Downing has invest in Spaghetti Bridge in the UK, a company aiming to improve the lives and demonstrating strong education and care outcomes for children in the South West of England.
Spaghetti Bridge is a business that was established in 2020 alongside a highly experienced management team to build a leading Special Educational Needs (SEN) platform in the UK. It is estimated that of the 8.9 million pupils in England, 1.4 million have SEN of which approximately 300,000 are eligible for ring-fenced funding under the government’s High Needs Budget.
Since inception, Spaghetti Bridge has opened two schools that are both performing well – one in Somerset in September 2020 and a second in Devon in September 2021 – with a number of other opportunities in the pipeline.
Downing’s commitment to healthcare and education has continued to grow throughout 2020-21 against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Spaghetti Bridge is a notable example of the Development Capital team supporting the creation of a professionally run and scalable operating platform in a needs-based market that are generally underserved. Spaghetti Bridge’s senior executive team has amassed a wealth of experience and expertise in specialist education and care, and are driven to secure fantastic outcomes for every young person in their services.
Torsten Mack, Investment Director at Downing, says: “Our investment in Spaghetti Bridge is at the heart of what drives us at Downing – a commitment to the growth and development of UK-based businesses in markets that are generally underserved. Through Spaghetti Bridge, we are proud to be supporting some of the more vulnerable members of our society by providing them with specialist care and education. We are very happy to be working with such an expert and passionate team and are excited to continue growing the company to make a positive impact on the lives of those that need it most.”
Dan Alipaz, CEO of Spaghetti Bridge, says the partnership with Downing LLP would be key to the success of the business: “We wanted a partner who shared our values and our vision for delivering the very highest quality Special Educational Needs services – the Downing team were the perfect fit. Together, with our colleagues at Spaghetti Bridge, I am confident that we can grow a group of truly outstanding SEN schools and support services across the South West. These schools will serve the children and young people who too often have to fight too hard to access the education they need and deserve.”
