Scaleup programmes

Back to programmes

Programme

LDC

Finance and Risk Capital

Impact for scaleups

51

UK companies backed

84%

Investments outside of London

14

Growth-stage investments

Key sectors

Impact ventures / Social Impact Life Sciences & Biotech Building & Construction Manufacturing / Advanced Manufacturing Creative, digital, film, games & media Professional services Defence & security Technology & Communications Engineering / Advanced Engineering Transport & Logistics Environmental Science & Technology Farming, fisheries & forestry Finance Food & drink Healthcare

LDC is the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group and has been an active investor in UK companies since 1981, during which time it has supported over 650 management teams and invested more than £5.5bn in mid-sized businesses. 

It backs management teams from UK-based medium sized companies seeking up to £100m of investment to fund management buyouts or development capital transactions. Its initial investments are between £10m and £50m and it looks to invest £400m per annum. Its investment criteria are that a company must demonstrate minimum revenues of £5m with profits of £1m and a two-year profits history. 

The firm invests solely in UK companies and has 12 locations in the UK. Over the past ten years it has backed companies based in more than 100 UK towns and cities. It is accelerating its investment activity from 2022, with a pledge to back at least 100 new mid-market companies over the next five years. In 2022 alone, it deployed £354m into new investments and £38m into follow-on funding. 

Scaleups in its portfolio include proptech iamproperty, learning solutions provider Omniplex and specialist event production agency Star Live.

Portfolio companies are provided with sector-specific guidance, access to an executive network, and peer network opportunities with other portfolio companies. A value creation team of experts is available to help identify particular pressure points and new growth opportunities, supporting management teams with projects from sales effectiveness, to digital marketing, procurement and operations.

It publishes an annual list of the 50 most ambitious business leaders which is now in its fifth year, celebrating “the leaders behind some of the UK’s most exciting mid-sized firms,” and has recently expanded and extended its partnership with The Prince’s Trust.

LDC website