Investors representing over $3 trillion of assets under management from across North America, the Gulf, Asia and Australia will participate in InvestConnect, a new UK investment fund. Aimed at connecting the UK’s nations and regions to trillions of pounds of global capital, the new platform was developed in consultation with professional investors, government partners and the UK's nations and regions.
Touted as “... a trusted, AI-enabled platform”, somehow the technology will help “... package opportunities, standardise information and connect global capital with credible UK investment opportunities”.
Launched at the Chancellor’s annual Mansion House dinner, the new digital investor-led platform is being developed by InvestConnect Global Limited in partnership with the City of London Corporation. Cornwall Council, the Scottish Government and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have become the platform's first Founding Opportunity Partners.
The argument is that while there is a global appetite to invest in the UK, opportunities have been seen as fragmented and inconsistently presented, making them difficult for investors to access and compare.
The new investment platform is expected to launch in Autumn 2026 and will initially focus on large-scale infrastructure and real asset opportunities, typically representing transactions of £100 million or more.
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has announced an expansion of the British Business Bank’s (BBB) Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS). This provides a 70% government guarantee on commercial loans to SMEs of up to £2 million, cutting credit risk.
The government is consulting on potential measures that target Electronic Sales Suppression (ESS). Proposals include the introduction of new software standards for Point of Sale systems. Electronic Sales Suppression (ESS) involves businesses using software or devices to manipulate Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) systems to hide transactions and evade tax.