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Octopus Labs has selected five businesses to join its new Fintech accelerator, which kicks off in October.
Over 80 applications were received to join the accelerator programme – with a shortlist invited to live pitch last week.
The panel of judges – which included ex-head of Google UK Dan Cobley, CEO of Dunelm John Browett and joint COO of St James’s Place Iain Rob Rayner – were looking for product-ready start-ups developing solutions specifically geared for financial advisers and their clients.
The successful teams will take part in a 12-week programme, which will see them given workspace in
Catapult Ventures, manager of the GM&C Life Sciences Fund, has made a GBP500,000 investment in Manchester-based SwabTech to further develop and commercialise its automated Surgical Swab-Washer, enhancing blood recovery and reuse during high blood loss surgical procedures.
The investment will enable SwabTech to finalise the product design, secure a CE mark and press on with UK and international product launches.
SwabTech's patented Surgical Swab-Washer automates a process currently performed by hand, recovering blood from swabs used in the hospital operating theatre. This blood can then be processed and transfused back into the patient, an established procedure used in a
Samir Sikka, former lead portfolio manager of the Pelican Value Equity team at Wells Capital Management, has teamed up with Estancia Capital Partners launch Sapience Investments, a private, independent investment management firm offering high conviction small and SMID cap value equity strategies.
Sikka (pictured) will serve as CEO/chief investment officer of Sapience Investments, in which employees have majority equity ownership, while private equity fund Estancia is a minority stakeholder in the new firm.
Sikka brings 20 years of investment expertise to Sapience. At Wells Capital Management since 2006, Sikka directed small and SMID cap value strategies currently representing approximately USD2.5
Highland Capital Management, a Dallas-based alternative investment management firm, has appointed Brad Eden as global head of marketing and investor relations.
Eden (pictured) brings to Highland more than 30 years of experience across a wide range of institutional investment leadership roles.
His experience includes growing Fund Evaluation Group, an independent institutional consulting firm that he co-founded, to one of the US's largest investment consulting firms by number of clients, and leading corporate development at a USD2 billion credit-focused asset management and private equity firm where he headed successful fundraising efforts around the firm's distressed strategies.
He was also
RiverRidge Recycling has become the second company in Northern Ireland to secure a major equity investment from BGF (Business Growth Fund), securing GBP10 million which will be used to support future growth.
RiverRidge Recycling treats over 400,000 mt of waste each year on behalf of local authorities, commercial businesses and individual households.
The current owners of RiverRidge acquired a small skip hire and landfill site in 2011 and led by managing director Brett Ross it has grown via organic growth and acquisitions into a fully integrated waste management business that employs over 200 people.
The organisation operates out of a
Outcome Capital, an investment banking firm that serves middle market growth companies in life sciences and technology markets, has expanded its operations into Europe with the opening of a UK office in London.
The company has appointed Shawn Manning as managing director of the new office.
Outcome Capital has been working closely with the UK Department for International Trade to set up the London Office.
“In addition to providing background research on the life sciences ecosystem in the UK, we continue to support Outcome by helping identify UK companies that may meet their M&A and investment criteria,” says
Mayfair Equity Partners has held the final close on its maiden fund, Mayfair Equity Partners Fund I, at GBP400 million, exceeding its target of GBP350 million.
The fund also has access to significant co-investment capital.
In an oversubscribed fundraise, the fund attracted commitments from a broad and diverse cross section of large and sophisticated investors from the UK, Europe, the Middle East and North America, including leading pension funds, asset managers, fund-of-funds, sovereign wealth funds, family offices and other institutional investors.
Mayfair’s managing partner Daniel Sasaki says: “We are privileged to have received such strong interest for our
DTE Energy has named Angela Buk as chief investment officer (CIO), leading the company's investment policy and strategy.
Buk, who will manage DTE's employee retirement plan investments and other company trust investments, most recently led the alternative investments team in the Treasury Asset Management Group at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).
"We are excited to have Angie join our team," says Mark Rolling, vice president and treasurer, DTE Energy. "Angie is a highly-qualified investment professional whose experience and education makes her well-suited to lead the strategic investment of the company's USD9 billion in trust assets."
In her role
Private equity real estate fund administrator Langham Hall has opened an office in New York.
The firm can now provide clients with global coverage from seven offices across three continents.
The new office provides its US clients with a range of fund administration services to US domestic funds and respective offshore entities, as well as US companies.
Langham Hall will provide fund accounting, investor reporting and general administration services to debt, infrastructure, private equity and real estate funds.
Following the establishment of Langham Hall US, Matt Lowe has been appointed as the firm’s head of US. Prior
Private equity firm SFW Capital Partners (SFW) has made an investment in DaySmart Software, a provider of business management software and workflow solutions to consumer facing small and medium sized enterprises.
SFW is partnering in this investment with DaySmart’s co-founders Mark and Chris Jackson, who currently serve as the president and vice-president, respectively, of the company.
SFW’s principals have supported some of the most successful and well-regarded companies in the analytical information and workflow solutions sectors, including AGDATA, MD Buyline, Buyers Laboratory, Telephia and IAG Research.
With SFW’s support and resources, DaySmart plans to make significant investments to
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