Mission to link off-radar investors to companies

MORE and more owner managers looking for equity investment with a direct link to industry-specific skills are harnessing the services of alternative funding specialists.

Manchester-based Aqvvs Capital links SMEs to ‘off-the-radar’ investors who have the funds and industry knowledge to deliver solutions that unlock supressed value across a broad spectrum of areas.

Last year saw many owner managers looking for a post-recession strategy to reflect their personal and business needs.

Some owners want more family time, or to share the burden of majority shareholding, while others are looking to grow the business but lack the skillsets and funding to realise game-changing ambitions.

Another type of owner has recently taken control of a family business and is unsure about its future direction. Risks and challenges include: access to funding; retaining and boosting competitive advantage; accessing international markets; economic volatility; and compliance and regulatory issues.

On the opposite side of the equation are entrepreneurs – including high net worth individuals – who built and sold businesses before the recession and now want to put both cash and sector-specific expertise into appropriate ventures.

Paul Reeves, director at Aqvvs, said: “We set up Aqvvs as a matchmaking service for businesses requiring a capital injection for a specific purpose, such as taking the company to its next level; paying out exiting shareholders; providing a partial exit for the majority shareholder; injecting cash for a strategic acquisition; or paying down post-recession debts.”