Stressfreecarrental.com, a new challenger in the online car rental market, has raised £534,000 in a funding round led by DSW Ventures and including angel investor Harry Dixon, former technical director at Rentalcars.com.

Stressfreecarrental.com operates a price comparison and booking platform for car hire and airport transfers. It aims to bring a fresh approach to product, service and technology and offer lower prices, improved transparency and better customer experience.

A London-based entrepreneur has launched SQI, a brand new e-commerce clothing startup. The company, which champions multi-use, diverse, and sustainable winter jackets, aims to break into the fashion, sportswear, and skiwear industries, bridging the fashion gap between the mountains and city life.

A landscaping usiness which maintains sites nationwide for leading supermarkets and utilities companies has secured a significant investment from Mercia’s private equity funds.

UK Landscapes, a family business which founded in 1997, now employs over 175 staff at its headquarters in Middlewich, Cheshire and regiol depots throughout the UK including Leeds, Glasgow, Cardiff, Reading and Harlow. The company serves blue-chip customers such as Asda, John Lewis, Waitrose, Shell, and Santander. The funding will enable it to step up its organic growth and pursue a ‘buy and build’ strategy in the sector.

Coalville-based children’s clothing business, Tiny Explorer Apparel, trading as the Töastie Kids brand, has secured a £300,000 investment to develop a new product range and support a comprehensive marketing campaign.

Pembroke VCT, the venture capital trust focused on backing early-stage businesses with exceptional founders and management teams, has invested £2m into JustWears, the men’s basic wear brand focused on comfortable, sustainable and high-performance fabrics.

Alorsfaim, a Paris-based e-grocery company specializing in authentic and high-quality Asian food, has raised €4M in seed funding, enabling the fast-growing start-up to continue its rapid expansion across the vast Asian community in France and Europe. The round was led by iFly.vc with participation from Cathay Innovation and Goodwater Capital.

Velobici Ltd, a cycling apparel manufacturer, has secured a £500,000 investment to fuel expansion and strengthen its position in global markets. 

The funding has been secured from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) – managed by The FSE Group Debt Finance Fund and backed by the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).

North west-based multi-family investment office Arete, has led a £1.6m investment into Travel Seen, an early stage business co-founded by award-winning entrepreneur and travel professional, Jen Atkinson.

A company that restores and resells luxury handbags to clients worldwide has raised £800,000 from the North East Venture Fund (NEVF), supported by the European Regional Development Fund and managed by Mercia, and private investors, to support its growth.  The investment will allow Handbag Clinic to create around 20 new jobs at its premises in Burnopfield, Co Durham, further develop its technology and strengthen its senior management team.

Leading multi-channel garden furniture retailer Moda Furnishings has agreed a new £17m funding package with Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance as UK demand for outdoor living continues to soar.

Pitalia Capital, the North West-based investment firm, has backed Bolton-headquartered CCM Motorcycles (CCM) with a significant investment as the company looks to kickstart an international growth drive.

Founded in 1971 by the late Alan Clews, CCM is a specialist motorcycle manufacturer renowned for innovative design and synonymous with multiple successes in motocross, flat-track, trials, supermoto and road racing competitions.

NorthEdge and The Belfield Group have completed the sale of Usleep, a specialist mattress manufacturer, to The Vita Group a manufacturer of premium foam products, for an undisclosed sum.