Investee Colleagues
2c Services Limited
2c Services is a fast-growing information technology service provider based in the South West of England, with its own state of the art private cloud hosting infrastructure. It offers flexible and customised hosting solutions for desktops and services with offsite backup and replication, and virtual disaster recovery.
31st August 2016
C4C subscribed £50,000 for ‘A’ Ordinary Shares of £1 each. The ‘A’ Ordinary Shares have preferential rights regarding capital value if certain exit events occur. C4C has also subscribed for ordinary shares of £1 each, equivalent to 20 per cent of its issued ordinary share capital.
The proceeds of this investment were used in financing the acquisition of a customer base and for general working capital purposes.
Bright Ascension Limited
Bright Ascension Limited is an industry-leading space software technology provider, offering unique off-the-shelf software products and solutions for the delivery of space-based services, both on spacecraft and on the ground, with a particular focus on the small and nano-satellite market. They have a growing UK and international client base, with 24 in flight satellites using their software.
23 August 2021
The Company raised £1m of additional equity through the issue of new ordinary shares to investors, including Bill Ainscough, a Non-executive Director of Capital for Colleagues. These funds will match development funding of approximately £1m that has been awarded to BAL as part of a European Space Agency (ESA) project.
Bright Ascension will use the new funds for the development of next generation satellite software infrastructure, which will offer its customers a complete end-to-end software solution for space-based service provision.
Scottish Enterprise also becomes a shareholder in BAL having invested in the company through its Early Stage Growth Challenge Fund.
2 April 2017
C4C subscribed for a further £100,000 of ‘A’ Ordinary Shares, Bright Ascension having achieved certain conditions set out at the initial investment.
29 September 2016
C4C subscribed £150,000 for 150,000 ‘A’ Ordinary Shares of £1 each in Bright Ascension. The ‘A’ Ordinary Shares have preferential rights regarding capital value should certain exit events materialise. This investment was used to enhance their current product development, business development, support and sales teams.
Carpenter Oak Group Limited
Carpenter Oak has been designing and building timber framed buildings since 1987. The project managers, frame designers and carpenters work closely with a range of industry-leading architects and specialists to deliver a wide variety of bespoke projects across the UK, Europe and beyond.
12 May 2017
Capital for Colleagues invested £400,000 and subscribed for 4,286 B Ordinary Shares of £0.01 each in Employee Owners Group, representing an interest of approximately 30 per cent of the issued equity of the Group. The remaining equity is held by an Employee Ownership Trust (10% gifted by shareholders) and directly by employees (60%). This investment was used primarily for business development.
Computer Application Services Limited
CAS, based in Edinburgh, is a developer of Workpro case management software. Applications include the management of regulated complaints, such as those handled by finance and insurance companies, and employee relations case work where complex elements must be routinely managed. CAS also offers IT support in niche areas, including a long-standing service to Ministry of Defence training sites.
17 October 2018
C4C subscribed £100,000 for an additional 40,000 ‘A’ ordinary shares of £2.50 each, which also carry preferential rights with regard to dividends.
27 July 2017
C4C subscribed £150,000 for an additional 150,000 ‘A’ ordinary shares of £1 each, which have preferential rights with regard to dividends.
19 January 2016
C4C subscribed £150,000 for 150,000 ‘A’ ordinary shares of £1 each, which have preferential rights with regard to dividends. In addition, CAS has been granted an option to acquire the ‘A’ Ordinary Shares from C4C on a future specified date, at a price based on the prevailing value of CAS, subject to an agreed minimum holding period return. C4C has also made available a loan facility of up to £100,000. This loan bears interest at an appropriate commercial rate, is repayable within 36 months and is secured on the assets of CAS. The proceeds of the equity investment and the CAS Loan were used for general working capital purposes.
Craft Prospect Ltd
Founded in 2017, Craft Prospect is a Glasgow based space engineering business that develops enabling quantum and AI-based products and mission applications for the small satellite market.
1 September 2021
Capital for Colleagues has invested £800,000 in ordinary shares in CPL. Craft Prospect will use the new funds for furthering its flight heritage capability, recruiting additional experience to its team, and developing new products and services, including through its Responsive Operations for Key Services (ROKS) mission. This will demonstrate automated, efficient, and secure quantum communication services by combining responsive operations with Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology.
Alongside C4C’s investment, Scottish Enterprise is also becoming a shareholder in Craft Prospect, having invested in the company through its Early Stage Growth Challenge Fund. Following these investments CPL’s management and employees will have a 74.9% equity interest in Craft Prospect, with an Employee Ownership Trust holding 10.0%, Scottish Enterprise 3.8% and Capital for Colleagues 11.3%.
Ecomerchant Natural Building Materials Limited
Ecomerchant is a specialist supplier of natural and environmentally sustainable building materials to the UK residential construction market.
31 August 2015
C4C subscribed £100,000 for 100,000 redeemable, non-voting A Ordinary shares in Ecomerchant, which have preferential rights with respect to dividends and to capital value in the event of certain exit events. The proceeds of the subscription were used to repay the existing C4C £75,000 loan and for additional working capital.
Ecomerchant acquired Eco Systems Distribution Limited. Eco Systems manufactures and distributes recycled plastic roof slates, principally in the UK and Europe. In order to acquire Eco Systems, C4C subscribed for £150,000 of loan notes, which are secured on Ecomerchant’s assets by way of mortgage debenture, are cross-guaranteed by Eco Systems, and bear interest at an appropriate commercial rate, being repayable in 2020.
2 June 2014
C4C announced that it invested £75,000 in Ecomerchant through a convertible loan that is secured on the assets of Ecomerchant for a fixed term of 12 months and bears interest at an appropriate commercial rate. Following completion of the loan, an Employee Benefit Trust was established as a 25% shareholder. C4C had the option to convert the loan on or before its due date into participating preference equity in Ecomerchant.
Flow Control Limited
Flow Control Company Limited are an independent valve stockist and distributor based in the UK, but active internationally.
29 June 2018
C4C provided an additional loan for £81,000 loan to the company, repayable monthly and carrying an appropriate commercial rate of interest.
22 January 2018
C4C provided a £300,000 loan to the company, repayable monthly and carrying an appropriate commercial rate of interest.
Hire and Supplies Limited
Hire and Supplies provides large plant hire as well as small tool hire and sales from two branches in the west of Scotland.
30 November 2016
C4C converted its existing preference shares and loan into ‘A’ shares, which carry preferential rights in relation to any dividend declared.
22 September 2014
C4C announced that it restructured its £600,000 loan following strong trading at the company. By September 2014, C4C had received approximately £440,000 in capital and interest payments and transaction fees pursuant to the Loan. As a result, C4C agreed to restructure the loan, which would have been payable by March 2015, as follows:
- £100,000 was converted into redeemable preference shares, with a term of 5 years at an appropriate commercial rate;
- £200,000 was converted into a 5 year loan with interest at an appropriate commercial rate.
19 March 2014
C4C made its first transaction since admission to the ISDX Growth Market (now Aquis Growth Market). It made a loan of £600,000 to Hire and Supplies, a company formed to acquire the business and assets of Tools and Equipment Limited (T&E). The loan carried interest at an appropriate commercial rate and was repayable within one year, in four tranches. The proceeds of the loan were used to create an Employee Benefit Trust owning 20 percent of the issued share capital.
Morris Commercial
Morris Commercial is a UK-based automotive engineering and manufacturing business, focused on innovation and the creation of desirable carbon neutral transport. Morris Commercial’s initial product, the Morris JE electric van, draws inspiration from the iconic Morris J-Type, arguably one of the most recognisable vans of the 1950s, and combines cutting-edge battery technology and lightweight carbon-fibre construction with classically inspired British design. Most components of the Morris JE are both recycled and recyclable, to further enhance its environmental appeal.
15 March 2023
Capital for Colleagues (C4C) is investing £1.0 million for 1,000,000 A ordinary shares in Morris Commercial, alongside Bill Ainscough, a non-executive Director of the Company, and TJ Morris Limited, a significant shareholder in C4C, both of whom are investing £3.5 million. The investments will be made in 3 tranches, with an initial investment of 50% of the total, followed by 2 further tranches of 25%, subject to the achievement of certain technical and commercial milestones. The investments are expected to be fully drawn down by 31 December 2023.
Substantial funding and resources have already been invested to bring the Morris JE from a concept to a production prototype, which made its debut in September 2022. The proceeds of this investment round will be used by Morris Commercial for further R&D, engineering validation, certification and production. The funding round will also enable Morris Commercial to recruit further expertise, and to strengthen its partnerships with core suppliers. Morris Commercial expects that deliveries of the Morris JE will commence in early 2024.
As well as leading this investment round, C4C will also be responsible for establishing an Employee Ownership Trust at Morris Commercial.
National Self Build and Renovation Centre (The Homebuilding Centre (Holdings) Limited)
HBC owns the trade and certain assets of the National Self Build and Renovation Centre (NSBRC), which comprises a substantial permanent exhibition centre and trading hub, based at Swindon, which promotes awareness of the opportunities available to consumers seeking to build or renovate their own home and, increasingly, to local authorities and housing associations seeking to provide affordable housing. Importantly, NSBRC also generates trade with suppliers to the construction industry.
31 August 2016
C4C exercised its option to convert the original loan into ‘A’ ordinary shares. These carry preferential dividend rights.
It became apparent that the 75% shareholding in the EOT did not best serve the long-term interests of the company or employees, so the structure was changed to a hybrid model with 37.5% of the shares allotted for direct ownership by employees, and 37.5% being held in the EOT.
4 November 2015
C4C announced that it made a further loan of £97,000 to HBC. This Loan bears interest at an appropriate commercial rate and is repayable on demand. The proceeds of the HBC Loan will be used by HBC to assist in the final stage of its move to a sustainable employee ownership model.
4 December 2014
C4C announced that it made a loan of £250,000 to HBC. The proceeds of the Loan were be used by HBC for general working capital purposes. In conjunction with the Loan, C4C was allotted shares representing 25% of HBC’s issued equity capital. A new Employee Ownership Trust holds the remaining 75% interest. The Loan is secured on the assets of HBC and is for a fixed term of 12 months, bearing interest at an appropriate commercial rate. At the end of the 12-month term, the Loan is repayable, renewable or convertible into participating preference equity in HBC, at C4C’s option.
Rapid Retail
Rapid Retail Limited was established in 2007 and is based in the West Midlands. It designs, sells, refurbishes and rents portable shops, retail kiosks and retail merchandising units (RMUs). These products are typically used at sporting and entertainment venues to augment existing merchandise, food and beverage sales. Rapid Retail’s clients include the majority of the Premier League and major European Champions League football clubs, racecourses, other sporting venues and concerts. Its products are also used to augment conventional retail parks at times of development, refurbishment and undercapacity.
Capital for Colleagues has invested a total of £0.5 million in this investment round: £0.1 million through the acquisition of existing ordinary shares in Rapid Retail and £0.4 million through the provision of a secured convertible loan. Capital for Colleagues is investing alongside Harrock Investments, which is a private investment company controlled by Bill Ainscough, a non-executive Director of Capital for Colleagues. Harrock Investments is acquiring £0.2 million worth of existing ordinary shares and providing a further £0.8 million through the secured convertible loan. The loan bears interest at the rate of 9% per annum and is convertible into additional Rapid Retail shares determined by reference to a range of business performance outcomes.
As well as leading this investment round, C4C will also be responsible for establishing an Employee Ownership Trust at Rapid Retail, with an interest in 5% of that company’s issued equity capital.
South Cerney Outdoor Limited
South Cerney Outdoor is a Royal Yachting Association and British Canoeing training centre offering a range of water based activities on its 47-acre lake. It is also an area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
12 July 2019
C4C has provided a long-term loan for £250,000 to South Cerney Outdoor. This carries an appropriate rate of interest. C4C’s intention is to restructure this loan and take a shareholding alongside an EOT and other employee direct shareholders.
The Security Awareness Group Limited (Trading as The Security Company)
The Security Company (TSC) has been delivering security awareness programmes for many of the world’s biggest companies through bespoke communications campaigns, on-line learning and face to face training events since 1997. The cyber security threat has never been greater and TSC’s bespoke solutions boost employees’ security awareness at work and home and inspire changes in behaviour that protect organisations from inadvertent human error.
C4C subscribed £300,000 for 300,000 ‘A’ ordinary shares, which also entitled it to 34% of the issued ordinary equity. The balance of the ordinary shares are held by employees and an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) on behalf of current and future employees.
C4C also provided a loan of £105,000. This loan bears interest at an appropriate commercial rate, is repayable within 12 months and is secured on the assets of company. The proceeds of the equity investment and the Loan were used to support the long term growth of the business.
TPS Investment Holdings Limited
TPS sources, markets and distributes a specialist range of pipes, valves, fittings and other associated products for the public utility markets throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, with particular focus on the water market.
21 December 2015
As part of a restructuring of TPS’ share capital, C4C re-designated preference shares as 200,000 ‘A’ Ordinary Shares of £1 each, which have preferential rights with regard to dividends. In addition, TPS was granted an option to acquire the ‘A’ Ordinary Shares on future specified dates, based on the value of TPS at the time, subject to an agreed minimum holding period for C4C.
C4C also received Ordinary Shares of £1 each in TPS representing approximately 15.6% of the Ordinary Shares capital. C4C also agreed that approximately £40,000 due to the Company in respect of accrued income on the former Preference Shares was converted to a fixed term loan, repayable in equal monthly instalments. This loan has been repaid.