Richard Sanders

🎤 New podcast alert 🎤 The British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) invited Playfair's very own Simon Blakey to speak on LGBTQ+ issues within the VC and PE industry They covered a variety of important topics, including: ⚡ Top tips for firms to increase staff support ⚡ Senior buy-in within firms ⚡ The importance of building inclusive cultures ⚡ The importance of data and KPI metrics for representation ⚡ The strength found from facing adversity in personal and professional settings Check out the full podcast link in the comments below 👇 #venturecapital #vc #diversity #inclusion #podcast #bvca

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Following the launch of the Mansion House VC Compact earlier this year, British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) Pensions and Private Capital Expert Panel has just published an Interim Report with proposals to help #UKpensions unlock private capital funds. The detailed report features an array of recommendations, from regulatory changes to reporting standardisation. Speaking with Preqin News, Albion's Christina Theilgaard shares: ‘There is definitely a requirement for some standardisation for evaluation of private funds...In certain industries in the US, they have standardised templates that are used by all big institutions, which makes operations easier, cheaper, and better for everyone.’ Full article below. UK private equity and pensions industries lay out blueprint to drive investment in private funds (preqin.com)

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Global PE group Baird Capital is investing in Newmarket Strategy, a specialist healthcare, medtech and life sciences consultancy specialising in market access https://lnkd.in/eGMQvvam

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Following the success of the CGF Leeds Roadshow, our Managing Partner Beverley Gower-Jones OBE FEI was interviewed by Michael Crossland of the Yorkshire Post - see the article published this week below. In the interview Beverley says, “As we look to the future, the urgency to reach net-zero emissions is a defining challenge. #Leeds and #Yorkshire are uniquely positioned to take the lead in the green transition, with local strengths in energy, technology, and sustainable #manufacturing. “#Greenjobs is not only an environmental imperative but also an economic opportunity, creating thousands of roles across multiple sectors. “This city and region are attracting the kind of talent and entrepreneurial drive that are key to achieving a resilient, green economy.” Read the full article below 👇 #venturecapital #techinnovation #startups #investors #lowcarbon #netzero

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💫 Spotlight on Angel Investment 💫 Head to the Invest in Women Hub to check out our article on Understanding Angel Investment, written by Jenny Tooth OBE, Angel Investor and Executive Chair of the UK Business Angels Association. Angel investment is important because it gives you that first external capital you might need to move your business to the next level. Not only this, Angel investors come from a range of entrepreneurial, business or professional backgrounds. This means they bring extensive business and industry experience, strategic insight, introductions, connections, advice and help with all kinds of areas of your business. This can really add value alongside the money that you may receive from the angel, shares Jenny. ⬇ Click the link below to read Jenny’s full article and find out more on: 💡 How Angel Investment works? 💡 Why it is important? 💡 When you should consider Angel Investment? 💡 Where does Angel Investment fit in the supply chain of funding? 💡 How is Angel Investment different to venture capital? 💡 How much do Angels invest in a deal?

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💡 Driving Change for Female Founders in the UK At Lifted Ventures, we had the privilege of sitting down with Angelene Woodland Singleton from the British Business Bank to discuss the future of angel investing and its role in empowering female founders across the UK. Angelene shared compelling insights: 🔹 It takes a collaborative effort across the entire ecosystem - syndicates, angels, funders, founders, and mentors - all playing their part. 🔹 Supporting female founders isn't just about fairness; it's an economic imperative. If women started businesses at the same rate as men, the UK economy could see an additional £250 billion boost. Investing in women is about creating a society with equal opportunities, regardless of geography, gender, or ethnicity. It's the right thing to do - and it makes commercial sense. Let’s work together to drive meaningful change. 💪 #FemaleFounders #AngelInvesting #InvestInWomen #UKBusiness #EconomicGrowth Jordan Dargue Helen Oldham Jem Henderson Denise Elena Androne Lifted Ventures facilitates and introduces investment opportunities to investors but does not recommend investing. We encourage all investors to seek professional advice before making investment decisions. This video is not an offer or invitation to invest according to UK law.  Videos provide information only and do not offer investment, legal, or tax advice.

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Our new VCs Backing Sustainable UK Scale-Ups report is available to download 🎉 Get the full lowdown on the top investors backing ESG-driven startups and scale-ups – from industry mainstays like Balderton Capital and Octopus Ventures to relative newcomers like 2150 👇 #VentureCapital #Investment #Sustainable

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“Venture capital in Scotland is a success story that is worth recognising." That's according to the Chief Executive of the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) Micheal Moore, after recent figures show Scotland is emerging as a venture capital hotspot outside London 📌🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The BVCA’s report, Venture Capital in the UK, found 7% of UK VC-funded firms are in Scotland, and in particular Edinburgh, thanks to its thriving fintech and health tech startups 💊 World-class universities like Edinburgh and Strathclyde are driving success with top 10 rankings for spinout equity deals in 2023 💪 Find out more about how Scotland's mix of innovation, academia and government support is cementing its growing role in the UK’s venture capital landscape 👉 https://ow.ly/kFTz50UlLvS #ScotlandIsNow #Investment

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This year's Growth Index reveals a changing UK business landscape. Clean energy businesses surge as tech falters, highlighting both the opportunities of decarbonization and the impact of reduced venture funding. Traditional sectors like manufacturing and farming make a surprise comeback, proving growth potential exists nationwide. Yet, London's dominance persists, with the capital and surrounding regions claiming a majority of our top 100 spots. #growthindex #greenenergy #UKbusiness

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STAC has established an investment fund and partnered with The National Robotarium to support Scotland's next generation of “smart things” entrepreneurs.   The launch of the STAC Invest Syndicate - a platform to connect investors with ambitious, high-growth potential tech companies to realise market opportunities in robotics, drones, mobile devices, edge computing, advanced materials, and artificial intelligence (AI) - will make investments of around £150,000 each into a select number of STAC’s 5th cohort of companies. STAC 5 commences in early December, with applications for entry to the latest cohort of 15 companies open on 14th October.   STAC CEO Paul Wilson said: “The investment fund is a significant step forward in our mission to develop scaled, internationally competitive startups. When you look at the best accelerators around the globe - names such as Y Combinator, Techstars, Plug and Play - they recognise that investment is a key component of tech scaling, and that combining mentorship with investment leads to improved investor returns.” “We are thrilled with the response of the investor community to get involved in STAC Invest Syndicate. With our international best practice mentorship programme and fully equipped co-working space we will fuel and equip our startups to create market-leading technology businesses.”   The partnership between STAC and the National Robotarium, the UK’s centre for robotics and AI and part of the Data-Driven Innovation Initiative and Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal, will combine resources to offer robot and autonomous systems startups enhanced acceleration support across Scotland, and within the co-working spaces at STAC’s thebeyond Glasgow facility and the National Robotarium’s facility in Edinburgh. Paul Wilson said: “The National Robotarium will bring expert robotic engineering support to further boost STAC’s capabilities in smart and connected products. The partnership made perfect sense, and at the core is our shared mission to position Scotland as a centre of excellence in smart things, IoT technologies, and robotics.”   Stewart Miller, CEO at the National Robotarium, said: “Our partnership with STAC represents a significant step forward in positioning Scotland as a centre of excellence in smart things, IoT technologies, and robotics. The robotics revolution is upon us, with the global market expected to reach $283 billion by 2032 and, by combining our expertise in robotics and AI with STAC's capabilities in smart and connected products, we're creating a powerful ecosystem for innovation." “This collaboration will not only drive economic growth but also address critical challenges in sectors like healthcare, energy, and manufacturing. Together, we're ensuring that Scotland, and indeed the UK, becomes an active producer in the global robotics revolution, rather than just a passive bystander.”

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🚀 Exciting News! 🚀 The Family Business Research Foundation has just commissioned Cebr to produce our next UK Family Business Sector Report. The project will seek to map the sector and assess the economic contribution and performance of family businesses in the United Kingdom. Stay tuned for updates as we work together to shed light on the impact of family businesses on the UK economy and the contribution they make to the public finances! 📊✨ https://lnkd.in/e-eMfpNj #BusinessReport #SectorInsights #Economy #Research #EconomicGrowth #FamilyBusiness

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Are you interested in more investments reaching long overlooked places across the UK? Our latest report on place-based impact investing, highlights the developments in the field over the past few years. Progress includes: 1️⃣ The supply of capital seeking place-based impact investment is increasing Over the past few years, there has been a marked increase in Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) investments in PBII sectors in the UK, catalysing innovative strategies for scale and diversity. Two thirds of LGPS plan to increase their allocation of local investments. 2️⃣ There is an increasing demand for impact capital Local and combined authorities are becoming increasingly proactive in seeking partnerships with private sector investors. Our ‘Place Pilots’ in Wakefield and Southampton contribute to this growing field by supporting local authorities to build the capabilities to engage more effectively with investors seeking aligned societal outcomes. The market is experiencing a growth in investment products targeting positive local outcomes, such as Schroders’s Real Estate Impact Fund, Octopus’ Affordable Housing Fund, and Gresham House’s Sustainable Infrastructure Fund, which recently secured £450 million investment from 8 LGPS funds. 3️⃣ The enabling infrastructure to support PBII is being built Blended finance mechanisms, such as the UK Infrastructure Bank’s loan guarantees, are demonstrating the catalytic potential of blended finance. And we're growing the place-based impact investing movement. The Institute’s Place Coalition and partnership on the PBII Network (hosted by The Good Economy), have become instrumental platforms for collaboration and knowledge exchange. Our guide on community engagement practices in place-based impact investing (published in 2023) provides a key resource for investors seeking to be more proactive in ensuring stakeholders play a central role in investment decision-making processes. Find out more about the state of place-based impact investing here: https://lnkd.in/epgeNNej #impactinvesting #places #insights

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Private Capital plays a crucial part in our economy. Michael Moore, CEO of the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) discusses below how pivotal it is. ⬇️ #funds #economy #infrastructure

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