Investors from Bristol Private Equity Club (BPEC) are rallying around their community of ambitious start-ups and high growth companies, providing much-needed guidance and support to help them find solutions to the challenges that lie ahead.

Many of BPEC’s 85 investors, who are all highly successful entrepreneurs, will be communicating remotely and offering welcome advice to the companies they have invested in since the Club was established in 2016.

BPEC’s panel event on 25 March has been postponed until further notice although the Club’s investors will be doing their utmost to complete current deals in the pipeline that have already reached an advanced stage.  

Founding director Jerry Barnes, explained: “We will be supporting Bristol’s entrepreneurs by reaching out to all the companies in our portfolio to offer them advice and support during these challenging times.

“Unfortunately, we have had to postpone our panel events and we have contacted all parties involved to let them know. We are also currently closed to new pitches but we hope to re-open the application process and reinstate our events as soon as we possibly can. In the meantime, we would like to discourage new applications until further notice.”

BPEC comprises like-minded and highly-successful entrepreneurs who have run companies in a wide range of different sectors and understand the trials and tribulations that come with starting and growing a business. They bring their varied skills and experiences to the Bristol business community, providing opportunities for the next generation of entrepreneurs to pitch for investment.

In just over three years, BPEC members have invested £6.7 m in 23 Bristol companies, including smartphone developers OKKO; innovators of an ‘electronic nose’ to detect hazardous gases and pollutants Anaphite; and manufacturers of top end matching swimwear for men and boys Tom & Teddy.