Stroli – the shopping trolley reimagined for modern needs. The shopping trolley, often associated with a particular image, is an untapped category ready for innovation. The market is flooded with generic, budget-friendly options that lack charm, with the exception of Rolser, which is pricier and claims the green niche. Stroli steps in as the go-to brand, offering a unique approach, positioning, voice, and eco-friendly credentials. Say goodbye to sore hands and plastic bags – Stroli makes shopping a pleasure with its high-quality, stylish trolley bags designed to enhance your convenience and style
days to go:
Extended
investment:
Withheld
Ember Snacks (ES) is a sustainable meat snack brand that aims to end factory farming in the meat industry. It works directly with farmers committed to using high welfare and regenerative practices to improve soil health and encourage wildlife on their farms. Since its launch in 2017, ES's products have been stocked in over 2,000 distribution points across the UK, including Sainsbury’s and Waitrose. It also argues that it is the most reviewed meat snack brand on Amazon across the UK and Europe, with nearly 4,000 reviews. The company asserts that its products are stocked in 200 Stonegate pubs, supported by field activation. It earned over £1.75 million in sales in 2020, won a medal at the Charcuterie Live Awards 2021, and received over 35 pieces of press coverage in 2021. ES states it will use the investment to discourage factory farming, build its team, grow distribution channels in major UK supermarkets, launch a campaign to highlight factory farming practices, reach out to new customers, and launch new products.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£1,420,578
Troubadour is a London-based menswear brand specialising in designing minimalist bags & accessories by combining performance design with a clean & modern aesthetic feel. The company has delivered its products to 60+ wholesalers. It is backed by Pembroke VCT, a luxury-focused venture capital firm based in London. Troubadour is planning to work with non-traditional retailers including Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, and Equinox. It has also collaborated with many world-renowned brands such as British tailors 'Thom Sweeney' and British essentials brand 'Sunspel' that is famous for clothing James Bond. The company has also been a case study for classes at the Harvard Business School. With the investment, the company will support sales growth to its customers and retail partners and also fund working capital requirements from its forecast growth plan.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£621,240
Ruby Violet (RV) creates ice cream flavours, vegan sorbets and iced delights. It asserts that it has grown from a market stall in 2011, to two parlours and an accompanying vintage van, tricycle and trolley, almost doubling its revenue from 2016 to 2019. RV aims to become a contender in the ice cream industry that is worth £1.4 billion in the UK and £44 billion worldwide. It asserts that 90% of the packaging used by the company is either recyclable or compostable. It has featured in press entities like The Times, The Guardian, Vogue and the BBC, to name a few. RV has also collaborated with noted gin company, Gin Mare, creating gin ice cream and sorbet specific to their infused botanicals. RV's clients include Costa Coffee, Nike, McVitie's, and Moet & Chandon. It will use 75% of the investment for capital expenditure, 15% for marketing activities, and 10% for hiring key personnel.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£357,173
Aguulp innovates and curates liquid formulas using liposomal technology. The company asserts that vitamins in pill form have an absorption rate as low as 5% which is further eaten by stomach acid upon consumption before a person gets a chance to absorb it. Agullp aims to resolve this. Its product, NutriProtect, shields nutrients from corrosive stomach acid and helps 98% of nutrients reach the small intestine for absorption. The company estimates that over 3 million people in the UK and more than 10 per cent of the world’s population is malnourished for a variety of reasons, including environmental pollution, unhealthy diets and stressful lifestyles that block nutrient absorption and compound deficiencies. Aguulp aims to change this with its product line that includes Aguulp for Gut, Aguulp for Brain, and Aguulp for Immunity. The company will use 55.6% of the investment for marketing purposes, 44.2% for paying their staff, and 0.2% as other expenses.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£317,993
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
Comino is an international start-up specialising in the design and production of liquid-cooled PCs and servers. It claims that its products consume up to 40% less electricity than equivalent air-cooling computers. The company currently operates in AI, Forensic, Gaming, and Video Rendering, with aspirations to enter other domains in the coming years. Comino has sold 2,000 work stations to professional businesses, accruing sales north of 9 million EUR since its launch in 2017. Its products have been accredited by global hardware giants like AMD and ASUS. The company will use 70% of proceeds for manufacturing its devices, 10% towards marketing and promotional materials, and 20% to compensate its teams.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£949,608
PANTSANDSOCKS.COM is an online retailer and subscription service that helps men buy branded underwear and socks. They state their mission is to be a convenient, one-stop-shop for top brands in the market. PANTSANDSOCKS.COM argues that it is an ‘Authorised Stockist’ of 16+ leading brands including Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. The company claims to have fulfilled over 2,000 orders, welcomed over 100,000 unique website visitors to its site, achieved a 4.6/5, ‘Excellent’ Trustpilot rating, and signed up over 4,000 people to its database. The company has integrated with Amazon and Google Shopping to provide additional revenue streams. They state they will use the investment to achieve 100,000 unique visitors per month by the end of Q3 2021, meet its business targets, and continue to develop its internal capabilities at a sustainable rate.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£205,504
Nooro makes cannabidiol (CBD) snack bars. Company founder J.D. Furlong asserts that blending CBD and certain nootropics lead to better cognitive functions in individuals. Nooro also argues that it is the UK's first CBD snack bar seller that is plant-based and gluten-free. The company's products are stocked across 250 retail outlets, cafes, gyms, and delis across the UK. Nooro pivoted to Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) sales during COVID-19 to get better margins. It invested in creating a business model with four distinct revenue streams with 60% earnings coming via e-commerce D2C sales, 15% via digital affiliate sales, 15% via direct sales to partners, and 10% via wholesalers. The company will use the investment to launch an additional three new flavours by February 2021 and grow its business across different verticals.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£235,819
BB Boutique is a marketplace for high quality wedding suppliers that sell products or services ranging from bridal gowns to cakes to venue hire.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£29,636
