School and club sports development tour company Inspiresport has attracted unspecified investment from a private equity firm.
The funding in the Cardiff-based company has come from Calculus Capital and follows primary funding from regional SME investment company Investment Wales, which remains an investor.
The funding will be used to continue international expansion and to grow its inbound capabilities. Inspiresport will also expand its portfolio of team sports and build upon its marketing and sales efforts.
The business allows children to train at world class international and domestic facilities with top coaches and teams in sports including football, rugby, netball, cricket and hockey.
Chief executive Steve Butchart, who joined last year from Thomas Cook, said: “Providing children with access to top quality training and experiences of a lifetime are at the core of our ethos.
“Through our strong links to professional clubs Inspiresport enjoys a unique offering and we are seeing that interest from schools and clubs continues to grow.
“This investment from Calculus Capital will help us take our business to the next level and we will be in a great position to maximise opportunities for strong future growth.”
The company is endorsed by the UK’s leading governing bodies for school sports including the English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish School’s Football Associations and Netball Europe. Additionally the company is preferred service provider of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Calculus Capital investment director Rick Jones said: “Inspiresport is an ideal investment for Calculus. We are backing a highly experienced management team with a great track record and a very attractive product. The company has great expansion potential and a unique business model.”
Finance Wales portfolio executive Nicola Griffiths said: “With Finance Wales’s long-term backing Steve and his team have developed the company’s services and opened up new markets. We congratulate them on attracting investment from Calculus Capital and wish them every success with their expansion plans.”