Duff & Phelps looks to match cash strapped SMEs with investors

Duff & Phelps has launched a new matching service that helps small and mid-sized businesses with attracting capital.

The new 'Equity Match' service centres around matching the requirements of businesses with potential investors who most closely align in terms of cultural fit. This is hoped to address a notable gap in the market where SMEs are often overlooked, by providing access to much-needed cash with the help of over 70 separate funders, ranging from individual entrepreneurs to smaller equity houses, all of whom are willing to invest smaller amounts. 

Paul Reeves, a Managing Director Duff & Phelps, on the service, “We have access to a network of investors who are able to provide equity funding between £100,000 – £2 million for growth, stressed and distressed scenarios – an invaluable resource that SMEs can tap into. This new offering is about matching the two parties.”

While gaining access to much-needed cash is important for businesses at certain points along their trading journey, there is also often a pressing desire to tap into the sector-specific expertise that many industry-based investors are willing to provide.

One of Equity Match’s key differentiators is in introducing business owners to investors who may also be willing to offer hands-on support and guidance.

Reeves: “The right investor partner can help a business achieve its ambitions in a sustainable, considered way. Their strategic guidance and know-how can be invaluable in assisting a business to execute its growth or turnaround plan and stay on track. This adds another crucial level of support for businesses, no more so than during the economic challenge arising from Covid-19.”

A global consulting firm with over 4,000 employees, Duff & Phelps advises clients in the areas of valuation, corporate finance, disputes and investigations, cyber security, claims administration, restructuring and regulatory issues.