The latest equity fundraising and acquisition offers in Welsh business

Here we bring you the latest news on capital investment and acquisitions in Wales.

A consortium of 15 investors from Women Angels of Wales (WAW) is helping to increase single-use plastic recycling rates through an equity investment in Deeside-based Polytag.

With support from Collateral Good and Knop Ventures, Polytag has raised £2.85 million to fund the development of its pioneering tag and barcode tracking technology. GS1 digital link QR codes enable brand owners and food and beverage retailers to track packaging from labeling to scanning at recycling centers. Trials are already underway with Ocado, Co-op, Arla, Aldi and Biffa.

Rachel Ashley, director of Women Angels of Wales (WAW), led the female angel syndicate, which was also joined by a further six male investors. Their total investment of £100,000 was funded with £100,000 from the Wales Angel co-investment fund. Polytag also benefits from the support of the Broughton Center for Advanced Manufacturing Research.

Chief executive Alice Rackley said: “Our GS1-approved technology allows brand owners and retailers to see where and when their bottles are recycled, so they can track recycling habits across the UK. This is powerful data that no brand or retailer has access to, enabling them to implement sustainability strategies, develop new campaigns and make recycling more rewarding for customers.

“But this is not the end; these QR codes also provide consumers with valuable recycling information at the product level, supporting a sustainable and circular economy. The support of our funders means we now have the capital to enable us to continue to invest in our technology and resources, helping us scale up as we accelerate our growth, while improving recycling rates and increasing circularity.”

Mariana Gonzalez, director at Collateral Good, said: “We are delighted to support Alice and the Polytag team in developing a multi-tenant platform that combines self-designed hardware and software based on GS1 standards. The technology is highly scalable and can be used in an unlimited number of industries. Valuable insight into consumption patterns, market penetration and disposal information allows brands and retailers to understand their customers and encourage sales and recycling. “The label is now seen as a revenue driver.”

Ms Ashley said: “This is a team led by Alice with a shared commitment to making a positive difference for future generations by developing a solution that improves the recycling rate of single-use plastics. They have achieved impressive traction over the past year and we hope that the smart capital from our angel consortium will now add additional value to the business.”