Glownet, a global market leader in cashless payment technology for the live events industry, has secured £2 million funding from venture capital firm Downing Ventures, as it eyes US expansion and further development to its payment technology.

Glownet has developed cashless payment technology which allows a wide range of events and venues to go entirely cashless, including music festivals, nightclubs and sporting events. In addition to enabling cashless payments, the platform can also be used for ticket validation at events and venues, as well as linking with social media and loyalty programs.

Specialist Fund Brokers, Greenbackers Investment Capital, have launched The Greenbackers Cleantech Fund, their first venture fund targeting the UK’s growing Green Economy sector.

Figures show an increase in investment of £10.5m with £68m invested in Welsh businesses in 2017/18 compared to £56.5m in 206/17.

Furnished apartment search engine, Nestpick, has released a study revealing the top 110 cities for entrepreneurial millennials, based on factors such as startup ecosystem, and employment. The results are released as part of the larger Millennial City Ranking, which Nestpick released for the second year running earlier in 2018. Nestpick conducted this study in order to pinpoint which cities are successfully attracting this generation, and therefore a core future workforce.

BrainQ, developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered technologies to treat neurodisorders in innovative ways, today announced the completion of a financing round, making the total investment in the Company to date stand at $8.8M. The financing included Qure Ventures, OurCrowd.com, Norma Investments, IT-Farm, and other strategic angel investors such as Founder and CEO of Valtech Cardio Amir Gross, acquired by Edwards in a $990M deal in November 2016.

National investment group Mercia Technologies PLC is pleased to announce that it is partnering with Digital Catapult's Augmentor programme to support early stage immersive technology companies from across the UK regions.

British Business Investments, the commercial arm of the British Business Bank, launches a new £500m Managed Funds Programme designed to increase access to longer-term venture and growth capital for ambitious and innovative, high potential companies in the UK.

Announced six months ago by the Chancellor at the Autumn Budget, the new Managed Funds programme will invest in large-scale funds of funds, run by experienced managers, to boost the amount of patient capital available to the UK’s high-growth businesses.

Patrick Bradley, founder of Station 12, a specialist venture capital investor in media, entertainment and knowledge, discusses why UK’s creative industries will continue to thrive beyond Brexit.

Fintech is the most popular sector among high net worth and professional investors, according to Capitama, the direct private investment platform.  Analysis of the preferences of the registered investors of Capitama, which includes more than 300 individuals, family offices, PE firms and investment offices has indicated that fintech and technology investment opportunities more generally are the two most popular sectors among investors.

As we head towards the UK leaving the EU there continues to be much discussion about what the UK economy will resemble in the second quarter of 2019 and beyond.

Calculus Capital has completed a further investment into a growth capital investment round for Mologic alongside Foresight Group, who led the round.

Downing has announced the successful exit by its funds from a Cornwall-based satellite station site, managed by Goonhilly Earth Station Limited.