News

Wiltshire Energy, a Swindon-based renewable energy business, has secured a £150,000 loan from the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund through appointed fund manager, The FSE Group, to support the next phase of its growth and development. 

Established in 2016, Wiltshire Energy designs, installs and services a range of renewable and energy efficiency systems including solar PV, heat pumps, biomass and solar thermal heating, underfloor heating and ventilation solutions. The company has built a strong reputation through word-of-mouth recommendations and is now recognised as a leading provider of renewable technology in the region. 

The funding will help the business expand its in-house team and training capability, reducing its reliance on subcontractors and supporting delivery across government-backed energy schemes such as BUS (Boiler Upgrade Scheme), Eco4, HUG (Home Upgrade Grant), Warm & Well, and the Great British Insulation Scheme. Wiltshire Energy has also gained FCA approval to offer finance solutions to clients to help with high upfront installation costs, and is accredited to deliver the Eco4 funding grant, further strengthening its position with local authorities and homeowners. 

Barney Westbrook, Founder and Technical Director of Wiltshire Energy, said: “This investment from FSE and the South West Investment Fund comes at a pivotal point for us. Demand for renewable solutions continues to rise as more people look to lower their energy bills and reduce carbon emissions. With FSE’s support, we can expand our in-house expertise, create more local jobs, and ensure we maintain the high standards our customers expect. It’s an exciting step in our journey to make sustainable living more accessible across our communities.” 

Amanda Sheppard, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, added: “We are excited to back Wiltshire Energy at this stage of its journey. Barney is a well respected, dedicated and experienced leader in the renewable energy space. He has over 25 years of expertise in delivering sustainable technology solutions, and through him, Wiltshire Energy has built a strong regional reputation. With this investment, we believe the business can scale its operations, build in-house capability, and better meet the growing demand for low-carbon solutions.” 

The UK renewable energy sector is forecast to grow from £24.3 billion in 2022/23 to around £41 billion by 2035, offering significant opportunities for businesses like Wiltshire Energy that are helping drive the transition to cleaner energy. 

Paul Jones, Senior Investment Manager from the British Business Bank, said: “Wiltshire Energy is a good example of a business helping to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy while creating skilled local jobs. By backing companies like this, the South West Investment Fund is not only supporting sustainable economic growth in the region but also enabling businesses to play an important role in the UK’s net zero ambitions.” 

The South West Investment Fund offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million. 

The fund is increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for South West smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance. 

The FSE Group has invested £250,000 from the Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator in Organicco Ltd, a fast‑growing climate‑tech company based in Slough. Organicco develops modular systems that convert industrial and organic waste into useful products such as biofertiliser, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), energy, hydrogen, food‑grade CO₂ and carbon credits.

Organicco was introduced to FSE at a Reading Tech Cluster pitch event, where the company’s founder showcased the business’s progress in helping organisations transition toward more sustainable waste‑management solutions. FSE is a sponsor of Reading Tech Cluster, which connects emerging founders and innovators through its events, making this investment a direct example of the collaborative activity the initiative aims to support.

Founded in 2018 by Jonathan Ure and Gopal Jeyasundra, Organicco has spent several years developing a suite of modular “waste‑to‑value” systems, including its ecoHERO, ecoDRYER, ecoMAN, and ecoENERGY technologies, which allow customers to transform waste on‑site, reducing disposal costs and generating new revenue streams.

With strong market drivers, including regulatory pressure, carbon‑reduction targets, and increasing demand for circular‑economy solutions, Organicco is well positioned to serve industrial waste generators, agritech businesses, municipalities, airports, hotels, and ESG‑focused corporates seeking scalable sustainability technologies. The funding will enable the business to deliver contracted and pipeline projects, expand its team, and progress manufacturing of its proprietary systems.

Gopal Jeyasundra, CEO & Founder of Organicco, said: “We’re delighted to have FSE’s support at a pivotal time for Organicco. After several years of intensive development, our technologies are now ready for full commercial deployment, and this investment allows us to move quickly on existing contracts and expand manufacturing. Meeting FSE through the Reading Tech Cluster was a key moment for us; they immediately understood the scale of the market opportunity and the positive environmental impact we aim to deliver. We’re excited to take the next steps in our mission to enable a zero‑waste future.”

Rob Hillary, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, said: “Organicco is an exciting business operating at the intersection of climate‑tech, engineering and the circular economy. We met the team at a Reading Tech Cluster event and were immediately impressed by their clarity of vision and market understanding. This funding will help accelerate the delivery of their first major contracts and support the company through its next phase of growth.”

Mark Adams, CEO of Reading Tech Cluster, said: “Organicco is exactly the kind of ambitious, impact‑driven company the Reading Tech Cluster was created to support. Our aim is to bring founders, investors and partners together in a way that drives real economic and environmental progress for the region. It’s fantastic to see FSE, one of our sponsors, back a business they discovered at one of our events. This is a great example of how the ecosystem is working and why collaboration and connections matter.”

The investment will support Organicco’s first contracted projects, including delivery of its ecoDRYER technology, while strengthening its ability to scale manufacturing, enhance its supply chain, and pursue wider market expansion.

Dundee-based Ecoanolytes is expanding the global footprint of its innovative safer, eco-friendly cleaning and sanitising products through a targeted business growth campaign.

Established in 2018, Ecoanolytes develops environmentally friendly cleaning and sanitising products under its Dew brand, designed to offer a safer alternative to traditional chemical-based cleaners.

Using electrolysed water and hypochlorous acid, a powerful antimicrobial compound naturally produced by the human immune system and commercially replicated, Dew products are made from a mineral-based solution representing the next generation of cleaning and sanitising technology. Natural, non-toxic and hypoallergenic, they can be safely used to sanitise surfaces and hands, clean wounds, and wash fruit and vegetables with no need to rinse.

Ecoanolytes also offers refillable and reusable containers, helping customers make safer, more sustainable choices by reducing single-use plastics and lowering carbon emissions.

The business has secured a £1 million loan from the British Business Bank’s Investment Fund for Scotland via appointed fund manager The FSE Group.

The funding is helping Ecoanolytes boost its operational capacity and expand into international and B2B markets, with plans to create more than 30 new jobs over the next three years. This growth push comes after several months of working closely with FSE, which helped lay the groundwork for this key investment.

With mainstream debt finance currently unavailable due to the projection-led nature of the investment, Ecoanolytes also secured some equity funding to further complement the Investment Fund for Scotland loan, unlocking additional growth opportunities.

Erik Smyth, CEO of Ecoanolytes, said: “This funding has enabled us to scale our operations while reinforcing our commitment to delivering safer, sustainable and highly effective cleaning solutions globally. The support from FSE has been instrumental in helping us reach this stage of growth, and securing the IFS loan has strengthened the confidence of potential equity investors.”

David Young, Investment Manager at The FSE Group added: “Ecoanolytes boasts an impressive senior team and has already established key connections with major buyers. Its product range’s proven effectiveness, along with environmental and safety credentials, make the business a compelling investment opportunity. We are excited to support this next stage of its expansion.”

Sarah Newbould, Senior Investment Manager at Nations & Regions Investment Funds, the British Business Bank, added: “Ecoanolytes is a great example of the type of ambitious innovative Scottish business that the Investment Fund for Scotland seeks to support. Its offering reflects a growing global demand for more sustainable and non-toxic alternative and its plans to expand internationally show how Scottish businesses can compete on a global stage. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this investment will have on the firm.”

The British Business Bank’s £150 million Investment fund for Scotland aims to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating opportunities for new and growing businesses across Scotland. The fund increases the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for smaller businesses, helping firms that might otherwise not receive investment and breaking down barriers to access. 

Cornwall games studio TruePlayers has successfully completed a funding round that includes a £140,000 investment from the British Business Bank via The FSE Group. The latest funding follows a 2022 investment made by FSE and will help the company build on its recent commercial momentum and growing interest from both gamers and new commercial channels.

Launched in 2021, TruePlayers originally focused on mobile‑first titles before pivoting to concentrate on PC and console gaming in response to market changes. Their latest release, FireHawk FPV, is a high‑fidelity drone‑flying simulator that has already sold more than 10,000 units. Designed with highly realistic physics and controls, the game has picked up strong community reviews and caught the attention of organisations exploring new simulation‑based training tools.

This new round of funding will allow TruePlayers to continue developing FireHawk FPV, including introducing new game modes, adding more community‑driven gameplay features and launching multiplayer, which is one of the most requested additions from players. The investment will also support the studio in bringing the game to new gaming platforms, opening the door to larger audiences. Alongside consumer growth, the business is expanding discussions with commercial partners about using FireHawk’s hyper‑realistic controls for training.

The funding takes the total British Business Bank investment to £365,000 via its regional Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF). Although CIOSIF is closed to new investees, FSE is able to further support businesses that have previously benefited from the fund.

Adrian Ruiz Langan, CEO of TruePlayers, said: “We’re incredibly proud of what our small team has achieved over the past two years. FireHawk FPV has demonstrated clear commercial potential and opened doors to major new markets. This follow‑on support from FSE enables us to accelerate development, expand our team with essential expertise, and pursue both gaming and B2B opportunities with confidence. We’re excited for the next phase of growth.”

Matt Browning, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, commented: “TruePlayers has shown real resilience and creativity in evolving their strategy and delivering a commercially successful title in FireHawk. The team has demonstrated technical capability and clear market understanding, proving a strong demand for what they’re building. Their early traction in the new commercial avenues highlights the wider potential of their technology. We’re pleased to continue supporting the team as they take this next step.

Funding through CIOSIF came to an end for new investees in December 2023 but wider funding is now available through the British Business Bank’s £200m South West Investment Fund providing loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m.

CIOSIF has been supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

The FSE Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Silvester as its new CEO.

Julie brings extensive experience from nearly two decades at FSE with a proven track record in UK regional fund management, early‑stage equity, and venture debt. Having been part of FSE’s leadership team since 2006, she has played a pivotal role in growing the organisation’s funds under management and establishing FSE as a leading regional fund manager.  

In her most recent role as Managing Director, Fund Management, Julie oversaw investment activity across six UK regions, led investment strategy and policy implementation, and built diverse, high‑performing teams.

Julie also brings more than a decade of City‑based experience in leveraged and corporate finance from her earlier career at NatWest Markets and Hawkpoint Partners.

Speaking about her appointment, Julie Silvester said:
“I’m honoured and excited to lead FSE into its next phase of growth. I look forward to bringing together our team and investment partners to fuel scaling businesses underserved by traditional funding, with socially responsible development capital that genuinely moves the needle for communities and regional economies.”

Martin Rigby, Chairman of FSE, welcomed the appointment:
“Julie’s depth of experience, strategic mindset, and long‑standing commitment to FSE’s mission make her the ideal fit as our next CEO.  Her vision will help ensure that FSE continues to expand its impact, backing ambitious businesses that might otherwise be overlooked by mainstream finance while generating attractive returns for its investors.”

Julie succeeds Paul Marston, who has led the organisation for the past six years. The Board is indebted to Paul for his incisive leadership and unflagging commitment during a period of unprecedented economic and business challenge.

Julie’s appointment comes at a time when impactful investment and regional economic development are more important than ever. Her commitment to FSE's purpose of championing innovative businesses and supporting sustainable growth will contribute to greater prosperity across the UK's regions.