Thought Leadership

Sometimes in life the numbers, like the existential issues that surround them, just come at you thick and fast. And there’s been a blizzard of them in one particular direction in recent weeks.

The issue of getting more UK pensions fund investment into private capital is one the BVCA has long championed. However, it has become something of a hot topic in recent years, with both the last and the current Government increasingly seeing that it's a conundrum that, if resolved, provides solutions to two challenges keeping them up at night: the lack of UK growth and a pending retirement crisis.

Amidst the ever-changing geo-political backdrop of tariffs and shifting policies, it is evident this new era brings opportunities, as well as challenges. And it positions the UK and Europe competitively on the world stage as an attractive market for investment and partnership.

Meghan Stevenson-Krausz, Co-CEO of Diversity VC shares her reflections on the newly published BVCA/Level 20 Diversity Report and gives her outlook on diversity from a VC perspective and takes a wider look at diversity initiatives that are needed to charter the path forward.

In this special Annual Review Voicenote podcast, BVCA Chief Executive, Michael Moore, is joined by Sarah Adams, BVCA Co-Director of Policy and Matthew Sabben-Clare, BVCA Chair and Senior Adviser at Cinven, to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the challenges and opportunities that are still to come in 2025.

Suzi Gillespie, the BVCA’s Head of Research provides her perspective on the latest analysis published about the industry’s performance and reflects on what will impact private market conditions in 2025.

The BVCA’s recent Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) series of panel discussions focussed on how network-building, mentorship and risk-taking can accelerate women’s careers. Sustainability Executive, Breeze Haywood, reflects on the event’s discussion and the need for active engagement with diverse talent pools to drive innovation and address underrepresentation in the industry. 

The BVCA, in partnership with Level 20, recently released a report, Diversity in UK Private Equity and Venture Capital 2025, which shows an increase in the proportion of women working within the industry over recent years - but there is still more work to be done.

‘Move fast and break things’ is a mantra celebrated in certain business circles, enjoying a resonance well beyond its origins as a Facebook motto. 

Engagement with our members throughout the UK’s nations and regions, and ensuring their voices are represented in our political engagement and technical policy work has always been a key BVCA priority.

Both the US and the UK boast four of the world’s top ten universities. However, nearly 70% of spin-out funding goes to the US, while just over 10% supports the commercialisation of UK spin-outs. This signals a significant amount of untapped potential in the UK.

The BVCA has revised its standardised documents for early stage venture capital investments, replacing the versions launched in February 2023. The updates in the new February 2025 versions are less material than the updates published in February 2023. Marriott Harrison LLP, who are part of the BVCA’s working group that have been revising the documents, have produced the following summary of key changes:

For over 30 years, Foundation, BVCA’s flagship training course has been the essential course for junior investment professionals. Led by renowned industry practitioners, it provides the fundamentals of private equity, using real life case studies to explore due diligence, deal structuring, transactions structuring, management assessment, exits, managing a portfolio and more.

Every February, the BVCA brings a delegation of leading UK private capital firms to meet institutional investors in three key cities (this year Toronto, Boston and New York) in North America to highlight the opportunities that exist across exciting investment strategies and sectors including fintech, life sciences, deep tech, business services and defence.