Thought Leadership

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.

Politics is a tough sport. Who knew? But it can be nearly as tough for those who stand nearby, whether the issues are international or domestic.

Private capital in 2025 is at a fascinating juncture. On the one hand, we see kind of normal cyclic ebb-and-flow dynamics that have characterised the industry from at least the 1950s. On the other hand, some ongoing changes seem to presage a more profound evolution of the sector.

This year, the BVCA’s Industry Development team attended IPEM in Cannes to connect with members and non-members from across the private capital industry, share insights, further understand industry trends, and represent the industry.