Nighthawk and Arena Investors, LP Launch Venture Lending Platform to Support UK Innovation Economy
LONDON, July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nighthawk Advisors LLP ("Nighthawk"), a specialist growth lender to early and mid-stage UK small and medium enterprises ("SMEs"), has announced the formation of a new secured lending platform in partnership with Arena Investors, LP ("Arena"). The programme will provide up to £30 million of flexible capital to UK SMEs, with capacity to scale to £60 million as demand grows.
The platform has already completed its first two transactions, deploying £5 million in funding to two highly innovative UK-based technology companies. The companies financed are in UK-based fast growing technology sectors of ad-tech and personalised nourishment, demonstrating the wide range of businesses the venture is prepared to support.
This partnership combines Nighthawk's specialist structuring expertise and access to emerging growth businesses with Arena's global institutional platform and experience navigating complex private credit markets. The joint venture aims to address the growing demand for alternative non-dilutive growth finance solutions from UK SMEs that are scaling rapidly but underserved by traditional bank lending or venture equity.
"Across the UK, there are outstanding innovation-led businesses seeking the right kind of growth capital to scale responsibly and sustainably," said Xavier Van Hove and James Davis, Managing Partners at Nighthawk. "This partnership allows us to offer highly tailored financing to help these businesses create skilled jobs, retain intellectual property onshore, and drive long-term economic value for the UK."
Pablo Fraga, European Private Investments, Managing Director at Arena, commented: "We are delighted to partner with Nighthawk in supporting the next generation of UK growth companies. The UK innovation economy presents exciting opportunities, and this platform allows us to deploy flexible capital where it can have real impact."
With its focus on supporting ambitious UK businesses at critical stages of growth, the venture contributes to the broader objective of strengthening the UK's innovation ecosystem and supporting domestic scale-up activity.
About Arena Investors, LP:
Arena is a global multi-strategy investment firm with approximately $4.1 billion of assets under management and programmatic capital1 as of April 1, 2025, with a team of over 180 employees in offices globally. The firm is a subsidiary of Arena Investors Group Holdings ("AIGH"). AIGH, along with its affiliate, Ceres Life Insurance, comprises the Westaim Corporation (TSXV: "WED"), an integrated asset management and life insurance and annuity provider.
In its alternatives business, Arena provides creative solutions for those seeking capital across all corporate, real estate, and structured finance investment areas, at all levels of the capital structure, and in all developed markets, alongside operational capabilities to manage and improve the businesses and assets in which it invests. The Firm brings together individuals with decades of experience, a track record of comfort with complexity, the ability to deliver within time constraints, and the flexibility to engage in transactions and business operations that cannot be addressed by banks and other conventional financial institutions. Please see www.arenaco.com for more information.
About Nighthawk Advisors LLP:
Nighthawk is a London-based growth lender focused on financing early and mid-stage technology SMEs based in the UK and Europe. The team has significant experience lending to and investing in technology companies, helping them accelerate their growth with innovative and non-dilutive funding solutions.
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1Programmatic capital includes callable capital to discretionary and non-discretionary separately managed accounts and certain commingled vehicles.
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