Advisory, Clients & Press: VC Investment in Sports Merchandising

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<strong>[June 2019]</strong><!– /wp:paragraph –><!– wp:paragraph –><strong>Fourth Wall Creative receives growth investment round</strong><!– /wp:paragraph –><!– wp:paragraph –><em><b>Foresight </b><span style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;” data-mce-style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;”>invests £5 million growth capital into technology-led football merchandising business</span></em><em><b> Fourth Wall Creative</b></em><!– /wp:paragraph –><!– wp:paragraph –>Foresight Group LLP is pleased to announce a £5 million growth capital<br />
investment into Fourth Wall Creative Limited a technology-led merchandising business servicing the football industry.Based in Bromborough, Merseyside, FWC was founded in 2010 by CEO Anton Botes and Joe Moroney who identified the need for an improved service for design and sourcing of merchandise within the football market. Since then the business has established itself as a market leader in the design and fulfilment of branded merchandise for football clubs.Using several proprietary software packages to automate the process of<br />
ordering and tracking products, FWC’s 360-degree solution saves its customers hours of administration that historically came with merchandise fulfilment.Since winning its first football contract with Liverpool FC, the Company’s<br />
customer base has grown to include ten Premier League football clubs including Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as several Championship football clubs.FWC has benefitted from the success of Premier League football clubs in<br />
Europe this season, assisting Liverpool FC organising and planning their<br />
Champions League victory parade.The investment from Foresight will allow the Company to deliver significant growth within its existing markets and capitalise on clear opportunities in Europe, across other sports and in non-sporting organisations. The team also has plans to develop new products and software packages that will facilitate further growth.<b style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;” data-mce-style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;”>CloudOrigin CEO Richard Hall</b> commented:<br />
<i style=”mso-bidi-font-style: normal;” data-mce-style=”mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>“It was a great pleasure to work with Foresight on another technology powered UK growth business, combining creative digital presence with real-world logistics to deliver a great membership experience for Football supporters.”</i>In addition to its investment, Foresight has introduced Richard Styles,<br />
founder and former Chairman of Kitbag.com, as Non-Executive Chairman. Richard will use his extensive industry experience and contacts to support the Company’s growth over the coming years.Commenting on the investment, <b>David Miles, Investment Manager at<br />
Foresight said</b>: “<i>Fourth Wall Creative has grown rapidly in recent years<br />
due to its exceptional reputation in the football sector. Throughout the<br />
process we have been impressed by the team’s ambition and commitment to<br />
innovation and quality of service. We are very excited to partner with Anton<br />
and the team to support the Company in continuing on its impressive growth<br />
trajectory</i>.”<b>Anton Botes, Founder and CEO of FWC added: </b>“<i>Fourth Wall<br />
Creative has grown rapidly over the past three years and we’re delighted to<br />
have secured Foresight as our strategic partner to help us grow the business<br />
even further. We’ll continue to invest in our services and further develop<br />
our software offering to complement our awarding-winning creative team and innovative merchandise manufacturing. We’re excited about the future and will strive to remain the industry leader, providing 360-degree solutions<br />
and support to our customers within the beautiful game and beyond.”</i>
<b><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Advisers on the deal included:</span></b><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Legal advisers: <b style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;” data-mce-style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;”>RW Blears LLP and Simkins LLP</b></span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Financial due diligence: <b style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;” data-mce-style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;”>Dow Schofield Watts</b></span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Commercial due diligence: <b style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;” data-mce-style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;”>RPL Advisory</b></span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Management due diligence: <b style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;” data-mce-style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;”>Catalysis Advisory</b></span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Technology due diligence: <b style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;” data-mce-style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;”>CloudOrigin</b></span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Tax due diligence: <b style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;” data-mce-style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;”>Tax Advisory Partnership</b></span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Corporate Finance: <b style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;” data-mce-style=”mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;”>EIS Solutions</b></span><b><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”> </span></b><b><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>About Foresight Group LLP (“Foresight”):</span></b><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Foresight is a leading independent infrastructure and<br />
private equity investment manager which has been managing investment funds on<br />
behalf of institutions and retail clients for more than 35 years.</span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Foresight has £2.9 billion of Assets Under Management<br />
across a number of funds, including Listed Vehicles, Limited Partnerships,<br />
Enterprise Investment Schemes (EISs), Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) and<br />
Inheritance Tax Solutions using Business Property Relief (BPR).</span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Foresight’s Private Equity team, comprising 24 investment<br />
professionals, pursues four discrete but complementary investment styles:<br />
Venture, Impact, Growth and Replacement Capital through its growing regional<br />
office network.  </span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Foresight was recently named Fund Manager of the Year at the PLC Awards. Foresight was awarded ‘Generalist VCT of the Year’ at the Investment Week Tax Efficiency Awards 2018/19 and was a finalist in the 2018 Unquote British Private Equity Awards as Venture and Growth Capital House of the Year.  In 2017, Foresight was voted ‘Best VCT Investment Manager’ at the Growth Investor Awards, having been previously awarded ‘VCT House of the Year’ at the 2016 Unquote British Private Equity awards.</span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>Foresight is headquartered in London with regional UK offices in Manchester, Nottingham, Milton Keynes, Leicester and Guernsey and </span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>international offices in Sydney, Rome, Madrid and Seoul.</span><span style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;” data-mce-style=”font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’,serif;”>For more information on the deal <a href=”https://www.foresightgroup.eu/news/foresight-invests-5-million-growth-capital-into-technology-led-football-merchandising-business-fourth-wall-creative/” data-mce-href=”https://www.foresightgroup.eu/news/foresight-invests-5-million-growth-capital-into-technology-led-football-merchandising-business-fourth-wall-creative/”>Click here</a>.</span><!–EndFragment–>