British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA)

🆕 A welcome focus on economic growth 📈   The announcement that the FCA will change its strategy to focus more on growth, through its new 5-year plan, is a step that will be positively received by the private capital industry.   It is vital that the regulator's approach is guided by the principles of a stable economy and world-class standards that are proportionally applied. There is a competitive advantage to ensuring predictable policy frameworks for growth sectors, and we welcome the FCA's focus on; ◼️ Being a smarter regulator; predictable, purposeful and proportionate. ◼️ Supporting sustained economic growth, by enabling investment, innovation and ensuring the continued competitiveness of the UK’s world-leading financial services. The decision to rebalance risk in a way that drives forward economic growth will help ensure that the UK remains competitive. We look forward to engaging with the FCA as it implements this new strategy and seeing tangible outcomes from the shift towards efficiency and driving economic growth.    Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dFptnUj5

The BVCA is delighted to welcome Gleiss Lutz as the latest BVCA member. Gleiss Lutz is one of the top three law firms in Germany, and for more than 20 years, they have advised international private equity sponsors on large and mid-cap transactions with a German angle. Gleiss Lutz opened an office in London in 2022 to share its deep understanding of the German business landscape first-hand with its private equity clients. The firm’s network enables Gleiss Lutz to navigate private equity primaries expertly, leveraging its proven ability to bridge the needs of private equity investors with the operational and cultural expectations of German corporates and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit their website at: https://lnkd.in/eA7xrqRW

"We should be proud of the work being done around entrepreneurship and investment in Cornwall" That was the message from Noah Law, MP for St Austell and Newquay and Labour Businesses Champion, at the BVCA roundtable gathering private capital investors and the Cornish businesses they support. Attendees discussed the opportunities and challenges for investment and businesses in Cornwall, sharing ideas with Noah Law MP to help attract more investment to the region and promote Cornwall’s economic growth, including: 🗺️ Promote the ecosystem for investment in Cornwall 🚀 Developing the region's entrepreneurial network 👩🔬 Creating skilled jobs 📣 Building awareness around the opportunities of private capital investment Thank you to Liz Warburton and BGF for hosting, and excellent insights from Ned Dorbin, Simon Leek (Fibre CRM), Ralph Singleton (FSE Group), Linda Coyle (Bayes Entrepreneurship Fund), and Ben Barnett (Refined Brands). Private capital already invests in 625 businesses in the South West, directly supporting 134,000 jobs in the region in 2023. BVCA is committed to engaging with Government and MPs across the UK's nations and regions to champion initiatives that support private capital investment and enhance regional economic growth.  

🎉Celebrating Neurodiversity in Private Equity & Venture Capital 🎉 This Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we recognise the vital role of neurodiverse talent in private equity, venture capital, and the businesses they back. Innovation thrives on diverse perspectives, and embracing #neurodiversity is not just the right thing to do—it’s a competitive advantage. From investors to founders and portfolio companies, creating inclusive environments where neurodiverse individuals can excel not only unlocks fresh ideas, but enhances problem-solving approaches and fosters long-term value creation. Back in January, the BVCA held an event focused on this very topic. The in-depth panel discussion underlined the importance of reframing neurodiversity as a strength and adapting workplace cultures to drive meaningful change. The BVCA’s Sustainability Executive, Breeze Haywood, reflected on the event’s discussion about the critical need for businesses to embrace neurodiversity in the workplace. Read the full Insight article here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ex_gDGrY

Industry progress on female representation and ESG reflected in latest Deloitte data   📊The BVCA’s recent Diversity in UK Private Equity and Venture Capital 2025 Report https://lnkd.in/eYy4u8dZ revealed steady gains in the proportion of women in senior, mid, and junior-level roles, although growth at senior investment levels remained gradual due to the apprenticeship nature of the industry.   💷This broader progress was reflected in Deloitte’s Private Equity Index 2025 https://lnkd.in/eCEBDSqF, published this week, which shows that the gender pay gap in private equity (5.3%) was well below the UK average (13.1%), while also highlighting how 10% of PE-backed companies being led by female CEOs. Notably, the Investing in Women Code 2024 report provides compelling evidence that increased female representation among investors leads to greater investment in female entrepreneurs. 📈Deloitte’s latest Index also showed shows that 46% of companies have reduced Scope 1 & 2 emissions, but only 22% have formal net zero transition plans. However, there is still work to be done, with only 18% of companies verifying emissions data. 🌍This builds on the findings of the BVCA’s annual ESG survey https://lnkd.in/eKgNjZp6 which found that the proportion of private capital-backed businesses tracking environmental emissions has increased over time, notably across all scopes and sizes of firm. As UK ESG regulations tighten, transparency is key for investment, valuation, and competitiveness.🌱 📇Deloitte’s Private Equity Index analyses 139 UK-based, PE-backed companies across profit, people, and planet, using 25,000+ data points. It found that 22% of firms increased headcount and EBITDA margins while cutting emissions.

‘Don't over-plan your life. Stop overthinking the next job – or the one after that’ - How pursuing opportunities aligned with your passions and embracing uncertainty can accelerate your career. The BVCA’s recent Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) series of panel discussions focussed on how network-building, mentorship and risk-taking can accelerate women’s careers. In a recent Insight article, Sustainability Executive, Breeze Haywood, reflects on the event’s discussion and the need for active engagement with diverse talent pools to drive innovation and address underrepresentation in the industry. Read the full Insight piece here: https://lnkd.in/etqXJwhG

🏆 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗘𝗫𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗟 𝟮𝟳 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛: Final opportunity to submit your Northern Ireland nominations for Vision 2025 - Leaders Driving Growth Awards. Vision 2025 celebrates the best teams of 2024 backed by private capital, awarding portfolio companies and their investors. Supported by Grant Thornton UK and Santander, these annual awards take into account growth, competitiveness, innovation, sustainability and the challenges of the year, with a focus on the future and the sustainability of the business as well as past performance. This year, we are pleased to introduce new award categories and will be recognising portfolio companies against the following categories: early-stage, scale-up, medium, large, exit and international expansion. Nominations for Northern Ireland close soon, to submit your nomination or find out more about upcoming submission deadlines for other regions/nations, click here: https://lnkd.in/dkYw7tr3

⭐📢 Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP confirmed as a keynote speaker at Accelerate.   Join us on 8 May for the BVCA's Accelerate, the UK's dedicated event for #venturecapital, combining innovation, investment, and key insights from start-ups to scale-ups and from pre-seed to growth equity. The Secretary of State leads the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and is responsible for the Government's programme to accelerate UK innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science and ensure the safe development and deployment of new technologies across the UK. Do not miss your exclusive opportunity to hear from a leading Cabinet Minister about how the Government envisions the role of venture capital in achieving the UK’s Growth Missions and its plans to support the venture capital industry.  For more information or to secure your place, visit the website: https://lnkd.in/dfZrJjkV

⏰ Final places remain for the BVCA's Advanced LBO Modelling course on 26 March. Develop your understanding of Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs) from a quantitative perspective, including breaking down the fundamentals behind LBOs and the processes involved in a successful deal. Covering the fundamentals of different #debt types, this course delves into financial instruments such as equity, debt and mezzanine finance and how these characteristics influence the overall deal structure. The course director, Andre Lanser, will identify inputs to the model that will start from the operating cash flows of a business alongside typical debt constraints. The course will conclude with an analysis of the deal, using a value creation analysis at various exit valuations. To find out more about the course, or to book your place, click here: https://lnkd.in/eF-MMVsg

💡 MP CONNECT: Private capital supporting innovation in the East Midlands❗   🛫 Nottingham-based HALO X-ray Technologies Ltd, backed by BVCA-member Future Planet Capital, is a pioneer in next-generation automatic X-ray diffraction screening technology and systems, to improve screening in aviation, customs, and borders applications.   🤝 Last month, the BVCA was able to facilitate a visit to HALO by the local MP and Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood. She met with company CEO Simon Godber and other members of the team, as they demonstrated the company’s innovative X-ray screening technology.   💸 Lilian heard about HALO’s ambitions to expand supply of this much-needed innovative screening capability to the international aviation security market. The discussion also focused on the huge investment potential and ambitions in the East Midlands - a region which benefits from a skilled workforce, connection to global markets and universities delivering research and innovation.   💬 Following the visit, Lilian said: “I was delighted to meet with Halo’s team, including CEO Simon Godber, and hear about the company’s pioneering automatic solutions, particularly for aviation and border security. This is another fantastic example of the industry-leading innovation happening right here in Nottingham.   “It was also interesting to learn how the company has been able to access private capital to support this work and its ambitions. Supporting local industries is a priority for me as an MP, so it was incredibly helpful to hear the views of the Halo team.”    📊 BVCA research shows that 101,000 jobs in the East Midlands are in businesses backed by #privateequity and #venturecapital. There are also 22 private capital-backed businesses headquartered in Lilian’s constituency of Nottingham South, supporting over 3300 jobs across the UK. The images provided are subject to HALO copyright.