Crowdfunding is getting less risky as failure rates fall dramatically, according to Beauhurst January 27, 2016 Crowdfunding is getting less risky, as the failure rate of equity-crowdfunded seed-stage companies in the UK falls to an all-time low. The start-ups using crowdfunding platforms to raise capital have become more successful, reducing the risk for investors, according to the latest data from Beauhurst, which tracks venture capital activity. Read more: The equity crowdfunding refresher: An investor's guide [...]
Number of people worried they’ll never be able to afford to retire increases January 27, 2016 We talk a lot about the amount of pressure the younger generation are under – but those nearing retirement age have it just as hard, it turns out. A new report suggests that the number of people who said they're worried they may never be able to completely retire has risen to 12 per cent of [...]
Aberdeen Asset Management chairman Roger Cornick retires as fund management firm warns on market outlook January 27, 2016 Aberdeen Asset Management chairman Roger Cornick is to retire at the end of the financial year, the group said this morning, as it warned on the outlook amid ongoing market volatility. Cornick, who has been on the board of the fund manager since 2004 and chairman since 2009, will step down on 30 September, when Simon Troughton, who is [...]
Low interest rates more of a challenge to defined benefit pension schemes across the EU than people living longer, says pensions watchdog January 26, 2016 Postponed interest rate rises will be the real cause of problems for those providing defined benefit (DB) pensions, not people living longer. According to results released today from a stress test on occupational pensions by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), DB schemes showed greater sensitivity to sudden falls in interest rates and rises in inflation [...]
Crowdfunding site SyndicateRoom joins forces with angel investors on Gust, the world’s largest investor network January 26, 2016 SyndicateRoom, the UK-based crowdfunding platform, has announced a partnership with Gust, the world's largest online community of early stage investors and entrepreneurs. The two companies will pool their networks, allowing UK-based companies crowdfunding on the sites to access a larger pool of investors. Goncalo de Vasconcelos, CEO and co-founder of SyndicateRoom, said: Our partnership with Gust is based [...]
Our savings slump is lowering our productivity – and even highly paid individuals are financially vulnerable January 25, 2016 We’re nearly there: long after the Christmas credit card bills landed, January’s payday is finally in sight for most of us. Many of us will have tightened our belts this month metaphorically as well as literally this month after a festive overspend. It’s not a pleasant experience. But new SMF research suggests it could also be damaging [...]
Three very important lessons from a startup investor January 25, 2016 We’ve learned a lot about investing in startups from doing just that in more than 200 early stage tech companies across the globe over nearly a decade. Seedcamp has backed a UK fintech leader (Transferwise), now-familiar companies (eMoov and BorrowMyDoggy) and, potentially, the next Uber (our latest intake – find out more here). Whether you’re an angel, working in venture [...]
UK pensions: Flat rate pensions tax relief would be “fairer” and encourage people to save more for their retirement, but pensions ISA would be a bad idea, says industry body January 24, 2016 A single rate of pensions tax relief would make the system simpler, fairer and more sustainable, according to a statement made by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) over the weekend. The ABI, which has been calling for reform to higher rate pension tax relief since 2013, has urged government to consider introducing what it [...]
Venture Capital investing in the UK reaches $1.3bn in the last quarter of 2015, bucking global trends January 21, 2016 Venture Capital firms invested $1.3bn (£910m) in UK companies in the last three months of 2015, capping off a record-breaking year. In total, UK start-ups received $4.75bn in venture capital funding last year from 400 deals, according to the latest data from KPMG and venture capital database CB Insights. This bucked the global trend: there was a 30 [...]
Equity crowdfunding: The 2016 refresher guide for investors January 21, 2016 Alternative finance has provided us with several new asset classes, and one of them is equity crowdfunding. In 2015, the global crowdfunding industry grew to $34.4bn – more than doubling from a year earlier – according to a report from Massolution. In the UK, research from Alt Fi published in November of last year suggested [...]