Qardus is an ethical and Sharia-compliant financing platform for social impact Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and investors. Qardus asserts that the 3.8 million Muslim community in the UK, and 25 million in Europe, is massively underserved when it comes to accessing interest-free (Sharia-compliant) structures. It intends to change this. Qardus offers up to £200,000 in innovative interest-free business financing to eligible SMEs for tenors of up to 24 months and is Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) approved. Qardus points out that it has provided over £250,000 in financing to some high social impact SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintained a 100% track record with a 0% default rate to date, and featured in media entities like Sifted, Islamic Finance News, Peer-to-Peer Finance News, and Fintech Futures amongst others. It will use 30% of the investment on marketing costs for acquiring SMEs and investors on its platform, 60% on growing its team, and 10% on obtaining additional licenses to expand its services.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£313,009
CakeDrop is a cake scheduling and delivery platform revolutionising office cake culture. The company's products, it claims, helps save office managers' time, brings teams together, and provides a lucrative route to market for local artisan bakeries. In the wake of Covid-19, the company adapted itself to provide cake by post which has proved to be a profitable move with companies wanting to treat staff at home. CakeDrop sells packages of 5, 12, 25 or 50 cakes, which appear as a credit on a customers' online account for them to schedule for delivery as-and-when required. The company delivers its cakes via zero-emission bikes. It has featured in publications like British Baker Magazine, City AM and Business Daily and has witnessed an 84% repeat purchase rate on packages from 2018 onwards. The company will use the investment to improve its marketing campaign, upgrade its platform, hire staff and boost product development.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£100,621
A premium alcoholic tea company sold in major UK retailers including Harrods and Fenwick, as well as exporting to Germany, China and Hong Kong. NOVELTEA currently has two distinct flavours that are vegan and UK manufactured. The business is in active discussions to take their products to the US, Canada and Mexico, also whilst in conversation with distributors in more than 50 countries.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£302,130
Sugar Crave is an award-winning treat delivery service that has sold more than 13 tonnes of Pick N Mix in their first year. The company have won the Best Online Business 2019 award with Shropshire Chamber of Commerce and has also seen growth of 4000% in Year 1 to £67,959 with a profit of £27,291. Additionally, from covering 5,000 postcodes, the company now caters to 79,500 postcodes in Yr 1, with the aim to deliver within 60 minutes from order, Sugar Crave is working towards increasing its coverage across the UK by 2022. With the proceeds, the company will increase the range and expand coverage to all 52 major UK towns & cities.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£131,940
nu:move Group is an award-winning Hybrid nationwide online estate agency. The company offers its customers a simple, online process to sell and let their property. The business is built on an ethos of modern innovation and traditional values by blending online and high street estate agency services seamlessly. The company offers a full set of estate agency services and affordable sales packages. nu:move Group has marketed more than 10,000 properties globally that are worth £3Bn and has received a 5 Star Trust Pilot Rating. The company has won The Negotiator 'Hybrid Estate Agent of the Year Award 2019.' 40% of the investment will be used for brand awareness, 30% for technology, 20% for franchise network training and expansion, and 105 for staffing at nu:move HQ.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£153,342
Two Drifters Distillery (TDD) is one of the very few British distilleries that makes rum from raw ingredients, rather than importing and flavouring it. It has worked with Climeworks Direct Air Capture technology to remove CO2 from its products. The company's technique won admirers leading to a boost in sales. Since its launch in 2019, TDD converted existing equipment to increase capacity from 80 bottles per week to an estimated 1800 per week. It has also secured contracts from prominent entities including John Lewis (national and online), Exeter Chiefs Rum and Virgin Wines. The company has an active social media community with 10,000+ followers and also conducts weekly distillery tours that see full attendance from its customers. TDD has also received press coverage from media houses including The BBC, The Telegraph and The Independent. It will use the investment to grow its sales and showcase its product at retail outlets, and bring to the masses sustainably-made British products.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£286,340
Celo is an app-based insurance provider designed to provide cheaper quotes, faster claims, and a pleasant user experience. We plan to offer insurance cover for motor vehicles, travel, health, and more. Like Monzo and Starling who are disrupting banking, Celo plans to disrupt the insurance industry.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£142,840
The Wine List (WL) gives confidence to wine lovers through a home wine course. The company argues that 20% of the UK's wine drinkers fall into a cohort that is actively engaged, spend at the higher end of the market, and frequently drink from a variety of sources. But less than 20,000 people don't have the requisite knowledge about different wine styles and tastes. WL aims to change this scenario by offering a home wine course to customers where alongside their wine lessons, they also get two bottles of wine to practice their skills on. The company has shipped 20,000+ bottles of wine and witnessed revenues of £298,000 in April-October 2020. WL is also building a digital content platform that will offer best in class video lessons, with learning quizzes to reinforce knowledge. The company has featured in Metro, Evening Standard, and Courier. It will use the investment to increase content production, wine delivery and scale into 2021.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£505,494
Muse is a smart, data-driven financial management application which aims to make financial empowerment a reality for all business owners. The app generates clear snapshots of a company’s finances showing all bank balances, and gives quick access to innovative invoice financing and other smart tools. Muse is live on the App Store and Google Play. Moreover, it has partnered with Prime 5 Finance Limited for invoice finance facility. The funds raised will be used to expand the business, sales channels and give an e-money account card in three currencies.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£339,920
Established by a team from a Michelin star restaurant, The Gaff is a small plate restaurant offering food in contemporary, comfortable, and relaxed surroundings. The first restaurant was opened in May 2019 and aspires for a Michelin Accreditation. The concept of small plate menus was the fourth biggest restaurant concept trend of 2019 which Gaff wants to capture. Gaff has been reviewed in The Good Food Guide 2020 and mentions by prominent food bloggers such as Kavita Favelle. They have also received good customer ratings with over 87% 5-star rating on Res Diary and a 75% rating on TripAdvisor. The funds raised will be utilised to open a second restaurant in Bath and three more around the UK.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£71,950
