2021 GROWTH INVESTOR AWARDS:
INVESTMENT PROVIDER FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

• 43 investment providers named as finalists are competing across 15 categories
• These exceptional companies channel investment capital into growing businesses up and down the UK
• Now in its seventh year, the Growth Investor Award winners will be revealed at a live ceremony in November

Intelligent Partnership, the UK’s leading provider of education and insight on alternative investments, is proud to announce the first set of finalists for the 2021 Growth Investor Awards, celebrating the investment providers with the passion, resilience and conviction to invest capital into the UK’s small and medium-sized enterprises.

Now in their seventh year, the Growth Investor Awards are a landmark event in the investment calendar. With the support of investors, businesses, government and industry bodies, they honour the companies and individuals who go above and beyond to support the UK’s growing businesses, and in doing so create jobs, boost economic growth and support innovation.

The winners will be revealed at a live and in-person awards ceremony at the fantastic new venue, the London Hilton on Park Lane, on the evening of Thursday November 4, 2021.

Commenting on the 2021 Growth Investor Awards, Guy Tolhurst, Managing Director of Intelligent Partnership, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to once again welcome our finalists in person to thank them for their drive and commitment in the last year. Without the work of the growth investment community, many more companies would have succumbed to the ongoing lockdowns or been unable to engage with the opportunities they have presented.

Guy adds: “This industry is right at the heart of the UK’s investment-led recovery and helping the country to develop world-beating businesses, with explosive short-term growth and exciting long-term prospects in the post-Brexit context. The agility and expertise of our growth investors are invaluable assets to our SMEs and we’re proud of the part they play in unlocking the success that facilitates the jobs and prosperity that is so important to the wider economy. What better reason to dress up and congratulate such worthy nominees. I think they’re all champions and applaud each and every one, but you can be sure that the winners will be the best of the best.

“This year we’ve seen some very competitive categories and I’m pleased to say that includes our brand new ESG Champion of the Year award and at a time of continuing uncertainty, I couldn’t be more impressed by the quality and breadth of what this industry offers to both investors and investees.”

The first set of finalists have been shortlisted across 15 investment provider categories listed below.

Finalists in the other categories will be announced tomorrow.

Best BR Investment Manager (Listed) – Sponsored by Exact Libris
Celebrates investment managers specialising in AIM investments qualifying for Business Relief. Judges will examine the performance of the service since 6th April 2020, assessing investee company selection, investment volume and inflows, adviser relations, customer feedback and overall impact.

• Blackfinch Investments
• Charles Stanley & Co
• Octopus Investments
• Puma Investments
• Stellar Asset Management
• TIME Investments

Best BR Investment Manager (Unlisted) – Sponsored by Exact Libris
Celebrates investment managers specialising in non-AIM investments qualifying for Business Property Relief. Judges will examine the performance of the service since 6th April 2020, assessing investee company selection, investment volume and inflows, adviser relations, customer feedback and overall impact.

• Blackfinch Investments
• Foresight Group
• Ingenious
• Octopus Investments
• Puma Investments
• Seneca Partners
• TIME Investments
• Triple Point

Best EIS Investment Manager – Sponsored by RW Blears
Open to any investment manager specialising in Enterprise Investment Schemes. The judges will be looking at the performance of the service since 6th April 2020, assessing the success across business performance, investment inflows, impact on the investee, adviser relations, customer feedback, and overall impact.

• Calculus Capital
• Foresight Group
• Guinness Asset Management
• Mercia Asset Management
• MMC Ventures
• Par Equity
• Parkwalk Advisors
• Praetura Ventures

Best SEIS Investment Manager
Celebrates investment managers who specialise in Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes. The judges will look at the performance of the finalists’ service since 6th April 2020, assessing their success across business performance, investment inflows, impact on the investee, adviser relations, customer feedback and overall impact.

• Jenson Funding Partners LLP
• Nova Growth Capital
• QVentures
• RLC Ventures
• Symvan Capital
• Worth Capital

Best VCT Investment Manager
This award goes to an outstanding investment manager specialising in Venture Capital Trusts. The criteria include performance since 6th April 2020, the success of the investee company selection, investment volume and inflows, adviser relations, customer feedback and overall impact.

• Albion Capital
• Foresight Group
• Mercia Asset Management
• Octopus Investments
• Puma Investments
• Seneca Partners

ESG Champion of the Year – Sponsored by Shawbrook Bank
Open to entrants in all award categories that have placed a particular focus on ESG in their service or offering. Judges will assess certifications, transparency and disclosure, independent ratings, best practice, the sustainability of outcomes, delivery of ESG commitments and embedding ESG into company culture.

• Blackfinch Investments
• Foresight Group
• Mercia Asset Management
• PensionBee
• Triple Point

Best AIM Portfolio Service
Open to wealth management and stockbroking firms offering discretionary AIM portfolio services, this award is for champions of the AIM market. Judges will discern performance since 6th April 2020, portfolio success, investment volume and inflows, customer feedback and overall business impact.

• Charles Stanley & Co
• Guinness Asset Management
• Hawksmoor Investment Management
• Sarasin & Partners

Exit of the Year
This award goes to any type of exit strategy implemented since 6th April 2020. The judges will pay attention to the success of an individual exit that demonstrates investment performance against initial strategy and targets, value added to the investee business, customer feedback and overall impact.

• 24Haymarket
• Calculus Capital
• Foresight Group
• Mercia Asset Management
• Par Equity
• Pi Labs
• Puma Private Equity
• Seneca Partners

Best Investment Platform
This award highlights the stellar investment platform directing capital into growth investment funds, or a stand-out company that matches businesses with investment capital, recognising their performance since 6th April 2020 as well as user experience, product innovation and business impact.

• Envestors
• GrowthInvest
• Oxford Capital (Co-Investor Circle)
• QVentures
• Wealth Club

Most Impactful Investment
Based on an investment made since 6th April 2020, the judges will be assessing its impact on the investee business, focusing on how funding has been deployed and how growth has been enabled by the fund manager during the investment term.

• Deepbridge Capital
• EMV Capital
• Guinness Asset Management
• Haatch Ventures
• Mercia Asset Management
• Parkwalk Advisors
• Seneca Partners

Industry Game Changer – Sponsored by MICAP
This award celebrates any individual, company, product or platform provider that has demonstrably changed practice, perception or engagement in the tax-efficient investment industry.

• Deepbridge Capital
• Downing Ventures
• Nova Growth Capital
• PensionBee
• Praetura Ventures

Growth Investor of the Year – Sponsored by Kin Fund Services
The highest accolade for investment providers, this award recognises outstanding managers demonstrating the best investment performance, the best product and service developments, and the best ‘impact beyond investment’ on customers and the wider business community.

• Augmentum Fintech Plc
• Deepbridge Capital
• Foresight Group
• MMC Ventures
• Par Equity
• Parkwalk Advisors
• Puma Investments

Best New Product or Service – Sponsored by Mainspring
This award is open to any growth investment provider that has introduced an innovative new product or service to the market since 6th April 2019. The judges will assess the overall impact of the innovation based on its impact on funding volumes, value for investee companies, challenges overcome, customer feedback, and business growth impact.

• 24Haymarket
• Haatch Ventures
• Nova Growth Capital
• Octopus Investments
• Parkwalk Advisors
• Puma Investments
• SuperSeed
• Vauban

Most Valuable Player
Entrants in all award categories are invited to nominate the individual within their own organisation that they believe has gone ‘above and beyond’ with their efforts to support clients, colleagues or portfolios since 6th April 2020. The judges will assess the contribution based on supporting evidence provided by the nominee, and on overall impact.

• Matt Currie, Investment Director – Seneca Partners
• Olivia Greenberg, Chief Growth Officer – Nova Growth Capital
• Dr Savvas Neophytou, Partner & Head of Life Sciences – Deepbridge Capital

Team of the Year
Open to any team working within the growth investment community to deliver exceptional results. Whether your team is dedicated to business development, customer service, marketing, advisory or something completely different, the judges will be looking for the team that has gone above and beyond to support their customers and colleagues while successfully delivering on their projects since 6th April 2020.

• Augmentum Fintech Plc
• Blackfinch Investments
• Deepbridge Capital
• GrowthInvest
• Playfair Capital
• Puma Investments
• Seneca Partners
• TIME Investments

More information about the selection process and previous winners is available on the Growth Investor Awards’ website: growthinvestorawards.com

About the Growth Investor Awards
Now in their seventh year, the Growth Investor Awards are organised by Intelligent Partnership with industry supporters such as BVCA, Centre for Entrepreneurs, Citigate Dewe Rogerson, EISA, ScaleUp Institute, The Supper Club, The Entrepreneurs Network, UK Business Angels Association, and UK Crowdfunding. Sponsors include Kin Fund Services, Mainspring, Exact Libris, RW Blears, Shawbrook Bank and MICAP.