Private Equity investment opportunities with Maven Investor Partners

We offer institutional investors, family offices and individual experienced investors the opportunity to invest in established UK companies with growth potential, on a deal by deal basis.

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Access to attractive private equity investments

By becoming a Maven Investor Partner you will gain access to a regular flow of direct investment opportunities into UK private companies, usually only available to larger institutional clients.

We invest in ambitious and established companies which offer the potential to generate positive shareholder returns at exit. This is where we are able to help create growth and equity value, typically targeting a multiple of money of not less than 2.5x cost of investment over a holding period of up to five years.

Maven Investor Partners is helping to democratise private equity investment, providing access to an asset class that is uncorrelated to the main markets and often only available to institutional investors.

Key criteria for Private Equity investment

Maven targets later-stage, more established companies and only considers investing in a business that:
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has an entrepreneurial, balanced team not dependent on one person, and which can demonstrate a commitment to succeed and create value for the business and its investors.

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offers products or services that address a defined market.

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is generating meaningful revenues and has good earnings visibility.

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has a credible marketing strategy capable of achieving planned growth and is not over reliant on a small number of customers.

IP protection

owns, where appropriate, intellectual property rights that are capable of being protected.

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demonstrates the prospect of generating a significant multiple return on the initial investment.

Examples of our private equity investments

Geospatial technology

Envitia

Established data and geospatial technology and services provider to both the private and public sectors.

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Website of AdTech platform Blis on laptop screen

Blis

Proprietary technology platform which provides programmatic digital advertising and analytics.

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interior decoration done by EE Smith at The Londoner

EE Smith

Leading joinery and fit-out specialist in the super-prime private residential and high-end commercial development market.

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Investing in Private Equity with Maven

Experienced team

Our private equity team comes from a broad range of professional and commercial backgrounds. We have a long history of successfully investing in private companies, principally via management buy-outs, buy and build projects, or through the provision of growth capital

Nationwide coverage

Our nationwide team is introduced to a large number of high quality opportunities across the UK. These are often brought to us off-market on the strength of our longstanding presence in the key regional markets.

Positive returns

Our team have a track record of generating profitable returns in private company investment over two decades. We only invest in a small number of highly curated opportunities each year, looking for a combination of growth potential, strong sector dynamics, and proven management.

Investor Reporting

We provide regular updates regarding your investments and host a number of investor seminars or webinars throughout the year. In addition, our investment team is available to discuss your portfolio and investment preferences on a one-to-one basis.

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Free to join

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Apply today

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Invest from £25k

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Reach beyond public markets

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Diversify your portfolio

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Start your Private Equity journey

Enquire about becoming a Maven Investor Partner

If you are a family office or seasoned investor who would like to gain access to our regular investment opportunities in private equity or real estate, you can register your interest with us today and we will be in touch.

Enquire now

Risks warning

An investment directly into an unquoted or private company carries a higher degree of risk than many other forms of investment and may be difficult to realise. The value of investments, including the level of income derived from them, may fall as well as rise and investors may not get back the money originally invested. It may also be difficult to obtain reliable information about the value of securities or the risks to which the company is exposed. Co-investment is intended for Professional Clients only.

Frequently asked questions

What is private equity?
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Private equity is an alternative asset class in which capital is invested in private companies and the investor takes an equity interest. Private companies are not publicly traded or listed on a stock exchange. The invested capital comes primarily from institutional and professional investors that either invest directly in the companies, or through a specialist investment manager via a dedicated private equity fund, who sources, diligences, and transacts the investments on behalf of their investors.

What is private equity investment?
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Having been largely the preserve of institutional capital until recent years private equity has now become an increasingly popular investment option for more investors as many barriers have been removed enabling alternatives, like private equity, to more easily make up an allocation of a well-diversified and robust investment portfolio.

A key distinction between private equity and more traditional assets is that private equity investments are in shares of companies that aren’t traded on public stock exchanges and so are generally illiquid, whereas publicly traded stocks can be more easily bought and sold on exchanges. This means that private equity assets tend to have a longer holding period as managers are in the position where they can be patient and wait for the right conditions before exploring an exit opportunity.

That said, a key attraction of private equity investments is that they come with the potential for higher, risk adjusted returns than investments in quoted companies, as they offer the chance to invest earlier in a company’s development and participate in the period of potentially fastest growth. In addition, as the companies are unlisted, they are not under pressure to perform to market analysts’ expectations and can therefore focus on the execution of their plan for the business. Their valuation is also not impacted by general market movements, exogenous to the underlying business.

Why should I invest in private equity?
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Private equity is now widely recognised as an established asset class with a long history of generating positive returns for UK investors. It can be an attractive option for investors and advisers either for the potential returns or its merits as part of a portfolio diversification strategy.

Entrepreneurial private companies are the engine-room of the economy. The UK’s private equity industry is the largest and most dynamic in Europe, turning innovative ideas into successful businesses. It also helps mature companies become more productive which can in turn help drive increased investor returns.

Traditional Venture Capital will often focus on start-up or early stage businesses. However, Maven’s experience and nationwide introducer base allows it to target later-stage, more established private companies where investor returns have traditionally been more predictable. These are typically ambitious and nimble businesses led by talented and hard working people, who can demonstrate a blend of vision and business flair, alongside a differentiated and competitive business proposition.

In all cases, the senior leaders of a PE backed business will be highly incentivised through their personal equity stake, meaning there is direct alignment of interests with the underlying investors. This is a key reason why the UK private equity industry has delivered superior investor returns over many years.

How much can I invest?
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The minimum commitment is £25,000 per transaction, with the option to increase the amount above that level subject to availability. Many of our investors commit much larger sums, depending on personal circumstances.

What type of investments do you target?
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Maven’s long term track record in private equity is based on a tried and tested approach of investing in only a select number of companies every year. In each case we look for a business led by good people, with an achievable growth plan, investing where we can see the potential to make an earnings-based ‘arbitrage gain’ at exit.

We choose to work only with companies which offer the potential to generate positive shareholder returns at exit, and where we are able to create significant additional equity value. We will then typically target a multiple of money (MoM) return of not less than 2.5x initial investment over a holding period of between three and five years, from a combination of income and capital proceeds at exit. Investments will generally be in businesses operating in the sectors we understand, specifically where we have a proven track record of delivering results for Maven investors.

How does Maven source its private equity investments?
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Maven uses its embedded presence in the key UK corporate finance regions to access a range of investments and opportunities in private companies with significant potential for growth. These are often introduced on an off-market basis, on the strength of longstanding personal relationships. They could also be introduced by professional advisers who are aware of our expertise and ability to work constructively with an entrepreneurial management team to accelerate business growth.

What is the investment process?
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A prospective new transaction is subject to rigorous analysis within Maven, including a detailed review by members of our partner group and senior investment executive. That process is intended to challenge and prove the investment thesis, and to structure the transaction in such a way to achieve the best possible returns.

If the decision is taken to conditionally proceed, the target business is subject to extensive third-party due diligence. This will cover all key aspects of the investment, including financial, legal and management referencing, as well as full market and commercial analysis. At this time Maven also seeks to identify prospective future acquirers for the business or asset, based on comparable M&A activity in the sector.

A detailed investment proposal is issued to Investor Partners only when the initial review process is complete, including an estimate of the likely projected returns. There is then a defined period to consider each proposal before deciding whether to participate.

While Investor Partners will usually make an investment decision based on the proposal document, Maven investment executives are on hand to provide further information and discuss the merits of the investment case on a one to one basis if required.

How do we aim to achieve superior returns?
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  • Investing at the right price
    We invest only where a competitive entry price is available and where we see the future potential to exit at an enhanced multiple of higher earnings. Maven also seeks to identify potential future buyers of each target business prior to completing the initial investment.
  • Adding value
    During a typical holding period of three to five years for each investment, Maven’s executives work closely with the management to add shareholder value. The focus is on working together to drive business improvements, which in turn will positively impact profitability. This will ultimately make the business more valuable and attractive to potential acquirers.
  • Developing an exit strategy
    From the outset of each investment, we harness our extensive knowledge across multiple sectors and the advisory community to help management develop an agreed exit strategy. We have long standing relationships with larger private equity firms, which are often looking for the ‘rising stars’ in the lower mid-market. These will often pay more than comparable trade acquirers if they can use the business as a platform for further growth or an acquisition led buy and build strategy.
  • Optimising value
    When the decision is made to sell a business, Maven can assist each management team in selecting the right adviser. This is often a sector specialist, whose expertise and insight can help to optimise the exit value achieved by targeting the correct buyer pool.
How can investors track performance?
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Maven provides investors with cash distributions on the loan stock element of each investment on a six monthly basis where contractually due. Performance update reports on portfolio companies and holdings are also provided to Investor Partners at that time. When an investment is sold, Maven distributes cash proceeds to investors.

Maven also has a dedicated and secure portal enabling Investor Partners to keep track of their portfolio at any time.

Is there a cost to become a Maven Investor Partner?
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There are no costs to becoming a Maven Investor Partner. Fees are only payable on the sum invested. Due to FCA regulations, we will need to verify that you are classed as a high net worth, experienced investor before we can share details of any private equity or property opportunities. 

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