Lava Advisory Partners, a London-based M&A advisory firm established in 2020, has secured £8m in debt finance from specialist SME lender Beechbrook Capital. The B Corp-certified firm intends to use this funding to support a phase of rapid growth, which includes hiring additional staff and relocating to a larger office.
Paul Joyce, a partner at Lava, noted that the market has experienced significant volatility over the past two to three years due to tariffs, interest rate increases, and political changes. He believes that current market activity reflects a release of pent-up demand stemming from this period of uncertainty.
The firm, which has approximately 20 staff, focuses on founder-led mid-market companies with valuations ranging from £20m to £200m. Lava Advisory Partners reported a profit of just under £1m in its most recent annual report. Joyce also highlighted exceptionally high interest from US private equity firms in medium-sized UK businesses.