Plerith works with high growth start-ups and scaling companies to plan for and deliver growth. The company asserts that it helps companies promote their business to potential funders, through its network of angel and venture capital investors depending on the stage and sector of the said business. Plerith is partnering with Newable and Bristol Private Equity Club to deliver the fund in the South West London (SWL) area and identify and invest in the most exciting high growth companies in the region. Plerith argues that its deep knowledge of fundraising, sales, strategy, finance and technology would help SWL businesses flourish. Plerith aims to provide investors access to the highest quality local companies in the SWL region.
days to go:
Stretch
investment:
Withheld
Celestial Labs is a drone display company that combines advanced technology with organic performance. The company's proprietary 'Skytheatre' display is a dynamic, safe and green alternative to carbon-intensive fireworks and represents a new frontier for the live event industry. Composed of a creative collective of award-winning filmmakers, musicians, developers, entrepreneurs, and storytellers, the company is constantly pushing the boundaries of drone display innovation, where technology meets imagination. The Human Support division of Celestial is a not-for-profit initiative that aims to lift the spirits of those who witness Celestial's displays whilst imparting crucial information. The company aims to enlist the support and guidance of city leadership partners, industrial conglomerates, and seek grant funding.
days to go:
Stretch
investment:
Withheld
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
Improving the railway construction industry by collecting data to reduce inefficiencies and overspending. Rail Diary is a B2B SaaS product that is designed to analyse information on infrastructure projects to improve particular elements that plague the industry. These include the delivery, commercialisation and the health and safety of projects.
Rail Diary allows developers to monitor ongoing costs, forecast for the future and reduce the number of claims made. Rail Diary will generate revenue via a monthly subscription model ranging from £45 to £150, plus project fees.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£50,544
Ablrate.com is an FCA regulated peer to peer lending platform which connects lenders with borrowers for asset-backed loans. It was launched in late 2014 and has a community of 5000 lenders who have completed £1 million+ worth of loans per month to all sizes of businesses throughout the UK.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£457,950
Rachel JAMES is a luxury casual menswear label that featured in London’s men’s fashion week in January this year.
The Creative Director, Rachel James is a British menswear designer and BA (Hons) graduate of Fashion Design from the University of Westminster. During her education she gained invaluable experience working within all areas of the fashion industry, from design to production, pattern cutting to print, PR to Sales at companies including Acne Studios, Todd Lynn and Christian Dior.
However it could be argued her rise in the fashion ranks is owed to a rather fortuitous event during a graduate internship at an Australian fashion house.
People who eventually go on to become huge successes often get a lucky break somewhere along the line. Rachel had hers in 2013 when she was interning at Australian fashion designer Josh Goot in Sydney. While working in the fashion label’s studio, the brand’s design co-ordinater unexpectedly went on leave, leaving Rachel to take charge of many of his duties as well as her own – leading a team of around 10 employees and overseeing both design and production of the collection at that time. She performed her impromptu role so impeccably well that she was instructed to lead a project to re-define and re-design the whole design process within the company – ultimately setting her on the path to understanding what it takes to become a fully-fledged menswear designer.
Fast forward a few months to 2015 and Rachel’s passion for her work and hunger for recognition were two characteristics that helped her secure an invitation to show her new collection at men’s fashion week in London (LC:M) earlier this year. For a graduate designer this is unheard of; applicants typically have 4/5 seasons behind them before they are considered for any space at such a prestigious event. The exhibition proved a great success for showcasing, networking and publicising the brand: Rachel JAMES has since been invited to showcase again this season, has been featured in Italian Vogue and has had pieces requested to style British artists Calvin Harris, Tom Odell, Mark Ronson and Skepta.
From the debut, the label’s PR team have been inundated with press requests and website traffic was given a huge boost. The company is now ready to start making sales with the online shop having just opened for business.
The designer is offering a 25% equity for £50,000 investment.
This is a brand that designs and produces creative, exciting, casual menswear, using luxurious fabrics and impeccable 100% British manufacturing. It is offering investors the chance to come onboard at an early stage.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£8,050
Hemspan states that it designs bio-based building systems and products for construction by combining modern methods, technology and hemp to produce net-zero carbon solutions. The company argues that every time an average house is built, the CO2 emitted by the manufacture, transport and assembly of the materials used is around 50 to 60 tonnes. Hemspan says that one hectare of UK-grown industrial hemp can absorb 11 tonnes of CO2 each year with regeneratively farmed hemp capable of sequestering a further 6 tonnes per hectare of CO2 into the soil each year. Hemspan intends to activate significant demand for hemp farming in the UK and develop processing technologies to reduce reliance on imports and enable large scale manufacturing of bio-based cladding and insulation products that spin out of R&D programmes. It asserts that the global industrial hemp market is expected to grow at 25% CAGR reaching US$ 27 billion by 2028. It aims to be a contender in this segment.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£200,000
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
Novus aspires to become the UK's first ethical digital bank. It argues that Generation Z and millennials want purpose-driven products and services that can also address environmental and social challenges of the times. The company asserts that its services align with the aforementioned objective. Novus allows its members to live a sustainable lifestyle by providing them access to sustainable brands through Novus' in-app marketplace and rewarding them via cashbacks. The company intends to undergo two more funding rounds – Series A and Series B – for scaling its UK operations and expanding in the US and other key EU markets within the next two years. It will IPO its business when it achieves profitability. The company also foresees a strategic exit to interested banking entities.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£732,000
Ensuring an organisation's activities are compliant with key regulations. Evidology is a software program that can be easily integrated into a business's existing infrastructure. The software will check the business's data against more than 40 local and international legislation's and provide a real-time report to management that will highlight whether the business is following compliance, or not.
Evidology's revenue model consists of a 3-year subscription package, in the form of a standard, or enterprise-level product. The company has tested their software within nine businesses, including HSBC. Evidology has predicted to break even as soon as 15 months, based on selling their product at a modest rate of 3 clients per month.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£50,003
