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Private Capital

We raise funds for private companies and their owners to support growth or realise value. Our relationship-based approach identifies the right funding solutions across the capital structure to best fit our clients’ objectives.

We seek to provide solutions that have the flexibility to meet our clients’ longer-term aspirations – rather than simply completing the original funding transaction. Finding the most suitable funding partner is just as important as finding the money.

Our expertise, experience and key relationships encompass leverage funding (both bank and leverage funds), private equity, venture capital and high net worth/family office funding solutions. SPARK often completes secondary fundings and recapitalisations as our clients grow or seek further realisations.

IPOs

We advise companies seeking a listing in the UK on the Main Market or AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange, or on AQSE. We have an enormous depth of experience in successfully bringing companies to market and raising capital in a broad range of sectors, including both trading companies and investment vehicles (such as VCTs) in the UK and internationally.

We are one of a very small number of firms who are able to act as both a Sponsor for companies seeking a standard or premium Main Market listing and Nominated Adviser to those looking to join AIM.

We are independent from any broker, meaning that we provide impartial advice on the approach to IPOs (and life after IPO). From the outset, one of the key benefits we offer is to assist our clients with the selection and management of broker(s) whose underlying clients are the investing institutions. SPARK is able to advise clients free from conflict of interest on valuation and overall project viability. We have significant experience in maintaining pricing tension within the fundraising process, optimising the transfer of value from existing shareholders to incoming investors.

Strategic Advice and M&A

Strategic Advice

We provide partner led strategic advice to companies looking to grow, to realise capital or to engineer corporate development. We assist clients in the evaluation of strategic key options, undertaking strategic reviews, assessing capital raising options and running acquisition and buyer searches for our clients. Our partner led approach allows us to take a long-term approach, and to work with clients to optimise their business model in readiness for a potential transaction. As a result, we often become a trusted, independent adviser to our clients.

M&A

SPARK has extensive experience acting on both the buy side and sell side of M&A transactions. We believe in running a structured and streamlined sales process, where significant resources are deployed in buyer identification which we believe delivers optimal results and minimises business disruption. As an adviser with expertise across the capital structure, we use our leverage knowledge and experience to drive value or introduce debt funders as an alternative to a total sale to best fit client objectives.

We have excellent relationships amongst the financial buyer community, successfully completing a number of cross-border transactions utilising our contacts and relevant databases. As a growth company adviser, SPARK assists clients on the buyside, including bespoke acquisition searches – unlike many sell-side focused boutiques.

Public M&A

SPARK has extensive knowledge and experience of public company M&A under the Takeover Code, acting both for offeror and offeree company boards. We have acted on recommended deals, unsolicited and hostile approaches, and bid defences. SPARK has a track record in delivering value for shareholders in public processes, utilising our extensive knowledge of capital markets and advisory skills to optimise price. Similarly, when acting on behalf of the offeror, SPARK’s deep understanding of takeover tactics and strategy, and investor attitudes and perceptions helps to deliver a successful transaction.

For larger companies, with bulge bracket advisers, we are able to act as sounding board for directors, ensuring they have objective impartial advice on key decisions.

 

Nominated Adviser and Sponsor

Equity Capital Markets

SPARK is a retained nominated adviser for AIM companies and a Sponsor for Main Market companies, guiding boards on all aspects of life as a public company and managing relationships with regulators, investors and brokers. We leverage our extensive experience in capital markets and transactions to provide a pragmatic approach on regulatory matters and corporate governance.