Thought Leadership

Chris Elphick provides his reflections on VC fundraising data in 2025 and the decline in the UK total overall. He highlights that this is a narrow snapshot, drawing attention to the strengths of the ecosystem including how the UK continues to lead Europe in total VC investment, the strong track record of exits and returns, and the UK’s strengths in important and emerging sectors including AI, health tech and life sciences.

The Bank of England are mapping out scenarios against which they can specifically test how private markets would react in a moment of acute stress. They want to know what that could mean for the stability of the financial system on the one hand and the performance of the real economy on the other.

The BVCA’s Sustainability Policy Executive, Breeze Haywood, reflects on the outcome of the most recent COP30 negotiations. Breeze highlights the UK’s role in advancing global nature finance and how private capital is well-positioned to help develop innovative finance mechanisms to further mobilise capital at scale.

Belasko’s Head of Funds, Nick McHardy, looks at the practical steps involved in launching and operating a private capital fund. This piece reflects on foundational aspects such as fundraising, documentation, fund structuring as well as service provider selection – giving a useful guide on operational aspects and fund lifecycle management.

BVCA Senior Venture Capital Executive, Baderin Tejuoso, reflects on Slush 2025, one of the most influential conferences in the European venture capital calendar.

As the Chancellor’s welcome recognition in her speech highlights, the need for investment to drive growth remains critical. To get on the growth trajectory, and remain there, we now need her to get on with the pro-growth agenda, and avoid the damaging speculation we saw this year, which impacts confidence and investment plans.

BVCA Senior Policy Manager, Nick Chipperfield reflects on the House of Lords inquiry into the growth of private markets - a subject that has attracted wide interest in the media and across the financial sector. Nick covers evidence provided by the BVCA and member firms as well as recent contributions made by the Bank of England and City Minister Lucy Rigby KC MP.

The past month of conferences and summits have offered comforting words on investments but policies are needed. It has been a busy period emphasising the key requirement that the UK must remain competitive for our industry.

Breeze Haywood, Sustainability Policy Executive, shares insights from the BVCA’s recent Black History Month Reception. At the event, panel discussions explored existing gaps in the industry with regards to access to finance and career development opportunities. Panellists discussed how embedding DE&I into business and government policies can support innovation and economic growth.