I Wish I Had Met You Earlier

This is potentially the most common sentence we hear when we first meet founders and begin to tell them what we do and the way we work.

With inflation set to reach 10%, a 3-year recession looming, interest rates moving upwards to 2.5% and the highest tax burden since the 1940’s, now has to be the right time to get the expertise and experience around your Board or Advisory table.

Our 15 partners work across the Consumer, Mobility, Energy, Financial Services, Health and Property sectors and can advise across strategy, operations and performance as well as fund raising and exits.

Equally for Investors this is critical because they know the businesses that we are working with are Investor Ready and the founders well prepared.

So, despite the outlook and its undoubted challenges, we see potential and opportunity for both investors and founders alike in the period ahead.

Investment Opportunities

After a break over Easter, our monthly pitch events returned this month with 3 very successful founders pitching to an audience both strong in number as well as interest, and, who continue to support us. As always, the primary feedback post the event was the quality of the businesses and how well prepared they were.

Nix and Kix

With 40%+ growth year on year, Nix and Kix is the fastest growing low-calorie brand in the carbonates drinks sector [Nielsen].

Partner Contact: greg@pa-capitalpartners.com

Hope Fashion

A premium fashion e-commerce womenswear brand driven by making the 50+ woman feel confident again.

Partner Contact: sharon@pa-capitalpartners.com

Mafic

An innovative construction company using in site technology to reward the productivity of its workforce and help clients reduce cost.

Partner Contact: benedict@pa-capitalpartners.com

A Focus on Hope Fashion and Founder Nayna McIntosh

Nayna McIntosh launched Hope Fashion 6 years ago, with a clear Intent to cater for the 50 plus woman who has been largely ignored by retailers. Hope successfully occupies a premium space where there is a clear gap in the market for women looking for simple, flattering silhouettes in relaxed fits that suit her life stage.

This target consumer accounts for over 50% of the spending in the UK. Most new fashion brands target the millennials however the over 50’s is where the growth opportunity is.

Nayna has nailed a Niche. It’s more than just another collection. The Hope team work tirelessly to deliver excellent customer service, personalised wardrobe advice as well as great collections. Hope has emerged from the pandemic knowing it’s customer better than ever.

A large, committed and growing community of Hope supporters has been built, currently standing at 40k and growing significantly month on month. The entire collection is produced out of Italy to a very high-quality standard.

The Hope model is currently B2C, sales to date have passed the £3m mark, recent cash margin improvements sit at +160%. Projected revenues are set reach a prudent 4m annually by 2025. Growth will initially be via their digital route with UK Pop Ups, International and collaboration opportunities in the pipeline.

Nayna is a powerful/ credible and tenacious female founder with a considerable track record in senior positions at the likes of Marks and Spencer, George and Next. One of her many strengths is her personal connection with her customer

Hope has great industry endorsement with the likes of Stuart Rose heading up the cap table along with many more high-profile retailers.

Nayna is looking to raise £1m for this round, EIS eligible. These monies will directly support an increase in choice within the collection and customer acquisition.

Hopes time is now, this woman has been ignored for too long.

More Fundraising Success for PACP

We showcased start up Kimeze at the end of 2021.

Kimeze is an inclusive brand of premium, fashion-forward, British eyewear, designed in London and handmade in Italy.

They make stylish eyewear with a simple but important aim.  A ‘By us, For Us’ brand, Kimeze was founded by sisters Clare and Christina Kimeze who realised that eyewear was designed exclusively for Caucasian and Asian facial averages meaning that they could never find eyewear that fit their faces properly.

Kimeze is the first brand to focus on making eyewear to fit black and brown faces.

Having launched in 2021, the investment will allow Kimeze to focus on growing the brand and establishing it as the go-to premium eyewear brand for black and brown faces.