The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has released research to show private investors which are the most cost-effective platforms for holding and transacting investment company shares.

• Research conducted by the lang cat shows significant differences between cheapest and most expensive platforms
• 26 direct-to-consumer platforms covered including Hargreaves Lansdown, AJ Bell Youinvest and Fidelity Personal Investing

As it grows funds under management and pursues a broader investment strategy managing growth and buyout capital on behalf of retail and institutional investors, Mobeus continues to invest in its portfolio management capability, appointing Clive Austin as partner to lead the team and hiring highly experienced portfolio directors Jane Reoch and Ed Wass.

Maven Capital Partners and Enso Ventures, a leading specialist early-stage venture capital firm have invested £2million in Cognitive Geology, to support the continued growth of the business.

Nearly two thirds (63%) of small businesses are looking to big data to benefit their business, according to research by Smith & Williamson, the accountancy, investment management and tax group.

Award-winning challenger law firm gunnercooke has today launched Operating Partners, a team of expert business leaders who will work with private equity firms and their portfolio companies and ambitious small and medium sized enterprises to improve their performance, increase their value and help them to scale.

BGF has announced the appointment of Andy Watts to its Talent Network team. Andy will provide support to BGF-backed companies by further expanding BGF’s network of non-executives, interim managers and experienced finance directors. 

Mercia Technologies PLC announces that one of its third party managed funds, the RisingStars Growth Fund, has completed a further cash realisation from Blue Prism Group plc, representing to date a 55x return on the Fund’s original investment.

Yorkshire-based Nationwide Window Cleaning has received new investment of £1.5m from BGF to support its organic growth strategy and the acquisition of Reflekt Cleaning Company. The investment follows a period of significant growth at NWC, with revenues increasing by close to 100 percent since BGF’s first investment, from £7.5m in June 2014 to more than £14m in June 2017.

Roc Technologies, one of the UK’s fastest growing companies for IT services, has secured a £10m investment from BGF to support its longer-term growth strategy and the acquisition of City Change Management (CCM).

Crowdcube announces another strong quarter of performance in 2017, with over £1 million generated in company revenue.

• 70 pitches launched in Q3, with 42 launching in September alone - three times as many that were launched over the same period in 2016
• Over £5m raised through the iOS App since launch

Pixey.io, an Edinburgh-based startup enabling broadcasters and publishers to obtain the digital rights to Instagram photographs has secured almost £250,000 in seed funding. The company, set up by Sarah Stenhouse, will use the cash injection to add five new members of staff over the next six months to introduce artificial intelligence technology and grow its international profile.

Maven and YFM-backed Indigo Telecom Group, a leading provider of multi-vendor managed and project services to Tier 1 and 2 telecom network operators, equipment vendors, multi-national corporations and government clients, today announced the acquisition of Belcom247 (Bellcom UK Ltd).