BVCA Digest - January 2023
This edition leads with the highlights from recent research on investment and performance across the UK, with a spotlight on Scotland, and the returns generated by private capital funds for investors.
Investing nationwide – spotlight on Scotland
Our most recent Nations & Regions publication, using data gathered from our members, found that £895m was invested into Scotland in 2021, or 5% of the total amount that year. This funding supported 88 businesses and 133,000 jobs. The report also highlights some of the exciting and innovative Scottish companies backed by BVCA members, in sectors like tech, pharmaceuticals and life sciences.
Industry performance
We’re also pleased to be able to highlight two pieces of BVCA research which dive into the returns generated by UK private equity and venture capital – for investors including university endowment funds and pension schemes.
The findings are striking; investors in private equity and venture capital have benefitted from a strong industry return of 22.6% per annum, and the returns generated for investors have been better than those of equivalent investments in the FTSE All-Share Total Return and MSCI Europe Total Return indices every year since 2001.
Invested in a better future
The climate emergency and the need to live more sustainably is one of the driving issues of our times. Sustainability and ESG continues to be a priority area for private investments and the BVCA are pleased to have contributed to Mission Zero: The Independent Net Zero Review as well as collaborating on industry guidance on climate disclosures.
Making connections
It has been encouraging to see so many parliamentarians take part in our “MP Connect” programme across the last few months. The programme links MPs with private equity and venture capital backed businesses in their constituencies and illustrates, firsthand, the benefits that this support brings. These meetings allow founders, entrepreneurs and CEOs of high growth businesses to speak directly to MPs about the impact of PE and VC investment in their constituencies, shining a light on the expertise and long-term view synonymous with the private capital approach.
We have also been delighted to welcome politicians from across the political spectrum to speak at our events – most notably at our flagship industry Summit and at our Emerging Tech Conference.
With 2 million jobs supported by private capital, and clear evidence of its strong returns, it is clear that the industry is a mainstream part of the UK economy. The BVCA is here to help you understand more about the industry and our role in the UK economy. I hope this update helps you with this, and we are always keen to listen and answer any questions you might have about the industry and its role in driving innovation and economic growth across the UK.
