BGF Delivers £489m in Investments Across UK & Ireland
Funding | Jan 29, 2025 | Business Growth Fund (BGF)
The Business Growth Fund (BGF) delivered £489 million in investments across the UK and Ireland in 2024, adding 47 new businesses to its diverse portfolio of 360 companies. BGF, known for providing growth capital investments for minority equity stakes, caters to entrepreneurs aiming to maximize growth and value ahead of future exits. Despite challenges in the M&A market, BGF realized significant exits from portfolio companies such as Hydrock, DriveWorks, and Operam Education, with strong returns of 6x, 2.8x, and 2.5x MM, respectively. CEO Andy Gregory expressed satisfaction with the new entrepreneurial companies driving growth and innovation across various regions and sectors, from Elite Dynamics in the North West to Plant-Ex in the South West. BGF is also committed to addressing global issues with investments in sustainability and life sciences companies and surpassed £4 billion in total investments since inception. Furthermore, BGF participated in a £250 million initiative to support female entrepreneurs through the Invest in Women Taskforce.
Sectors
- Private Equity
- Sustainability
- Life Sciences
Geography
- UK & Ireland – BGF's investment and growth activities occurred across the UK and Ireland, influencing multiple regions.
Industry
- Private Equity – The article centers around BGF's investment activities, characteristic of private equity operations involving substantial capital deployment and exits.
- Sustainability – BGF invested in companies addressing sustainability issues, indicating a focus on this growing sector.
- Life Sciences – Notable investments were made in the life sciences sector, among companies such as Wobble Genomics and NanoSyrinx.
Financials
- £489 million – Total investments made by BGF in 2024 within the UK and Ireland.
- 6x MM, 2.8x MM, 2.5x MM – Exit multiples for Hydrock, DriveWorks, and Operam Education respectively.
- £4 billion – Cumulative investments by BGF since inception.
- £25 million – BGF's contribution to the Invest in Women Taskforce.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Growth Fund (BGF) | Investor | Company | A Private Equity firm investing in growth capital for entrepreneurial companies across the UK and Ireland. |
| Hydrock | Portfolio Company | Company | An engineering design consultancy that achieved a strong exit backed by BGF. |
| DriveWorks | Portfolio Company | Company | A design automation firm that delivered a 2.8x MM return for BGF. |
| Operam Education | Portfolio Company | Company | A company that achieved a 2.5x MM exit return for BGF. |
| Andy Gregory | CEO | Person | CEO of BGF leading the company's investment strategies and growth initiatives. |