Bridgend-based Avantis and Hybrid from Bristol recognised for exceptional performance in 2023
Bridgend-based Avantis and Hybrid from Bristol have won the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) Vision 2024 awards for Wales and South-West.
Sponsored by Grant Thornton and Santander, the annual awards honour the management teams of companies backed by private equity and venture capital.
Judges praised winners for demonstrating remarkable success in all recognition themes of growth, competitiveness, innovation and ESG. Avantis was commended for its growth trajectory with revenues nearly doubling to approximately £60m by expanding product-offering to overseas markets. Hybrid solidified its role as an innovator, through the development of bespoke AI tools for education marketing, enhancing data analysis capabilities and strategic planning for university partners.
LDC (backing Hybrid) and Development Bank of Wales (backing Avantis) all won awards for their outstanding support to investee companies.
Bristol-based Bud Systems (backed by Maven Capital) and Knovia (backed by Sovereign Capital Partners) were recognised as ‘Ones to Watch’.
In 2023, private capital invested £626m in the South-West, backing 611 companies and supporting 6,100 jobs. Wales received £161m of private capital investment in 2023, backing 53 businesses and supporting 2,200 jobs.
Representatives from all the recognised companies received their awards at BVCA’s flagship event, the Summit Main Conference, which took place at Sancroft in London last night. The awards were officially presented by Howard Dawber, London Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, along with representatives from Santander and Grant Thornton.
Additional nations and regions winners will be announced throughout the year, with national winners celebrated at a Gala Dinner in December. The final list will feature 15 companies, including four recognised at different investment stages: early stage, scale-up, medium, and large.
Michael Moore, BVCA Chief Executive said:
“These awards celebrate the ingenuity and resilience of businesses across Wales and the South-West. Avantis and Hybrid have demonstrated exceptional leadership, driving not only financial success but also significant innovation and positive societal impact.
“We are proud to shine a light on their achievements and the vital role private equity and venture capital play in supporting the growth of such dynamic companies.”
Tom David, Avantis Chief Executive Officer said:
“We are honoured to receive the BVCA Vision 2024 Award for Wales & South West. This recognition is a testament to the relentless efforts of our entire Avantis team and reflects our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and growth. Over the past few years, we have focused on delivering environmentally friendly solutions to the energy and transportation sectors, driving progress in this space is the core of what we do.
“Our growth journey is built on a foundation of integrity, flexibility, and a passion for making a positive global impact. We would like to extend our thanks to the BVCA judging panel for recognising our work, and to our partners for their invaluable support. This award inspires us to continue advancing towards a sustainable future.”
Chris Cammann, Chief Executive Officer at Hybrid said:
"We are delighted to be recognised for the prestigious BVCA Vision award. Since the beginning, Hybrid has remained committed to both innovation and growth, which has been consistently demonstrated by enhancing our competitiveness through strategic advancements and operational efficiency.
“A large part of this achievement has been down to the tremendous hard work of the team to cement Hybrid’s role as an innovator and market leader, dedicated to its clients receiving unparalleled delivery and support.
“Since the investment from LDC we have been able to focus on faster growth and better level of service for our clients. The performance across the areas recognised by this award is not a single year’s triumph but part of a sustained pattern of excellence built over 15 years of business.
“I couldn't be prouder of what we have achieved to date and what we will achieve as a team going forward."
Learn more about all winners in the Vision 2024 Wales & South West Awards booklet below, or more about Vision 2024: Leaders Driving Growth Awards on its webpage, here.
Media contacts
James Gribben, BVCA: [email protected]
Notes to editors
About the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association
The BVCA, as the representative body for private equity and venture capital, connects institutional investors, fund managers, companies, advisers and service providers together, with our membership currently comprising more than 600 businesses from across the private capital ecosystem. This includes more than 250 PE and VC firms, 100 institutional investors and 200 professional services firms.
Private capital drives growth – providing the funding, expertise and long-term view that enables companies to innovate and flourish. Our mission is to advocate the transformative nature of the private equity and venture capital community.
