Our Blog: Press

‘The trust has returned nearly 45% and has issued additional equity to double in size. The recent 15% drop in the share price provides a great opportunity for the sceptics to jump aboard.’

Augmentum CEO Tim speaks to Investment Week for their latest piece to discuss the substantial changes he has seen within the fintech sector.

We are delighted to announce our partnership with the global alternative asset management group, Tikehau Capital, who have €29.4 billion of assets under management (as of 31 March 2021) plus developed a wide range of expertise across four asset classes (private debt, real assets, private equity and capital markets strategies) as well as multi-asset and special opportunities strategies.

‘The fintech-focused venture capital investor said the target size of its initial issue will now be up to £55 million ($75.9 million), increased from £40 million.’

John Baron covers Augmentum in his latest ‘Investment Trust of the Moment’ update.

“Augmentum’s businesses are making strong progress. Annual results to March 31 this year showed that the portfolio is now valued at more than £180 million, up from £136 million in 2020.”

“Augmentum was the first UK-listed venture capitalist to tap retail investors on PrimaryBid last October, and is now raising a further £40m, including from private investors.”

In May we hosted our first Female Fintech Founders Pitch Event in partnership with OutwardVC. We heard from seven brilliant early stage fintech Founders from across Europe during our live pitch event.

“As the economy improves we expect fintechs to continue to grow the market shares they have won over the last 18 months…we are seeing an increase in investor appetite for fintech and we believe this trend will continue”, says Tim Levene.

The Augmentum Fintech plc Annual Results for the year ended 31 March 2021 was released this morning.

See Portfolio Manager Tim Levene talk through the highlights below, and read the full report here.

“Bankers, once kings of capital, may be dethroned by payment platforms”.

The Economist explores the shifting balance of power through looking at the significance of data and other ways in which tech companies are reverse-engineering banking in this “Banks vs big tech” special report.

We are pleased to announce our first Female Fintech Founders Pitch Event in partnership with Outward VC, happening on 20th May. Hear six early stage Founders pitch live and answer your questions in a Q&A.

“Innovate Finance data shows $4.1bn was invested across 408 deals in 2020, putting the UK second only to the US in total capital raised, and showing the continued importance of the industry to the UK economy.”

We are delighted to welcome Fareedah Daranijo to our team, as our Digital Marketing & Operations Assistant. Learn more about her in our latest “Meet the Team” feature.

Augmentum’s Ellen Logan and Georgie Hazell have been recognised on this year’s Innovate Finance Women in Fintech Powerlist, which exists to celebrate female leaders and innovators transforming financial services.

We are delighted to welcome Reginald de Wasseige to our Investment Team. Learn what he finds most exciting about the European fintech scene, his favourite business biographies and how he has found relocating to London during the pandemic in our latest ‘Meet the Team’ feature.

“Founder of the European Tech Club, he moderates conversations in the Club and drops smart comments about European tech and fintech.” Augmentum’s Akash Bajwa has been named by Sifted as one of twenty European tech leaders to follow on Clubhouse.

David Stevenson explored the case for financials in his latest piece for CityWire’s Funds Insider. “In the same vein I would also thoroughly recommend a specialist investment trust called Augmentum (AUGM), run by Tim Levene, which I have invested in and puts money to work in much earlier stage fintech businesses, many of which are in the UK.”

“Retail investors have embraced this emerging asset class, seeing us as one very effective way of indirectly getting exposure to a diversified set of assets.” Good Money Guide’s Richard Berry spoke to Tim Levene about the ups and downs of investing in fast-growing, unquoted fintech businesses.

The Kalifa Review of UK Fintech was published this morning, setting out a plan for the UK to retain its global leadership in fintech by helping the country’s financial technology firms to scale up, access the talent and finance they need, and deliver better financial services.

This special edition of The Fintech Club will cover the outcomes of the UK government’s Independent Strategic Review of UK Fintech, looking at priority areas for industry, policy makers, and regulators to explore to foster innovation, maintain an ecosystem that supports growing firms, and promote the integration of new technologies across financial services.

Augmentum’s Martyn Holman and Ellen Logan are looking forward to speaking with Innovate Finance members tomorrow as part of their Fintech Investor Office Hours Week.

Augmentum Associate Ellen Logan named by Sifted as one of Europe’s top 30 young VCs, “poised to lead the next era of European venture”.

We’re looking forward to being involved in the next Power to Black Founders event with Founders Factory, TechNation and 10×10.

How do investment funds structure their capital, and what does this mean in practice for the companies in which they invest? Whilst it might seem an obscure question, the reality can have quite some impact

We are delighted to announce the Augmentum Fintech plc Interim Results for the six months ended 30 September 2020.

In our latest ‘Meet the Investor’ feature, we speak to Augmentum Partner Martyn Holman. Learn about Martyn’s route into VC, his view on the most underrated skill for working in the industry and the learnings he’s taken from his passion for long-distance running.

Released earlier today, the 30 minute film explores the evolution of fintech and digital transformation in the wake of the 2008 crash and more recently, COVID-19, featuring interviews with leading voices from across the fintech industry, including Augmentum Fintech CEO Tim Levene.

“A trading update for the six months to 30 September 2020 highlights just why the offer is worth taking up. Augmentum’s diversified portfolio of 18 private fintech companies offer innovative technologies, asset-light business models and have adapted well to the new ‘normal’. Many are performing incredibly well.”

“Augmentum Fintech (AUGM), one of the year’s best-performing investment companies, announced its intention to conduct a placing to raise gross proceeds of up to approximately £28m at a price of 120p”

We are delighted to welcome Akash Bajwa to our Investment Team.

We are delighted to be a pioneer fund for the Diversity VC Standard, championing diversity and inclusion across our investment and internal fund processes.

“Investment trusts are a superior option” and “Augmentum Fintech offers tremendous potential”, says John Baron in the latest Investors Chronicle podcast.

“On this week’s investment hour, James Norrington talks to Augmentum Fintech’s chief executive Tim Levene about his fund’s approach to investing in one of the fastest growing areas of technology.”

“The UK is a hub for fintech, but most companies remain in private hands. We outline ten UK fintech stocks that can help you gain exposure to this fast-growing sector.”

In our latest piece for our Master Investor fintech investing column, Martyn Holman looks at the reaction of venture capital in the wake of COVID-19, in particular those investing in the fintech industry, and explores the longer-term possibilities for the space.

“Augmentum Fintech has featured regularly in the ‘winners’ section since April, with digitisation take-up being propelled by the pandemic”

At Wellian Investment Solutions, wealth manager Richard Philbin gets exposure to private markets both by investing in dedicated private equity funds such as 3i and the venture capital fund Augmentum which provides exposure to unlisted fintech firms.

Coronavirus and changing consumer behaviours present a the fintech sector with “significant opportunity for further disruption,” Tim Levene, the CEO of listed investor Augmentum Fintech said today.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Augmentum is performing well. Annual results revealed an unrealised portfolio gain of 18 per cent on invested capital.”

Augmentum Fintech plc announce its Final Results for the year ended 31 March 2020.

We are pleased to have won ‘Best Marketing Campaign’ in the The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) Shareholder Communication Awards 2020.

We are delighted to announce that Augmentum Fintech plc will be joining the FTSE SmallCap Index and the FTSE AllShare Index with effect from after the close of business on 19th June.

Augmentum Head of Engagement Georgie wins WeAreTheCity Rising Stars Award

An intro to fintech in the UK: companies, stocks and how to invest

Fintech in the Eye of the Storm: A fintech investor’s view of the industry in 2020 and beyond

Today marks the start of UK Fintech ‘Week’ (taking place from 14th April until 1st May).

We are delighted to announce the launch of TeenVC, powered by Augmentum Fintech, a free digital education platform where teenagers can learn about Venture Capital (VC) and entrepreneurship.

Simon Thompson of Investors Chronicle featured Augmentum Fintech in his “Exploiting market mis-pricing” article today.

Our note to Shareholders outlining our approach towards managing the fund in light of the COVID-19 developments.

In the first article of our 'Fintech Investing' column for Master Investor, Augmentum Partner Martyn Holman weighs in on the rise of fintech and its position in the wider European venture capital ecosystem.Read the full article here

Yesterday we hosted the annual Augmentum Capital Markets Day at Plaisterers' Hall in the City of London. The audience of institutional investors heard about Augmentum's investment strategy and progress, along with the latest developments from across our portfolio from...

Our Head of Engagement Georgie Hazell has been named in the 'Standout 35' and 'Rising Stars' categories of the Innovate Finance Women in Fintech Powerlist 2019.See the full list here

Soldo's Martino Tramontin recently interviewed Augmentum CEO Tim Levene. They discussed evolving consumer behaviour in fintech, the Augmentum portfolio, the future of fintech and what being publicly listed means in practice for Augmentum.Read the article here

Financial Times published this article about Augmentum portfolio company interactive investor, on 18th February: "interactive investor to acquire Share Centre... Tie-up would see the UK’s second-largest investment platform manage £36bn of assets".   Read the...

Innovate Finance have published their 2019 Fintech Investment Landscape report, which highlights the UK's position as a European and global leader. The report explores the latest investment trends and top deals, European and global rankings, and much more. We were...

Augmentum was featured in this Investors Chronicle article; "Trading 10 per cent below NAV, and with pro-forma cash of £17m on hand to invest, Augmentum's shares have scope to resume their upward trajectory. Buy." Read the full article here

Grover was featured in this Silicon Republic article on the 20 European startups changing how we spend and manage money.   Read the full article here

Augmentum was featured in this London TechWatch article; "These are the 7 Most Active London Venture Capital Firms in 2019".   Read the full article here

Are you thinking about whether you should invest in fintech? Learn more about investing in fintech with Augmentum.

We were delighted to host an ambitious group of University of Cambridge MBA students at our offices last week, offering them an insight into a career in VC. We wish them all the best for their upcoming exams!

Augmentum Associate Freddie Evans discusses Augmentum Fintech's unique structure, what his first day at the fund was really like and his views on what makes both a great investor and investment in the latest 'Associated' podcast episode.   Listen here [49 mins]...

Our Head of Engagement Georgie Hazell has been shortlisted for We are Tech Women and JP Morgan's #TechWomen100 awards.   See the full shortlist here