The role of social investment
HCT Group has sustained very strong growth over past twenty years – and social investment has been an essential component of that growth, providing the working capital to continue our rapid expansion and to provide the funds to acquire commercial bus operators and turn them into social enterprises.
Our 2018 fundraising round
In 2018, HCT Group secured a £17.8 million funding package with the help of ClearlySo, Europe’s leading impact investment bank. Big Issue Invest led the round which consists of a refinance of legacy debt and an injection of new capital. City Bridge Trust, Esmée Fairbairn, HSBC, MFS, Phone Co-op, Social and Sustainable Capital, TriplePoint and five high-net-worth individuals from the ClearlySo network also participated.
The funding round won Social Investment Deal of the Year at the UK Social Enterprise Awards.
A track record of success
The 2018 fundraising round was built on previous success. In 2015, HCT Group raised £10m in a package containing a range of financial instruments, including asset backed facilities, cash flow loans and a quasi-equity component, giving this deal a level of sophistication previously unseen before in this sector.
Just prior to this deal, HCT Group was able to provide a full and successful exit for the social investors who backed it in 2010 – an investment that successfully helped HCT group to more than double its size over the five year term of the investment.
Looking to the future
HCT Group has ambitious plans for the future and is always seeking new opportunities with investors looking for a social and financial return. Please contact our Chief Finance Officer, John Smart, on [email protected]