Manchester-based lead
generation marketing firm B2 Group this month completed a £1.1m funding round
with backing from YFM Private Equity.
The investment was
made via the Northwest Regional Development Agency’s Northwest Interim Venture
Capital Fund, alongside private investors and directors of the B2
Group.
In a bid to accelerate
growth, the two-year-old business, which has assembled a highly experienced
management team from the marketing industry, plans to recruit up to 30 new
employees, doubling its workforce.
Delivering access to
what it describes as ‘ready to purchase’ small and mid-sized business customers,
B2 Group specialises in offering cost-effective direct marketing to its small
number of blue-chip clients.
“We are delighted to
have significant investment support from YFM who have a reputation for backing
successful businesses,” said B2’s CEO Jeremy Whitaker.
“This is without doubt
one of the most exciting marketing initiatives this century. B2 will
revolutionise the way large and small businesses will do business with each
other.”
For its part, YFM
chose to invest having witnessed the company’s growth to become a niche business
services company with a strong management team. Chairman of the NWDA Robert
Hough chose the announcement to point out that the Interim Venture Capital Fund
“has successfully filled the gap in public sector venture capital support” at a
time when public sector monies are being cut.