by Chinese policymakers. What does this mean for global trade and investment?

Newquay Community Orchard, which was built by the community for the community in the heart of Newquay, has received £100,000 investment from the Resonance managed Health & Wellbeing Challenge Fund (South West) to help further grow the social impact of this highly successful organisation.  

HBAN plans to recruit 75 new business angels in 2019. The new investors will have a combined total of at least €15 million available to invest in start-ups based in the island of Ireland.

The recruitment drive will begin at HBAN’s All-Island Business Angels Conference which takes place on Thursday, 14th February, in Powerscourt Hotel, Co. Wicklow. This year’s conference will focus on diversity and how a varied investment portfolio yields better returns for angel investors. A number of prominent Irish and international entrepreneurs and angel investors will be speaking at the event.

Goji, the specialist direct lending investment manager and platform, has launched its 25th platform technology client, enabling 25 direct lending investment managers to offer financial products, such as the IF ISA to retail investors.

Five of these managers were added just this month, including Earthworm, Dot Fund, Route Finance, Growth Capital Ventures and Bird Box Bonds and there are at least ten more who are looking to launch using Goji’s technology by the end of the tax year. These new firms are in addition to Goji’s existing client base who include the likes of Downing, Landbay and Assetz Capital.

Smith & Williamson has launched the "Dream Bigger Hall of Fame", a brand new gallery showcasing the experiences and advice of inspirational entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Nick Travis, Partner and Head of Entrepreneurs at Smith & Williamson, said: “We champion and promote entrepreneurship – and that means recognising challenges as well as successes. The Dream Bigger Hall of Fame celebrates the achievements of these extraordinary individuals whose experiences will inspire the next generation.”

Intertrust, a global leader in providing expert administrative services to clients operating and investing in the international business environment, interviewed private equity professionals across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia to identify the value-add delivered by new technologies now and in the future.

The Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) has provided two debt packages, committing a total of £410,000 to support local Nottinghamshire businesses.  The £200,000 loan to Optimise Accountants and the £210,000 provided to Renato Software will give the businesses’ capital to invest in and expand product lines as well as investing in several key functions in the business.

The SidebySide Partnership, the London venture capital firm founded by technology veteran John Bailye, has launched a technology EIS fund to support “scale-up” businesses. The fund will not charge performance fees until investors have made their money back and an extra 60% on top – a market-leading threshold.

Storytellers Entertainment have defied the odds by hitting the $25k target for its first solo RPG ‘Imperium Omni’ in just 24 hours.  The Kickstarter campaign backed by software specialists and Hollywood special effects experts is based on a novel written by the company’s CEO, Matthew Thomas. It’s the first game out of an exciting quadrilogy from the ambitious entrepreneurs.

Edge Investments, the leading creative industries specialist, has invested £3.5m into Festicket, the world's largest platform for music festival experiences, headquartered in London.  Edge’s investment follows a pivotal year for Festicket, which closed the year with an earlier series D funding round led by transatlantic venture capital firm Beringea.

Festicket partners with festivals to provide standard and VIP packages that combine accommodation, transfers and admission for festivals worldwide – creating a complete and hassle-free one-stop shop for festival-goers. It has four additional offices in the EU and US.

Helena Murphy, founder of Raising Partners, comments on the recent British Business Bank report which highlights the fundraising challenges faced by female entrepreneurs and shares her tips on how female founders can access the funding they need.