Customers are at the heart of most businesses. With that in mind, environmental fund manager Earthworm has made two key appointments in its client services team: Jenni Howard as Client Services Manager and Michael Thompson as Client Services Specialist.

Negative sentiment towards the economic outlook for the UK over the next 18 to 24 months amongst the UK investment community has increased sharply from 49% in 2018 to 67% in 2019, according to the annual Investment 360 Index by CIL, the leading management consultancy. The Index is based on research amongst private equity investors, business management teams, corporate debt providers and business advisors in the UK and has been running for three years.

At the end of the second quarter of this year, more than 150,000 lenders were invested in 321,483 loans facilitated by Peer-to-Peer Finance Association (P2PFA) platforms – a record level of involvement in the sector. 

Wagonex Limited, the car subscription marketplace platform is delighted to announce a significant equity funding round as it looks to bolster growth in the U.K. and beyond.

The investment round was led by the Development Bank of Wales technology ventures team co-investing with US investors and UK-based angels with a final close to complete after the summer.

Wagonex has been a leading name in vehicle subscriptions since its inception and now works closely with several global vehicle manufacturers.

Snaffling Pig, the category leading porky snack brand, has reached its £750,000 crowdfund target in just seven days.  Hosted by Crowdcube, a total of 821 investors – or “Swine Diners” – have supported the campaign, in exchange for a 7% stake in the business. With a business plan to hit £20m sales in the next three years, a potential overfund will mean the team can bring forward their ambitious five year plan of £30m in sales. 

GrowthInvest and Partners Wealth Management have launched a strategic partnership between the two organisations.

klarx, Europe’s leading online platform for construction machinery rental, has raised €12.5 million in a funding round led by B&C Innovation Investments GmbH (BCII), alongside existing investor Target Global. The funding will facilitate further product development and the company’s expansion into new European markets.  Founded in 2015 by brothers, Matthias and Florian Handschuh, together with Vincent Koch, klarx is a digital platform that seeks to make the supply of construction equipment easier, faster and more cost efficient for its users. 

Process Systems Enterprise (PSE), the leading supplier of predictive Advanced Process Modelling (APM) software and services to many of the world’s largest companies, including 60 Fortune 500 firms, is exiting the AlbionVC portfolio to join Siemens AG in Q4 this year, for an undisclosed amount.

Heartwood Investment Management, the asset management arm of Handelsbanken in the UK, has launched four sustainable multi asset funds designed to make sustainable investing accessible to everyone, regardless of portfolio size and risk tolerance, without compromising performance.

Symvan Capital, an EIS fund manager, has announced that B.heard, a pioneer in the monetisation of the European personal data economy, has been purchased by Sweetbridge Inc., an American company at the forefront of the blockchain economy.  

Hardman & Co is leading a new initiative to support (S)EIS funds entering the investment market. It has brought together a wide range of professional services providers with the specific aim of advising, educating and supporting new funds at the start of their journey. By understanding at the outset all the elements needed for a successful launch, the new entrant is in a better position to come to market faster and in a more co-ordinated way.

This month’s Start-up Spotlight, in partnership with The Invested Investor, features an interview with entrepreneur Iris Barcia....