I’m writing this on the first meteorological day of Autumn, a season that brings cooler temperatures, apple picking, cider mulling, orange leaves, parkin and pumpkin carving. This year we also anticipate (with some trepidation) changes to the furlough scheme, a looming second wave of coronavirus and a period of events to make up for all those that have been lost this year.
In time-honoured tradition, I am pleased to bring you the August edition of the Investment update on behalf of TechSPARK’s Investment Activator Programme. This month has seen five significant investment deals in the West of England (four local authority areas surrounding Bristol and Bath). Three companies have received significant equity investment totalling just under £1,000,000 in undisclosed deals, and two further companies have announced acquisitions:
- Bath-based MyLife Digital has been acquired by the Inc & Co collective. MyLife Digital develops solutions that connect people to their data, allowing them to understand, control and gain mutual value from that data for positive outcomes. They support businesses who use data to collect consent and preference details throughout the customer journey, enabling companies to boost engagement and build long-term trusted relationships. Read more.
- BAE Systems has strengthened its technology and data portfolio with a deal to buy Techmodal, a Bristol-based data consultancy and digital services company. Techmodal has approximately 120 employees and 30 associates, and a number of long term contracts with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) in support of the UK’s armed forces, particularly the Army, Strategic Command and Royal Navy. Their expertise complements BAE Systems’ existing digital, data and technical services capabilities. Read more.
If you are a company owner/leader seeking investment, there are three events in the Autumn calendar designed to provide support for you run by TechSPARK which you can read about here.
In addition, you might like to check out the new Business Innovation Fund (grant funding for companies planning innovative developments) from the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).
Or perhaps you’d be interested in the Funding Readiness programme run by Barclays Eagle Labs.
If you are an investor and you would like to receive the regular newsletter and event invitations for the Quarterly Investment Briefing (QIB), please find more information here.
And finally, if you are a founder and you are raising investment you can submit your one page proposition for circulation with investors, please find more information at the bottom of this page.
Shona Wright
Shona covers all things editorial at TechSPARK. She publishes news articles, interviews and features about our fantastic tech and digital ecosystem, working with startups and scaleups to spread the word about the cool things they're up to.
She also oversees TechSPARK's social media, sharing the latest updates on everything from investment news to green tech meetups and inspirational stories.
