Launched in October 2016, Big Drop Brewing is a world-leading alcohol-free craft brewer. The company brews beer naturally by using specialist brewing methods to ensure the alcohol never exceeds 0.5%. The beer is not only Alcohol-Free, but is also gluten-free and many are low in sugar. Their award-winning lager is vegan-friendly. The company does not have a brewery of its own but partners with reputable breweries around the world, who share their brewing values to produce the beer. Big Drop Brewing has secured private funding already and meaningful distribution in the UK and 12 overseas markets. They have also secured off-trade listings in Tesco, Morrisons and Ocado. Half of the investment will be used for Sales & Marketing, 30% for new branding launch and related marketing, 10% for production costs and the remaining 10% for product development.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£617,566
OFFschool, under SUL Education, is a free Language Learning Application (LLA) that aims to make English language courses available to everyone who has access to the internet. Students can download the app or register by visiting the OFFschool study website. They need to undertake a placement test to check their language level. The app then prepares daily lessons, assignments and activities that are followed by a weekly progress test. SUL Education asserts that the tests provide a continuous assessment allowing the student to see first-hand the progress they are making. SUL Education is accredited by the Accreditation Body for Language Services (ABLS), UK. SUL Education argues that OFFschool has the potential to reach 600 million 7-19-year-olds. The company will use the investment to invest in its world-class team, create the OFFschool 'Referral Pot', and accelerate its user acquisition efforts through multiple channels.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£252,130
Zoom 1hr is a hyperlocal last-mile delivery service delivering food, convenience and retail goods within one hour. The company is currently operating in West Midlands, Wales, and bordering English counties. It aims to become a contender in the online food delivery market that is projected to reach over £5 billion in 2021. Zoom 1hr has witnessed 70,000 app downloads, processed over 280,000 orders through its platform, and gained an annual turnover of £665,000 in 2019-2020 at an order growth rate of 108%. Zoom 1hr argues that its list of partners consists of local, national and international stores including Subway and KFC. It has also secured a contract with Co-Op to be its third national last-mile delivery partner, currently servicing 61 stores. The company will use the investment for New Area Mobilisation (NAM), product and website development, key hires, and team expansion.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£595,084
BEEN London is a next-generation sustainable accessory brand which converts waste into beautiful products, for customers all around the world. They aim to change the way people make, perceive and buy beautiful things and want to make everyone part of the solution, involving local artisans and people with learning disabilities in the growing economy of sustainable fashion. Till now, they have successfully shipped orders to 18 countries worldwide, achieved profitability from Year 1 and launched 17 different products including backpacks, laptop cases and tote bags. BEEN is a UK FUTURE 20 startup, a finalist at the Sustainable Lifestyle Awards, and a profitable company looking to scale up into a global, game-changing sustainable brand. BEEN have been approved for investment by London Fashion Fund. With the funds, they want to accelerate sales, increase margins and turn other streams of waste into new incredible products.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£325,589
Karshare connects renters with owners, giving those with cars the opportunity to earn extra income while those in need of a car can rent from their local community. The company aims to unlock community car sharing by tapping into the estimated 10 million cars parked at UK airports each year and 38 million vehicles parked on UK streets. Karshare's platform features telematics and keyless technology allowing for cars to be booked instantly and unlocked using facial recognition. Karshare has a TrustScore of 4.9/5 and 852 reviews. It has onboarded partners such as Allianz Insurance, OCTO Telematics, Rentalcars.com, and RAC. Karshare has featured in press publications like The Times, Huff Post, BBC and Evening Standard amongst others. The company will use 25% of the investment for business operations, 45% for growing the business, and 31% for developing User Experience (UX) and functionality.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£1,444,182
Peckwater Brands (PB) is a company engaged in the growing cloud kitchen/delivery business that runs virtual restaurant brands from the kitchens of existing restaurants. It argues that restaurants need to pay high street rents and staff wages no matter how many diners visit. Nearly 5,000 restaurants have closed in the UK since 2015 due to not being able to fulfil these tasks. PB aims to change this scenario. It helps restaurant partners use their existing staff and kitchen capacity better, and help keep struggling businesses running. The company received more than 10,000 customer orders through Deliveroo and Uber Eats. It witnessed more than £250,000 in customer sales since June 2020 and is spread across London, Manchester, Leeds, and Coventry. PB has launched four brands with four more in the pipeline. It will use the investment to get more partners, launch more brands, and acquire more customers.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£232,208
Wedding Planner is an online wedding-planning marketplace that provides an easy way to plan and book a wedding. Around 20,000 couples are using this platform to plan their dream weddings. Besides being a pre-COVID profitable business in the UK, it is the UK's number one ranked site for 'Wedding Planner' as per Google. The website has been created by combining a digital wedding booking system, curated venues, planning tools, and supplier search options. The platform generates 8,500+ leads for venues and suppliers per quarter and has a registered base of 3,000+ venues and other suppliers. With the investment, the company will use 25% to update their booking system catering to couples and suppliers, 12% in creating new and tested standardised contract templates between the couple and the supplier, 13% in developing a partnership with a wedding insurance provider, 30% as substitution funds for supplier and venue subscriptions frozen during COVID-19, 13% in continuing the platform's growth in Sweden, and 7% in costs associated with fund-raising.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£25,010
Livia's is a brand that makes 100% plant-based, natural and indulgent treats. The company develops the recipes in-house and sells through retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s & Boots, as well as, through online channels like Amazon and its website. The company has sold almost 7 million treats and has 200,000+ online followers. Their products cater to those with allergies and intolerances. They have seen sales increase by over 1,000%+ during the lockdown. Livia's will use the investment for new product development, grow its e-commerce platform, enhance its marketing and sales team, and scale its operations.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£1,935,322
Drinkly is an award-winning tech platform that delivers chilled beers, spirits, wines, and more in one hour. The company has increased by 400% in sales since its launch, delivering more than 14,000 orders in Edinburgh, London, & Glasgow. Moreover, it has won the 2019 Online Business of the Year at the Scottish SME Awards. Drinkly has also worked in collaborations with global drinks brands including Asahi, Heineken, and Tito's Vodka, introducing new products to market and gathering invaluable customer insights. With the proceeds, the company will recruit staff and grow sales; it will also invest in and execute its marketing strategy to fuel customer acquisition and retention.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£262,496
Prepaired is a global platform for university students to learn from and teach each other via video calling. Students can post a study request on the portal with the questions they have regarding a subject, and others can offer to explain it via a one-on-one video call. The company asserts that its technology is an ideal platform in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic allowing students to share notes and chat on classroom syllabi. Prepaired has tied up with GlobalExam, an e-learning content provider, to further its mission of remote teaching. It will use 67% of the investment in product development, 12% in sales and marketing, and 21% as operations cost.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£115,209
