News

Spring Food Limited, a producer of bone broth and bone broth soup based in Essex, has secured a £100,000 investment from the East of England Regional Loan Scheme, managed by The FSE Group.

Spring Food, trading as Spring, has carved out a niche in the culinary market with its range of almost 30 bone broth products sold both online and through its network of circa 200 retail partners. These include high-end independent food retailers, farmers markets and recognised national retailers such as Marks and Spencer.

The popularity of bone broth, celebrated for its nutritional benefits, continues to rise, appealing to a broad demographic from millennials to the elderly.

In a bid to capitalise on this growing market, Spring sought alternative financing solutions to fill the gap left by traditional lenders with limited interest in lending to smaller, growing businesses in the current economic climate.

“This growth loan facility is exactly what we were looking for at this stage of our business,” said Tom Pryor, Spring Founder and Managing Director. “It not only helps us implement our current digital and marketing strategies but also supports capacity building and provides the working capital needed to facilitate the delivery of large contracts to major customers. We are delighted to be working with FSE and look forward to accelerating our growth with this funding.”

With its established processes, robust supply chain, and loyal customer base, Spring has already achieved significant growth over the past five years. It has successfully grown its retail partnerships and continues to experience strong year-on-year growth.

Simon Elliott, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, commented: “Spring has demonstrated an impressive trajectory with its organic growth and innovative product offerings. We are excited to support the continued expansion of the business and are confident that our investment will catalyse further success in their mission to deliver superior, sustainable food products.”

Spring’s commitment to quality and sustainability is evident in their end-to-end business model, collaborating directly with small, independent farmers who adhere to the highest welfare and environmental standards, ensuring that their products minimise food waste and are ethically produced.

The Regional Growth Loan Scheme (RGLS) is managed by The FSE Group on behalf of Local Enterprise Partnerships in the East of England. Loans between £50,000 and £500,000 are available to established incorporated businesses based within the East of England that have a minimum annual turnover of £100,000. The funding can be used for a range of growth activities as well as to service short to medium-term trade and contract finance requirements. The scheme aims to stimulate job creation and economic prosperity and supports SMEs that have the potential to deliver high-growth and employment opportunities across the East of England region.

A Truro-based provider of energy management solutions has secured £175,000 equity from the British Business Bank's South West Investment Fund via appointed fund manager, The FSE Group, as part of a £300,000 funding round.

Green Power Solutions has developed an advanced energy management platform that addresses key challenges faced by industries relying on off-grid power solutions. These sites heavily rely on assets powered by diesel generators, which present issues such as maintenance, downtime, and CO2 emissions tracking.

The company’s software integrates seamlessly with existing hardware, giving clients the ability to monitor, manage, and optimise their entire operations remotely. Providing real-time alerts and centralised energy management, Green Power Solutions offers a more sustainable solution with advanced analytics and real-time energy adjustments that reduce maintenance costs and streamline compliance.

Sam Taylor, CEO of Green Power Solutions, said: “This funding will allow us to further enhance our software capabilities and expand our market reach, ensuring we are well-equipped to meet our ambitious targets and provide innovative and sustainable solutions for a wide range of industries. We are thrilled to receive support from South West Investment Fund and look forward to working with The FSE Group as we grow.”

Anna Staevska, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, commented: “Green Power Solutions has demonstrated a proven market fit with its innovative software platform. The company's strong customer base, robust distribution agreements, and motivated management team make it a compelling investment opportunity. We believe the business has the potential to deliver a significant return on investment, and we are excited to support them on this journey.”

Green Power Solutions will use the funding to build capacity across sales, customer service and in-house development. With a strong pipeline of potential customers and established relationships with major hardware manufacturers, the company aims to become a leading name in the performance monitoring of off-grid assets.

Paul Jones, British Business Bank said: “Green Power Solutions is at the forefront of sustainable innovation, transforming energy management practices to reduce cost and emissions for industries relying on off-grid power. We’re pleased that the latest funding through the South West Investment Fund will help the company position itself to build capacity as it embarks on this next phase of growth.”

The purpose of the South West Investment Fund is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West. It offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million. The Fund is increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for South West smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.

We’re thrilled to announce that CybaVerse has secured over £1.1 million in funding, fueling our bold vision for growth and innovation in the cyber security space. This investment marks a significant milestone in our journey to advance, expand our capabilities and allow us to continue delivering our top-tier cyber security solutions.

Backed by FSE Group, Haatch, Founder & Lightning, including FSE angel investors and the University of Sussex Business Angels group, this milestone highlights our momentum as it redefines the future of cyber security with the SaaS platform, CybaVerse AI. The funding will drive team expansion and accelerate development of the platform, with the company recently appointing three senior leaders to spearhead this exciting next chapter.

The new hires include esteemed technology industry veteran, Andreas Wuchner, who joins as Chairman. With over 26 years of cyber security experience, Andreas has held senior roles at global giants like Deutsche Bank, UBS, and HP. His remarkable track record at some of the world’s leading organisations brings a wealth of knowledge and insight that will be invaluable as CybaVerse continues to grow and push boundaries in the industry. Andreas’s leadership will play a key role in helping CybaVerse achieve its goals and further grow the company.

“I’m delighted to be a part of the CybaVerse team. I have been completely drawn to Ollie’s ambitions and goals and the company’s innovation and creativity, which I believe will significantly benefit the security community at large. Cyber security is the most critical challenge in the digital world and we must support SMEs with a more efficient way to defend against the threats they face, otherwise we will always be on the backfoot to adversaries. I believe CybaVerse is making strides in tackling this important issue and I am delighted I will be playing a part in helping them reach this goal with my skills, experience and network,” said Andreas Wuchner.

The CybaVerse team have also welcomed Juliette Hudson as CTO. Juliette brings invaluable technical knowledge and experience to the role, with previous positions including SOC regional manager at Kroll, plus previous technical roles at Bupa and Symantec. Additionally, Nicola Hartland also joins the team as a Non-Executive Director and Board Advisor. Nicola has worked in cyber and technology for over 20 years and she will use her vast experience to enhance relationships with clients and scale the company.

These new hires have been involved in the technology industry, each with a proven track record of driving growth, fostering innovation, and ensuring success for the businesses they’ve worked with. Now, CybaVerse is poised to leverage their expertise to elevate its customer experience, accelerate the evolution of CybaVerse AI with the help of Founder & Lightening, and propel the company’s growth to the next level.

“We love the fact that CybaVerse has significant traction and very impressive founders and board. They are the perfect fit for us as they already have product-market fit nailed and the love of their customer base. We will now support them to reach their next goals with tech and investment. We were very impressed with their ultimate vision to build a comprehensive SaaS-based cyber security management system tailored for SMEs. Cybersecurity is vital to the functioning of all companies and particularly poignant at the moment with the evolution of AI. It's really great to be working with Gemma, Oliver and the team. We're very excited for the journey ahead.” Says Matt Jonns, Ceo & Founder of Founder & Lightning.

CybaVerse has evolved from a boutique consultancy into an innovative and highly skilled cyber security managed services provider with CybaVerse AI leading the way for all industry types. With a team of experts skilled at solving the high-stakes and complex challenges faced by its clients, CybaVerse is redefining how cyber security is managed. The recent launch of its cutting-edge platform, CybaVerse AI, marks a major leap forward. Designed to simplify cyber security management for SMEs, the platform provides a unified view across their entire cyber landscape, boosting efficiency, enhancing project management, and lightening the load on in-house IT and security teams.

“It’s a pleasure to welcome Andreas, Nicola and Juliette to our growing team. With their rich technical experience and deep expertise in operations and leadership, they will be invaluable assets to CybaVerse. As we continue to develop CybaVerse and our platform offerings, I believe they each have the necessary skills and experience to help us realise, and surpass, our ambitions,” said Oliver Spence, CEO of CybaVerse.

We can’t wait to see where the next chapter of our journey takes CybaVerse, as we continue pushing the boundaries of cyber security innovation and helping our clients to thrive in a secure digital world with the use of CybaVerse AI.

Revolution-ZERO has secured £1 million equity from the South West Investment Fund via appointed fund manager, The FSE Group. The initial £1.6 million round, which includes funding from private angels, will help create 20 new jobs while supporting the overall growth of the business, which is based in Truro in Cornwall.

Founded in 2020, Revolution-ZERO is a medical textile solutions provider, with a strong emphasis on environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Initially focused on reusable masks, the company has since expanded to include surgical textile solutions and decontamination/sterilisation units equipped with an RFID tracking system.

Operating as a circular economy system, Revolution-ZERO significantly reduces the environmental impact associated with single-use medical textiles, including emissions, waste, water, and toxicity, while also lowering costs for healthcare providers.

Founder and CEO, Tom Dawson, said: "We are thrilled to receive this South West Investment Fund investment via FSE, which will not only accelerate our growth but also further our mission to provide sustainable and effective medical textile solutions. Our end-to-end service model has already shown significant potential in reducing single-use item dependency in healthcare settings and this funding will help us scale these solutions more rapidly."

The BCorp certified company secured accreditations required to supply the NHS in 2021 and has since experienced rapid growth, expanding to 23 staff and more than tripling turnover. With ambitious plans to achieve six operational medical textile processing units by 2026, rising to 24 by 2028, Revolution-ZERO aims to become a £25 million turnover business within the next three years.

Anna Staevska, FSE Investment Manager, commented, "Revolution-ZERO's innovative approach to medical textiles is a game-changer for the healthcare industry. By addressing critical issues related to supply chain vulnerabilities and environmental impact, they are setting new standards for sustainability in the sector. We are excited to support their continued growth and success."

In the UK alone, approximately 53,000 tons of single-use regulated medical textiles are consumed annually, costing the NHS more than £400 million. Revolution-ZERO aims to disrupt this market, which is valued at £405 million annually in the UK and £4 billion across Europe.

Paul Jones from the British Business Bank added: “Revolution-ZERO is transforming the medical textile industry, offering reusable solutions that significantly reduce environmental impact and cut healthcare costs. We’re pleased that the South West Investment Fund has supported the company at this pivotal time to help them scale up and grow.

The purpose of the South West Investment Fund is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West. The South West Investment Fund is increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for South West smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.

There are a number of options available to fund business growth but many factors, including not wanting to give away part of your business in equity, not having several years of trading under your belt, wanting to invest in a new product, or not having enough security to satisfy a lender, can leave many businesses unable to access the finance they need in order to grow.

As appointed Fund Manager for a number of funds in the East and South East of England that exist to promote business growth, FSE is helping ambitious SMEs (small and medium enterprises) overcome such hurdles, providing loans from £100,000 to £500,000.

FSE’s Head of Funds for the South East and East, Cheryl Weeks, explains how FSE is debunking lending stereotypes to provide more than money and help high-growth businesses reach their potential.

Lenders want to see at least three years strong trading history…

As a provider of finance for business expansion, we’re more interested in your forecasts than your historic trading performance. As long as you can show that your business is growing and has gained commercial traction such as some sales, confirmed orders etc, we don’t mind if it is early stage, resurgent, recently changed ownership, or pivoting in a new direction.

Where mainstream finance providers will look for evidence that past performance can service your borrowings, we’re interested in the opportunity you are seeking to take tomorrow and not yesterday’s profit. We’re open to taking the time to explore the opportunity so, even if you’ve been unable to access funding before, come and talk to us.

The computer says no…

We aren’t about ticking boxes for a computer algorithm to make a lending decision. We want to get to know you; we’re interested in the challenges you’ve overcome, the bumps in the road, and your ambitions. We want to hear your business story to date and understand the opportunity you are seeking to fund. Yes, we undertake desktop research to complement the information you provide to us but fundamentally our appraisal process is personal; no computer-generated responses.

Bank managers are a thing of the past…

We’ll provide you with a dedicated Investment Manager who will work with you to present the best possible case to get your funding over the line. Complexity in the transaction is likely to be a given in many of our deals and our team are well-qualified to deal with this. They’ll meet with you as much as it takes to fully understand the proposal and will help ensure it’s in the best shape possible before being reviewed by independent experts.  

Our relationship-led approach doesn’t end with the money landing in your bank account - we don’t lend to you and then forget about you. You will be supported by a FSE Manager to contact throughout your time with us. Many of our customers come back to us for further funding, sometimes because the original plan needs additional finance and sometimes to fund an entirely new strategy. We will always try and support you on your growth journey; we’re with you for the long term.  

You need extensive assets to get a business loan…

Our funds exist to break down barriers to accessing finance, which means you don’t need assets as collateral. Unlike many mainstream lenders, we don’t rely on charges over property to be able to support you. We take a debenture (a charge over company assets) and a limited personal guarantee from the shareholding directors to underwrite their confidence in the growth forecasts of the business. We are transparent from day one with our security requirements.

Applying for a business loan is too much red tape and you might not even get the funding…

Of course we will need to gain all the information needed to decide whether your business is one we can invest in. These are not grants; they are commercial funds providing loans that need to be repaid. Our industry professionals will be looking to support you while lending responsibly so we are thorough in getting to know you and your business; our due diligence is robust. That said, we’ll ensure this is clear and straightforward and if you’re not suitable for these funds, we’ll let you know quickly, steering you to alternative funding sources where appropriate.

Lenders are only interested in financing teams that fit a high-growth stereoptype…

At FSE we’re really proud of the work we do to engage with businesses from diverse backgrounds and from across the whole of an area where we operate. This includes less-experienced teams, those operating in hard-to-reach geographical areas, those with female leaders and people from ethnic minority backgrounds. We have really strong female representation amongst our leadership at FSE and we are committed to ensuring that diversity is reflected across the range of businesses we work with.

In the South East and East of England, The FSE Group manages the Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator, the Coast to Capital Funding Escalator, The East of England Regional Loan Schemes and the CPCA Business Growth and Social Impact Investment Fund, for a number of fund operators. These funds operate as commercial funds with commercial returns required. Investment decisions are made by The FSE Group, not the fund operator.