13x return for London Business Angels and its Associates from partial exit in Brandwatch

Brighton based social media monitoring specialist, Brandwatch, has raised $22m in new funding.

The Series B round was led by new investors Highland Capital Partners with participation from existing investors including Nauta Capital and Gorkana Group. This round brings the total raised to date by Brandwatch to just under $30m. London Business Angels (www.lbangels.co.uk) investors and its Associates at the time own a significant minority stake in the company, having invested over £500k together during 2006 and 2007.

Brandwatch is one of the world's leading social media monitoring and analytics technology platforms. It harvests millions of online conversations every day and provides clients with the tools to analyse them, empowering brands and agencies to make smarter, data-driven business decisions. The Brandwatch platform is used by over 1000 brands and agencies, including Whole Foods, Verizon, Pepsico, British Airways and Dell.

e-Go aeroplanes raise £950,000

e-Go aeroplanes Limited, the UK's first ever manufacturer of lightweight carbon fibre aeroplanes, has raised a second round of finance.

Having set a target of between £650k to £800k, the Company has surpassed this and raised in excess of £950k. This latest funding round follows the e-Go prototype's first successful flight on 17th October 2013.

In recognition of their confidence in the Cambridge-based company, all existing investors are contributing again - all keen to continue supporting the company's development and expansion. In addition, a number of new supporters have joined, both directly and through the crowdfunding platform SyndicateRoom. The high-profile Government-backed Angel CoFund is also making a significant investment.

DataCentred secures £4 million of funding from GMIF, Jon Moulton and the North West Fund.

Financing allows company to roll out its next-generation combined colocation and Open Source cloud computing services

DataCentred is delighted to announce that it has secured combined funding of £4m from the Greater Manchester Investment Fund (GMIF), venture capitalist Jon Moulton via his family office, Perscitus Advisers, and The North West Fund for Venture Capital, which is managed by Enterprise Ventures. The finance will be used to fund the company's further expansion and roll out of its integrated colocation and Open Source cloud computing services.

The GMIF, which supports business growth and job creation in the Greater Manchester region, invested £1m in DataCentred in an initial financing round in 2013, and is now contributing a further £1m.  Jon Moulton, one of the UK's most astute and successful business investors, and The North West Fund have each provided £0.75m. The North West Fund for Venture Capital is financed jointly by the European Regional Development Fund and the European Investment Bank and supports innovative, early stage businesses in the North West.  DataCentred's founder Dr Mike Kelly has also participated with a £0.5m investment. 

Octopus backed Zoopla Property Group reaches $1.56 billion valuation on flotation

As an early investor in ZPG, Octopus, one of the UK's leading retail fund management companies specialising in smaller company investing, has had a strong relationship with founders Alex Chesterman and Simon Kain having invested in their previous business LOVEFiLM. 
Octopus backed Zoopla Property Group reaches $1.56 billion valuation on flotation
Digital media business Zoopla Property Group Plc (ZPG), yesterday announced that it had reached a $1.56 billion (£919 million) valuation as it priced its Initial Public Offering ahead of Admission to the London Stock Exchange on Monday 23 June. The successful IPO delivers significant returns for Octopus investors.
As an early investor in ZPG, Octopus, one of the UK's leading retail fund management companies specialising in smaller company investing, has had a strong relationship with founders Alex Chesterman and Simon Kain having invested in their previous business LOVEFiLM. 

IPO highlights value of VCTs and EIS in helping to build billion dollar businesses in the UK Flotation delivers significant returns for Octopus investors

Digital media business Zoopla Property Group Plc (ZPG), yesterday announced that it had reached a $1.56 billion (£919 million) valuation as it priced its Initial Public Offering ahead of Admission to the London Stock Exchange on Monday 23 June. The successful IPO delivers significant returns for Octopus investors.

IPO highlights value of VCTs and EIS in helping to build billion dollar businesses in the UK Flotation delivers significant returns for Octopus investors