The Insight Collective is a technology-focused provider of content syndication and lead generation services. Using a combination of research, content, AI and data science capabilities, Insight Collective identifies corporate buyers with a verified interest in its client’s service or product, from a combination of proprietary and third-party data sources.

From its offices in the UK, US and South Africa, the business serves a diversified and high-quality client base, representing both some of the largest technology and professional services businesses in the world as well as smaller high-growth VC and PE backed challengers.

The Deal

Mobeus invested £17.7 million in a combined debt and equity package to support the MBO of the business, with the incumbent team acquiring the business from its founders. Mobeus introduced Richard Atkins as Chairman as part of the process.

The Plan

Insight Collective will continue to invest in their technology platform, as well as continue to refine their data science and analytics capabilities. The business has grown rapidly to date achieving a 20% CAGR over the past five years. Further investment in technology and data analytics will enable the business to continue to grow at pace, delivering greater volumes of larger campaigns.

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Orbital provides wireless, fibre and leased line connectivity, voice services and internet managed services under its Orbital Net (B2B) and Vfast (B2C) brands. The business has built considerable fixed line and wireless telecommunications infrastructure in Kent over 20 years, and receives consistently high customer service ratings.

The Deal

Mobeus invested £11.25 million for a minority stake in the business. The transaction was led by Mobeus Investment Manager, Matt Gordon-Smith, who worked with Partner Richard Babington on the deal. Guy Blackburn, Mobeus Portfolio Partner, has joined the board to support Orbital in achieving its full potential. The deal was sourced by Investment Analyst, George Chatzimanolis, as part of Mobeus’s direct origination activities.

The Plan

Funding will fast track Orbital’s rollout of ultrafast fibre broadband, especially in rural areas of Kent, to meet the surge in data consumption and demand for high-bandwidth capacity; position the business to become a leading Internet Service Provider for Holiday Parks in the UK; and develop its bespoke B2B technology service offerings.

Demand for ever faster data from both consumers and businesses is a longstanding trend, which has only been accelerated by the enduring shifts in behaviour caused by the pandemic. While working, studying and leisure at home have steepened the upswing in residential demand, business connectivity needs have not been impacted, as employees still need rapid access to corporate systems.

However, the pandemic has exacerbated the stark disparity between internet speeds in rural areas compared to cities. With this significant new investment, Orbital will leverage its position as a leading independent ISP in Kent to roll out high-bandwidth network connectivity for underserved rural regions, as well as installing fibre infrastructure into local Business Parks, offering enhanced connectivity at lower cost.

In addition, Orbital aims to become a leading specialist ISP for Holiday Parks across the UK. The business has recently completed a significant project for Park Holidays Group, delivering ultrafast internet connectivity to 14,000 holiday homes and is well positioned to install infrastructure for other park operators and connect new customers across the country.

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The Boundary’s mission is to evoke emotion through imagery. Using proprietary technology and IP, The Boundary creates virtual reality experiences, short films, animations, and photo-realistic imagery to bring plans to life for architects and property developers.

Founded in 2014, The Boundary has rapidly gained an international reputation as a leading ArchVis studio, working with world-renowned architects including Renzo Piano, Tadao Ando, and Foster + Partners, on some the world’s most prestigious projects, including The Waldorf Astoria Hotel redevelopment in New York. Excellence in the architectural sector has enabled the business to roll its services into new sectors, including luxury automotive and eCommerce. 

The Deal

Mobeus has invested £8.2 million, with further funding committed to support an existing acquisition pipeline. Mobeus introduced investing Chairman Andrew McGuinness as part of the deal. McGuinness has a strong track record growing creative agencies and was formerly CEO of TBWA and Freuds and co-founded two agencies: Beattie McGuinness Bungay and Seven Dials.

The Impact

Mobeus provided follow on funding to make two key acquisitions in September 2021 and December 2023, which significantly expanded the company’s scale and capabilities. The transformational acquisition of New Zealand based Buildmedia extended The Boundary’s international reach and brought in market-leading technology. Since Mobeus’s initial investment, The Boundary’s profits have grown by 2.5x. The company now operates with 100 skilled 3D artists and software developers across three offices on three continents.

The Realisation

After a three year hold period, Mobeus sold The Boundary to Kester Capital, a well-regarded UK mid-market private equity firm, who invested alongside the management team Mobeus had originally backed. The sale delivered a 2.4x MoC and a 37% IRR return for Mobeus 1.

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ABL 1Touch provides accident damage repair services, primarily to large motor insurers. The business is known for its technical innovation, low cost and environmentally friendly ‘repair over replace’ methodology, and market-leading levels of customer satisfaction.

The Deal

Mobeus backed the incumbent ABL 1Touch management team, which had built the group to a 13-site network across Southern England, with a £9.5 million initial investment. The team is supported by experienced Non-Executive Chair Steve Dalton.

The Plan

ABL 1Touch doubled its turnover during the three years prior to the buyout and has a proven site rollout model, supported by its proprietary operational systems.

Following the buyout, Mobeus has supported further expansion of the regional footprint, as the business looks to almost double the number of operating sites during the investment term.

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Access is a fast-growing, international public policy firm that advises many of the world’s largest technology companies on matters ranging from data policy to infrastructure regulation and compliance.

Access is positioned at the heart of regulatory and technology change and has a deep understanding of both policy and technical aspects of dataflows and data delivery systems.

Headquartered in London, the business manages its international service offering from offices in the US, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. This operational scope enables Access to serve its world-leading multinational client base wherever their policy needs arise.

The Deal

Mobeus invested £13.1 million for a minority stake in the business, which has experienced rapid growth, with revenues doubling over the previous three years.

The Impact

With Mobeus’s backing Access and its team grew both organically and through acquisition. During the investment term, in addition to a £7 million refinancing, Mobeus helped Access to complete two bolt-on acquisitions in Singapore, adding c. £1.5 million to profits. This resulted in a doubling of the business in headcount to 120 people, and growth in revenues from £11 million to £25 million.

The Realisation

Less than three years after the investment, Mobeus sold Access to Mayfair Equity Partners, a well regarded UK mid-market private equity firm. The sale delivered a 4.4x MoC and 64% IRR return for Mobeus 1.

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At investment, Star Brands was primarily a supplier of own label cleaning and detergent products for UK retailers. Structural change in the grocery market enabled Star Brands to grow rapidly. However, the bigger opportunity was to reposition the business and build a challenger brand, The Pink Stuff, that took share from larger branded FMCG players.

The Deal

Mobeus invested £11.6m as a combined debt and equity package to fund a £14m BIMBO from private owners. There was a strong management team in place that had a track record of success. Mobeus introduced proven operator Nick Ward as Chairman as part of the transaction.

The Impact

Pink Stuff was repackaged and reformulated (with its now signature rhubarb fragrance). Star Brands used social media influencers to re-launch the brand which went viral, logging over 200 million monthly views and driving international growth – it is now sold in over 120 countries. The Pink Stuff was re-positioned outside the UK as a premium brand, and the range expanded to over 20 SKUs. In 2023 Mobeus led the acquisition of the US distributor which brought direct access to US retailers and almost doubled EBITDA. Over the investment, Star delivered growth of 5x in sales and 15x in EBITDA.

The Realisation

The business was acquired by RPM International Inc. for £345m (plus an earnout), a NYSE-listed company with global sales exceeding $7 billion and a diverse portfolio of market-leading brands such as Rust-Oleum, DAP, Carboline and Tremco.

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The Business

Wilderness Group is a collection of the very finest active and luxury experiential holiday brands. It brings together Wilderness Scotland, Wilderness England and Wilderness Ireland, the tailor-made Wilderness Private Travel, self guided specialist Cycling for Softies and premium winter-sports operator Ski Solutions.

The Deal

We provided over £6m as part of the secondary buyout of Ski Solutions, with the clear objective of creating a more balanced, year-round activities business. We conducted a thorough acquisition search, which identified Wilderness Scotland as the most attractive opportunity, and we provided a further £3m to fund its MBO and acquisition.

The Plan

The enlarged group has rebranded to Wilderness Group and is looking for potential bolt-on opportunities to further broaden its offering of summer and winter adventure holidays.

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Ludlow Wealth Management is a North West-based financial advice business that puts its clients and their financial peace of mind first. That’s why it has such a strong reputation for client service and its 3,300+ clients collectively entrust Ludlow with more than £1.6 billion of assets.

The Original Deal

Mobeus backed CEO Ian Hemingway in a £12 million buyout from founder Sid Ludlow in June 2017, when the business had £865m of Assets under Advice (AuA). We provided a combined debt and equity package, taking a majority stake alongside the incumbent management team, who rolled over the majority of their value.

The Impact

Mobeus introduced chairman Phil Young (formerly CEO of leading compliance consultancy Threesixty), finance director Gordon Flower (from UK Wealth Management) and COO Rob Brown (from RBS) to create a board capable of continuing Ludlow’s impressive growth momentum.

Ludlow’s highly-rated consultants deliver outstanding service to clients, resulting in consistent double digit organic growth through referrals and recommendations. During the investment term, Mobeus worked with the team to deliver a £6.5 million refinancing with Santander in December 2018 and to make four bolt-on acquisitions, which together added £325 million of AuA. As a result, the business has almost doubled AuA to over £1.6 billion in under four years. With 22 advisers, Ludlow now provides personal financial advice to over 3,300 clients.

The Realisation

Mobeus sold Ludlow to Mattioli Woods plc for an enterprise value of £36.1 million. Mattioli Woods is an AIM-listed provider of advice on wealth management and employee benefits that acquired Ludlow as part of its ambitious growth plans within the wealth management sector.

The sale process had two objectives: to deliver strong returns for Ludlow shareholders; and to find a partner who would continue to support Ludlow consultants and clients. This transaction achieved both those aims, delivering a 3.3x money multiple (36% IRR) for Mobeus Fund 1 in under four years, whilst providing a strong partner for Ludlow for the future, which has demonstrated an excellent commercial and strategic fit with the business and its people.

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Advantedge Commercial Finance is a leading privately owned provider of invoice finance to UK SMEs looking to access fast, flexible, and straightforward funding for growth and working capital.

The Original Deal

In 2016, Mobeus invested £9 million to back the management buyout of Advantedge.

The Impact

With Mobeus’s support the business grew strongly, with revenues increasing 2.4x and EBITDA doubling. Advantedge secured a substantially increased £100m syndicated funding line to support its ambitious growth plans; completed a rebrand; launched two new regional offices; and acquired Henry Howard Cashflow Finance, which saw the business take on a new presence in Wales and the South West region. 

The Realisation

Mobeus sold its interest in Advantedge to eCapital Corp. (“eCapital”), a North American based provider of alternative financial solutions to businesses. Mobeus secured 30% IRR and a 2.7x Money Multiple with this first exit from Mobeus 1.

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Cooper Coated Coil is Europe’s largest producer of high quality non-stick coated metal, which it sells into the bakeware, printing and automotive industries.

The Deal

We originally invested £11.5m backing the management team of West Midlands-based Arc Specialist Engineering in a buyout of the diversified engineering group from a private turnaround investor. This was a complex deal acquiring several individual businesses, all with different operational and market dynamics, simultaneously. We were able to complete on a tight timetable by taking a pragmatic and commercial view on underlying asset value.

The Plan

All of Arc’s non-core businesses have now been sold and the proceeds were used to repay all the acquisition debt and a material amount of our loan notes, within 12 months of completion, earlier than planned. We are now focused on developing CCC as the sole remaining asset from Arc and cementing its position as a technological leader in the market for pre-coated metal.

CCC is implementing a rigorous operational improvement programme to free up trapped capacity and improve its operating margins. Although the supply of high quality non-stick coated steel to the bakeware industry remains core to CCC, its technology-led approach to new product development has seen the business develop substantial sales in several other industry sectors.

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