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Appear Here, the UK’s largest online marketplace for retail space, has raised USD7.5 million of new funding, in a round led by venture capital firm Balderton Capital.
This significant new investment follows 18 months of dynamic growth from Appear Here, which has facilitated over 500 short-terms lets in the last 12 months and now has over 600 properties available to hire at prime locations across the United Kingdom.
Appear Here was founded in 2012 by Ross Bailey, a 22-year-old entrepreneur who started out with his own pop-up shop on Carnaby Street, selling limited edition T-shirts to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee.
Less than four-in-ten (37%) of UK small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) have entered new markets over the past year compared to 53% in 2013, according to a new study launched by Albion Ventures.
This suggests that more opportunities exist in their core areas of operation than 12 months ago.
The research shows that almost half (43%) of SMEs experienced a range of problems in trying to enter new sectors and geographies, underlining how difficult it can be. Specific challenges they have faced include a lack of expertise around their target market (16%), finding the competition too strong (11%) and
Silicon Valley Bank has appointed Wibke Pendse as Managing Director of Private Equity Finance and Banking for the UK.
Pendse joins the UK branch from Silicon Valley Bank’s headquarters in California where she was responsible for managing an extensive portfolio of private equity client relationships
In this new role, Pendse will lead the growth of the Private Equity Finance and Banking business in the UK, offering private equity and venture capital firms a range of banking and finance services, including capital strategies and solutions, global banking and rich industry connections and insights.In addition to expertise in the innovation sector, SVB’s
Creo Medical has closed a GBP3.5m funding round, led by Finance Wales, angel investors and the Angel CoFund.
The Government-backed Angel CoFund joins existing investors Finance Wales, the Arete Angel syndicate and individual business angels, including lead angel Mark Farmer, bringing the total Creo investment received to date to GBP7.9m. This is the second co-investment deal between the Angel CoFund and Finance Wales this year.
Since 2009, Creo Medical has developed innovative medical devices. This funding will be used towards the continuing development of the CROMA platform – the first new electrosurgical system in a generation – specifically with
The introduction of the AIFMD has fuelled strong growth in European fund domiciles, with the number of alternative investment funds increasing by 10% since 2010, and assets under management increasing by 13%.
That’s according to a report published by the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry, carried out by Oliver Wyman.
“The introduction of the AIFMD increased the attractiveness of European onshore domiciles,” comments Marc Saluzzi, Chairman of ALFI. “Whilst many were against it when it was first introduced because of the fear of high compliance costs and additional complexity, this piece of regulation has brought significant benefits, allowing
London-listed private equity fund JZ Capital Partners Limited has expanded its US vertical portfolio by making two acquisitions alongside Edgewater Funds LP (Edgewater).
JZCP and Edgewater invested USD1.6 million each to acquire Action Products Marketing Corporation and ConShield Technologies Incorporated ("APMCS"), an infrastructure rehabilitation company headquartered in Johnston, Iowa. The company specialises in formulating and selling cementitious manhole and pipe rehabilitation products and provides the associated equipment used for application itself. The acquisition of APMCS is the third for the water infrastructure sub-vertical and the sixth for the water business overall.
JZCP and Edgewater also invested USD1.31 million each to
International mid-market advisory firm Clearwater International has advised height safety services provider Total Access (UK) Limited on its sale to Arco Limited.
Staffordshire-based Total Access is one of the UK’s largest independent suppliers of height safety and confined space training and equipment, with over 20 years experience. The company was the first UK company within its industry to be UKAS accredited to British Standards and is independently audited by UKAS.
Arco offers a world-class range of over 170,000 quality assured, branded and own brand products, including personal protective equipment, clothing, footwear, gloves, workplace safety and hygiene productsin both the
The US West Coast is an important region in terms of real estate investment, home to some of the largest institutional investors in the asset class as well as many prominent fund managers. Recent years have seen funds focusing on real estate investment in the West Coast raising increasing amounts of capital, with growing numbers of managers hitting or exceeding their target size.
The West Coast therefore represents a growing source of interest for institutional investors, with funds focusing on West Coast investment accounting for over a third of aggregate US regional-focused capital raised in 2014 so far. Residential property
Osborne Clarke, has advised a group of investors consisting of Imperial Innovations, Invesco Perpetual and Woodford Investment Management on the GBP50m Venture Capital funding of Cell Medica Limited.
Partner Rob Wood, who led the Osborne Clarke team assisted by Senior Associate Caroline Drummond, says:
“This is a significant deal in the Life Science sector, as is likely to be one of the top five private company funding rounds in 2014”.
Earlier this year, Osborne Clarke advised Imperial Innovations, Invesco Perpetual and others on the GBP581m IPO of the biopharmaceutical company, Circassia.
Nearly one in five (18%) people investing in a Venture Capital Trust this tax year will be doing so for the first time, according to a new study commissioned by Albion Ventures.
This is an increase on the previous tax year when an estimated 16% of investors were newcomers. On average IFAs believe the sector will attract over GBP475 million this tax year, up from GBP435.8 million during the 2013/14 tax year.
The survey shows that more than a third (34%) of advisers predict increased levels of interest among their clients in VCTs this tax year, a marginal increase on
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