Tech start-up fund enjoys busiest time

An investment fund created by a Peterborough entrepreneur to back digital start-ups has received more than 430 applications for help. Haatch Ventures, set up by Scott Weavers-Wright, who was the former chief executive of Kiddicare.com - the internet arm of Peterboroughbased baby care supplier Kiddicare - has been inundated by investment requests during its busiest three months.

Haatch has chosen four of those applications to benefit from a multi-million pound investment, which it says is its largest Enterprise Investment Scheme fund so far.

Mr Weavers-Wright said: “The last three months have been incredibly busy for everyone within the business.

“An unprecedented level of interest for funding has meant we have had to work 24/7 to select the very best for our investors.

“And we’re pleased to be able to finally announce the result of that work.”

The four new investments, which join Haatch’s 17 existing portfolio businesses, are: Keaze, which has developed a marketplace for affordable housing matching eligible buyers with suitable properties, Auddy, a podcasting platform and content business, plus employee wellbeing platform Peptalk and finally Careline Live, which is a careat-home platform allowing the elderly to stay and be cared for in their own home.

Mr Weavers-Wright said: “Each of these businesses are fantastic additions to the Haatch family.

“We can’t wait to get stuck in and help them scale and create the job opportunities we know the UK needs right now.”

Scott Weavers-Wright, founder of Haatch Ventures.