Administrate raises £3.05M million to support further international expansion
Edinburgh-based B2B SaaS provider Administrate, specialising in learning and training management software, has successfully raised £3.05 million in a new funding round. The Investment Fund for Scotland, Equity Finance, managed by Maven Capital Partners and delivered by the British Business Bank, contributed £1 million. The round also saw continued backing from existing investors Mercia and Archangels.
Administrate offers a cloud-based training management platform designed to help businesses streamline their entire training operations. By integrating seamlessly with customers’ existing Learning Management Systems (LMS) and key business systems, the platform serves as a central hub for managing training and scheduling. Many large enterprises face challenges in managing their training programmes, with a significant portion – 80% – still relying on classroom-based sessions and spreadsheets. Administrate’s Training Management System (TMS) stands out by providing an all-in-one solution for managing complex classroom training and high-value programmes.
This funding round coincides with the launch of Administrate’s new AI-powered scheduler, which enables enterprise customers to plan, schedule, and optimise intricate classroom training activities on a large scale. This innovation introduces greater automation into the training process, significantly reducing time and costs for clients. The newly secured funds will support the company’s efforts to expand its market presence and deploy this cutting-edge technology to its diverse global clientele, which includes industry giants like Siemens, Royal Caribbean, and Maersk.
Rob Stevenson, Investment Manager at Maven, said: “Administrates’ platform automates the challenges faced by large scale organisations and allows clients to deliver a leaner and more cost-effective training solution. We’re delighted to support John and the team at an exciting stage in the company’s journey and look forward to working with them to drive the business forward.”
John Peebles, CEO of Administrate, said: “It’s an exciting time for Administrate and our customers – we’ve been thrilled with the positive impact we’re seeing with the scheduler and other platform improvements, and this investment will allow us to continue to invest in and scale our offering.”
Mark Sterritt, Director, Nations and Regions Funds, at the British Business Bank, said: “The software developed by Administrate is already being used successfully by several multi-national organisations and this funding boost will enable the business to take that one step further with inbuilt AI. Technology is one of Scotland’s fastest growing sectors, but ensuring entrepreneurs have access to funding opportunities through the likes of the Investment Fund for Scotland is essential to ensure that momentum continues.”
This transaction marks the fourth investment made by IFS Maven Equity Finance. The Fund has also backed 3D printed micro-tumour specialist Carcinotech, MedTech company, Calcivis and Glasgow University spinout, Nami Surgical. The £150 million IFS covers the whole of Scotland and provides loans from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up, or stay ahead.
The purpose of the Investment Fund for Scotland is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across Scotland. The Investment Fund for Scotland will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for smaller businesses in Scotland, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.
