A long-established Lancashire company that supplies X-ray protection wear to the NHS is targeting global markets with the help of a £350,000 loan from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia Debt as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II). WSR Medical Solutions is the UK’s leading manufacturer of
HowNow – the AI-powered learning and skills platform – has extended it Series A funding round to £7.5m. Following an initial £4m investment from Mercia Ventures and FTSE 100 education firm Pearson in February 2023, it has secured a further £3.5m from Mercia and Pearson, along with Fuel Ventures. Headquartered in London, HowNow serves customers
A Sunderland company that is developing an innovative healthcare and fitness monitor has raised a further £500,000 from the North East Venture Fund, supported by the European Regional Development Fund and managed by Mercia Ventures, to help bring it to market. Applied Monitoring has developed a non-invasive way to continuously monitor lactate levels in blood,
Shopblocks, the Stockport-based business that is a pioneer in digital commerce, has raised £2m from NPIF II – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia Ventures as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), Mercia’s EIS funds, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and private investors. The latest investment comes as
A Hull-based software business has raised £100,000 from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia Debt as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), to support its growing workload. Think360 has secured over £1m worth of new contracts in the past few weeks and has over £4m of other
A Hull-based electrical wholesaler has undergone a seven-figure management buy-out backed by funding from Mercia Debt. AA Jones Electric, which was founded in 2009 and is now one of the region’s leading independents, supplies electrical equipment for domestic and commercial use, as well as industrial automation and controls. The buy-out gives control of the business
TalentMapper – a London-based company whose platform helps identify and develop the skills within an organisation – has raised £2m from Mercia Ventures and Haatch. Despite being launched just 18 months ago, TalentMapper has already attracted major clients including Dunelm, Danone and Mountain Warehouse and achieved annual recurring revenue of over £700,000. The funding will
TRIBE – the natural energy snack brand – has raised £2.4m in a funding round led by Mercia Ventures and including Yeo Ventures, Crowdcube and private investors. The funding, which comes as the company launches its new ‘Protein + Focus’ range with lion’s mane mushroom, will enable it to continue its rapid growth and make
What does the year ahead hold in store for early-stage businesses and scale-ups? Will Clark and Sandy Reid of Mercia Ventures identify seven key trends. Will Clark, Managing Director of Mercia Ventures, says: Scaling up will be harder Raising follow-on investment will be one of the biggest challenges for early-stage companies in 2025. Scaling
A Midlands commercial contractor that works on many high-profile retail developments is set for growth following a seven-figure management buyout supported by funding from Mercia Debt and Frontier Development Capital. GI Sykes, a third-generation family business based in Stourbridge, employs 40 permanent staff as well as dozens of independent contractors. The buy-out gives control of