The entrepreneur’s journey can be a difficult one, particularly at the early stages when laying down the groundwork for the company’s future expansion. This is why mentorship is vital; experienced investors can provide strategic advice, constructive criticism and important industry connections. IW Capital has proudly introduced its network of investors to some of the UK’s leading scale-up businesses, including a UK fintech currently making national and trade headlines – WeSwap. Acting as the company’s lead investor since 2011, IW Capital has launched a series B funding round to support the fintech’s rapid scale and pace of expansion.
Recently featured in The Times, WeSwap CEO and Co-Founder Jared Jesner sat down with City AM to offer some fantastic insight into WeSwap’s journey from inception to fully-fledged scale-up. Featured both in print and online, Jared’s interview with City AM reveals just how important it is for large-scale capital investment into SMEs to be supported by strong leadership and advice. Failing this, businesses run the risk of inefficient spending. You can read Jared’s full interview with City AM here.
Having emerged in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, WeSwap is the prime example of a UK start-up at the forefront of fintech innovation. With recent IW Capital research showing that 3.19 million adults feel the biggest investment opportunity in 2017 is private equity investment into UK businesses, the country’s proactive network of investors has been integral to the success of the private sector. This is way tax-efficient investment vehicles such as EIS are vital in linking investors to SMEs.
Despite initial speculations that the Brexit decision would almost immediately hamper the entrepreneurial spirit of the UK, optimism among SMEs remains resoundingly strong; there are a record 5.5 million businesses operating across the country, and 99% of these companies are SMEs. This figure has jumped dramatically over the past 17 years, complemented by the rise of alternative finance platforms ideally positioned to offer growth capital in the form of debt and equity finance.
To celebrate the success of entrepreneurial Britain, next week IW Capital will be releasing ‘EIS in 2017: A decade on since the GFC’. This report will delve into the role of alternative finance in supporting the nation’s next generation of scale-ups. Register as a member of Access 42 to reserve your copy.