Neighbourly appoints technology entrepreneur Luke McKeever as CEO

Founder Nick Davies to focus on building the Neighbourly movement in Chief Activist role

UK, 18 September 2015: Neighbourly.com – the internet platform that connects local community projects with companies that want to make a difference – has announced the appointment of Luke McKeever as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The move allows Founder, Nick Davies, to focus on building the Neighbourly movement as the company’s Chief Activist.

McKeever brings a strong track record in growing successful international technology businesses – having served as CEO for Portrait Software, a UK-listed customer interaction optimisation specialist acquired by Pitney Bowes for £44million in 2010, and OB10, the global trading network acquired by Tungsten Corporation for £100million in 2013. McKeever joined Neighbourly as Chairman in September 2014. As CEO, he will now oversee day-to-day operations as Neighbourly continues its transition from ambitious UK startup to rapid growth, international organisation.

Neighbourly recently closed its third funding round, and announced plans for the Netherlands to become the second ‘Neighbourly Nation’. The platform launched in July 2014, helping community projects find support and allowing major brands to pledge almost £2million and some 6,500 volunteer days to local community causes in its first year. The business recently brought in Lloyd Buxton as Head of Client Engagement and Annette Mercer as Head of Operations, to help continue the rapid scaling of the business.

“Neighbourly has made huge strides this year. As we grow, we need an experienced eye on ensuring we continue to deliver a positive impact for companies, and the causes and volunteers in local communities,” explained Nick Davies, Founder and Chief Activist, Neighbourly. “Luke’s knowledge and his belief in our purpose make him the perfect match for the CEO role. It also gives me the time required to concentrate on driving awareness and understanding of Neighbourly’s role in transforming the intersection between business and society, to the benefit of local communities.”

Luke McKeever, CEO, Neighbourly added: “In our journey so far, it has become increasingly clear that we are not just building a company – we’re also building a movement of like-minded individuals and businesses. Driving that type of social change is a full-time role and Nick is the natural leader of these conversations. As CEO I look forward to working with Neighbourly’s talented team in a day-to-day capacity, getting everything in place as we prepare to make an even bigger impact in 2016 and beyond.”

Nauta celebrates $70 million first close of fund backing highly capital efficient Series-A Software propositions

London, Barcelona, September 16, 2015 – Nauta Capital has completed the first close of its 2015 fund at $70 million, resulting in total assets under management (AUM) of $260 million. The final close is expected during the first half of 2016 with a total fund target ranging from $115 to 175 million. 

Nauta Capital, which has offices in London, Barcelona and Boston, is one of the most active early stage venture investors in Europe. It backs entrepreneurs committed to creating global capital efficient software companies in large markets with limited previous technology impact. Areas of interest include B2B software, disruptive digital media and enabling technologies for mobile and the internet.

Nauta has led investments in 30+ companies including Scytl, Brandwatch, Fizzback, GreatCall, Eyeview Digital, Basekit, Rifiniti, ForceManager, Marfeel, Getapp, Incrowd, Privalia and Social Point.

The first close of the 2015 fund includes leading institutions in the UK and Continental Europe, as well as a number of large European and Latin American family offices. The VC Catalyst Fund, managed by the British Business Bank has also committed to the fund.

Nauta plans to lead approximately 25 investments in the next five years out of its new fund.

Carles Ferrer, General Partner, Nauta Capital, said: “Our passion is backing great entrepreneurs that share our desire to produce world-leading capital efficient B2B software companies and become global disruptors. We target businesses operating in large markets where technology has had limited impact to date but show strong prospects of rapid and material change.

These companies can grow substantially with the right backing and Nauta has a great track record in responsible investment at the right stage in a company’s life, avoiding conflicts between entrepreneurs, teams and investors. Our companies use our initial funding to grow very rapidly and will accelerate investment only when appropriate. This aligns interests across the board and maximises returns at all sizes of exits”

Ken Cooper, Managing Director, Venture Capital Solutions, British Business Bank added: “The Nauta team has a proven track record in nurturing disruptive tech companies in the UK. The British Business Bank investment will allow them to grow their UK operations and back more of this country's promising technology businesses.”

BCG Digital Ventures challenges the future of corporate innovation and tech investment with launch in London

The First-of-Its-Kind Corporate Venture Firm creating category-changing enterprises for big businesses, expands to UK market

15 September 2015, London, UK: BCG Digital Ventures, the fast growing venture investment and incubation firm, today announces its expansion into the UK market with the launch of a London centre.

Created around a team of highly experienced technology entrepreneurs, senior business leaders, venture architects, designers, product managers and engineers, BCG Digital Ventures helps companies to act like start-ups by injecting or attacking established models with new ideas and technologies to be fit for the future. Its entrepreneurial model also facilitates investments for corporate partners in new enterprises and shares investment risks.

BCG Digital Ventures’ new London centre will house co-located, incubated start-ups built for Global Fortune 500 companies. After a decade in which entire industries have been disrupted or invented by technology start-ups such as Uber, Airbnb, Amazon, Facebook, Google and eBay, the firm provides established corporates with a means of taking the initiative.

BCG Digital Ventures’ UK team is led by technology and media entrepreneur Ajay Chowdhury, former chairman of Shazam, CEO of Seatwave and LineOne and currently a director of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and fintech company FairFX; and Patrick Rouvillois, formerly global Chief Marketing Officer of Carrefour where he also managed eCommerce and a senior executive at Barnes & Noble, ABB, Orange, Vodafone and Vivendi Universal.

By plugging into Boston Consulting Group’s global network, BCG Digital Ventures blends Fortune 500 consultancy firepower with the ability to build and commercialise new digital products and businesses at start-up speed.

Jeff Schumacher, Founder and CEO, BCG Digital Ventures, commented: “BCG Digital Ventures is a unique proposition and marks a transition for management consultancy from purely advising to building and launching ventures with clients.  The fusion of entrepreneurial expertise with design and build capability, will help large established companies think and act at the same pace that start-ups do and we will help them transform themselves before out-side competitors challenge their markets.

“Too often good ideas can be lost or destroyed by corporate culture, so we have created a range of innovation and incubation options such as spotting emerging IP and building technologies before integrating and tailoring them into a host company, or sharing the venture risk up-front.”

Stuart Quickenden, BCG Senior Partner and Head of the London office added, “Designing breakthrough businesses, products and consumer experiences that can generate significant incremental value, is now a core challenge for established businesses in almost every sector.

“We believe that by matching the global breadth and depth of our consultancy expertise with the entrepreneurial agility, business build and tech expertise within BCG Digital Ventures, will enable us to re-wire large companies from their core, helping them better navigate the complex, fast-changing world around them.”

The launch of the London office forms a pivotal part of a network that already has offices in California (Manhattan Beach, San Francisco, Palo Alto), Berlin and Sydney, and a team of more than 300 globally. BCG Digital Ventures London will provide UK companies with access not only to domestic innovations, but talent and ideas from markets worldwide.  The firm will continue to rapidly expand its global operations further over the next year, hiring world-class tech entrepreneurs in financial technology, travel and logistics, ecommerce, connected health and media.