Digital Urban, an innovative immersive technology business focused on urban regeneration, has secured a £250,000 debt finance package from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II via Fund Manager for East and South East Midlands, Maven.
The business leverages cutting edge technology to support urban regeneration projects with its expertise in creating detailed digital twins and immersive planning solutions. The company’s key services include model development, platform services, and consultation services.
Digital Urban's ability to integrate comprehensive data, ranging from public transport usage to environmental impact metrics is used to create highly accurate 3D interactive models, enabling local authorities and stakeholders to visualise complex projects in detail. These models have proven to significantly boost community engagement, with participation from younger demographics rising from 6% to over 40% in consultation processes.
The funding from the Maven-managed Midlands Engine Investment Fund II will enable Digital Urban to invest in its sales and technical teams, develop scalable products to align with its services and expand its client base nationally, including local planning authorities across the UK.
Driven by increasing demand for innovative solutions to support town and city centre regeneration, the company has received strong recognition, with recent visits from the East Midlands Mayor and its local MP, who are advocating for greater awareness of Digital Urban's pioneering efforts at upcoming national conferences.
“Our growth so far has been driven by client referrals and repeat business, which is a testament to the value we deliver. The funding from Maven and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II allows us to actively promote our product suite to a wider audience and reach new markets. Local authorities value how we help them engage more effectively with their citizens and stakeholders, and we’re passionate about the work we do. Expanding our reach is an exciting step forward for the team, and we look forward to supporting more communities across the UK."
Simon Mabey, Founder of Digital Urban
"Digital Urban is a good example of a forward thinking business addressing critical challenges in urban planning with innovative solutions. The company’s unique combination of data driven insights and immersive technology significantly enhances community engagement and decision making. The Midlands Engine Investment Fund II funding will support Simon and the team expanding their market reach and scale recurring revenue opportunities, aligning with the Fund’s focus on driving innovation and supporting regional growth."
Richard Altoft, Investment Director at Maven
"The Midlands Engine Investment Fund II was launched to provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with better access to finance, enabling them to start and scale their ventures. This investment in Digital Urban will support the company in doing just that, accelerating growth and expanding its reach nationally."
David Tindall, Senior Investment Manager at British Business Bank
Through MEIF II - Debt Finance East and South East Midlands, Maven can provide flexible finance options to address a variety of business needs, including enhancing working capital, purchasing new machinery, capital expenditure, export finance, product development and team expansion. The Fund has supported a number of businesses across the region to date, including Panoramix, an IP law firm, Advance Tapes, an independent adhesive tapes manufacturer, DUKE Distribution, a logistics and trackway installation provider and Vision4Sport, a sports hospitality specialist.
As Fund Manager of MEIF II - Debt Finance East and South East Midlands, Maven can provide business loans from £100,000 to £2 million to support both earlier and later stage businesses with real growth potential across a range of sectors. If your business, or the business you advise, is looking at debt finance as a solution to fund future growth please click here.