BGF

Did you know that having a best friend at work is repeatedly found to be one of the strongest predictors of employee engagement and performance? (Gallup) This was just one of the insights that Bruce Daisley shared with us yesterday at the BGF Growth Forum, our annual event for leadership teams in our portfolio. Bruce (ex-Google, ex-Twitter, and now host of the Eat Sleep Work Repeat podcast) dived into the huge part that control, identity and community play in building a culture of resilience in your company — and avoiding collective burnout — in a world where: ➡️ Remote work has lowered group cohesion significantly, in a shift from 'Generation We' to 'Generation Me' ➡️ Time spent in meetings has trebled, reducing employees' sense of agency and belief in their ability to do their jobs well It was great to hear from founders and CEOs from across our portfolio on the changes they're implementing to reduce meeting/email noise, empower team members to feel in control of their time, and foster a greater sense of community within their businesses. Thank you Bruce for facilitating such an interesting and lively conversation! See more from Gallup here: https://lnkd.in/eWjja5qj #BGFGrowthForum #Entrepreneurs #Resilience #EmployeeEngagement #Community

The countdown to Birmingham Tech Week 2024 is on, and BGF is proud to be partnering with TechWM to sponsor this year's event. 🎉✨ 🗓 Join us from 21st - 25th October as we celebrate the vibrant tech ecosystem in Birmingham and across the West Midlands. Our team of investors will be on the ground throughout the week sharing insights and learnings on scaling world class tech businesses. We'll also be hosting an exclusive 'Growth Summit Breakfast' at our Birmingham office on 24 October. 🚀 To join us, visit: https://lnkd.in/eCxjpFEK #BirminghamTechWeek #TechInnovation #TechCommunity #BTW2024

In the UK, one in five people are living with a disability. By making our websites more accessible, we hope to increase our reach and ensure that everyone has equal access to our digital content and career opportunities. Find out more below:

Delighted to see BGF's Gemma Hamilton take her place as judge for the everywoman Entrepreneur Awards in the Scale-Up category. Best of luck to all candidates at this year's event, which is supported by BGF. Looking forward to sharing more details regarding the finalists very soon! ✨

BGF has completed a new investment in ER Productions - an award-winning laser production, pyrotechnics, and special effects company that has worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Dua Lipa, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran. A regular fixture at high profile events, such as Glastonbury and Soundstorm Festival, the business was founded in 2007 by Marc Webber and Ryan Hagan. Funding will be used to to support the company’s ambitious growth plans both organically and via acquisition. Webber and Hagan, who remain majority shareholders, will continue to lead the team of 110 talented individuals across its five international offices. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/e-gcfhd2

BGF has completed a £9 million investment in fast growth tech business Kubus to accelerate its global growth plans. Based in the heart of the Cotswolds, Kubus is a leading technology value-added-reseller (VAR), providing a range of IT infrastructure solutions for blue chip businesses and public sector organisations worldwide. Alongside the investment, Kubus has appointed highly experienced Non-Executive Chair Paul Brennan, through BGF’s Talent Network. He joins CEO Andrew Humphrey and the wider leadership team as they push forward with their ambitious growth plans. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eW67cHAY

BGF is celebrating after winning the Private Equity/Venture Capital Deal of the Year at the Insider Media Wales Dealmaker Awards for our investment in Victorian Sliders the specialist manufacturer of uPVC sash windows. In November 2023, we reinforced our commitment to Victorian Sliders by providing £4 million of follow-on funding to support their ambitious plans of becoming a “world class” manufacturing company. This follows our original investment in 2021, which has enabled the business to drive product development and expand into new markets. Congratulations to BGF Investors Hannah King (Waters) and Edwin Davies on this fantastic achievement. #privateequityawards #PE #Victoriansliders #BGF #Wales

How to carry out a successful buy and build strategy, according to the experts ⬇️ In this new article, we hear from the leadership team of Environmental Essentials. The asbestos risk management specialist is an excellent example of a buy and build done well, having acquired 3 companies, in the space of 2 years (with more on the horizon). By targeting businesses with the same buyer profile — and by understanding the current and future needs of its customers — Environmental Essentials has quickly added services to its portfolio that it can confidently cross-sell. Read their guidance for SMEs with ambitious buy and build plans here: https://lnkd.in/eXcaiKat #BuyAndBuild #Acquisition #GrowthStrategies #SMEs

Earlier this month, BGF in partnership with Havas Media Network hosted the Strategic Marketing Summit, bringing together over 100 marketing professionals to tackle key industry challenges. We were thrilled to welcome the marketing teams from BGF Foundation charity partners MyBnkand LTSB to join the conversation alongside our portfolio companies. Together, we explored innovative solutions and forged valuable connections, leveraging BGF’s network to maximise value for our charities. 🔍 Want to learn more? Read the full article to discover the benefits for our charities and how we're driving impactful change: https://lnkd.in/gm7ZpPT8 🌟 Stay updated! To receive BGF Foundation updates, subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/gAPbcCRM #bgf #valuecreation #marketingsummit #bgffoundation

BGF has completed a follow-on investment in DefiniGEN, a life sciences venture shaping the future of liver research and toxicology through highly predictive in vitro modelling. The investment is part of DefiniGEN's Series B funding round supported by a consortium of investors including Parkwalk Advisors and 24Haymarket . A spin-out from the University of Cambridge, DefiniGEN is at the forefront of liver drug research and predictive toxicology. The funding will help the team further advance their platform and expand collaborations with global clients. In addition to the funding, DefiniGEN has also recently welcomed Shaun Chilton as the company’s Non-Executive Chair. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/enXn_c8R