Active Hotels is one of Europe's leading online reservation providers to the hotel industry. Funds now advised by Bestport Ventures first invested in the company in October 2001 and realised this investment when Active was sold to Priceline.com Inc in September 2004 for £90m. The sale generated a total return of over 10 times the funds’ initial investment.

Bango helps businesses, brands and individuals launch and manage a mobile web presence. We first invested in April 2004 when James Stoddart joined the board. The business went on to list on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market in June 2005 and we realised a return of over three times our original investment in eighteen months.

Careforce provides domiciliary care services, caring for the elderly and infirm in their own homes, which are delivered through outsourcing arrangements with local authorities. The business was formed in 1999 by Mike Rogers (Chief Executive) to take advantage of the growing trend for local authorities to outsource domiciliary care to the private sector. Ole Bettum led the first institutional investment in the Company in July 2000, and a total of £4.5m was invested in Careforce before the company was floated on AIM in November 2004. The institutional investors including funds now managed and advised by Bestport retained a stake of 20% post float which was realised when Mears Group PLC acquired the company in May 2007, generating returns from 35% p.a. and upwards for funds led and advised by Ole Bettum.

Cassium Technologies provides IT services to the telecoms and financial markets. Funds managed and advised by Bestport invested a total of £1.25m in Cassium Technologies in July 2002. The investment was sold to Netstore plc in May 2005 delivering an exit IRR of 40%.

Dolphin Nurseries Ltd was started in the spring of 2000 to build a chain of high-quality childrens’ day nurseries in affluent parts of Greater London. Ole Bettum led the institutional investment in Dolphin in June that year and continued to support the company through to a successful exit in December 2004, generating a blended IRR on secured loans and equity of 32%.

Dr Foster Intelligence is a healthcare informatics company providing data analysis, market research and marketing services to both the NHS and the general public. Funds managed and advised by Bestport first invested in 2001 and since then, the business has become the recognised market leader in healthcare informatics. Dr Foster formed a joint venture with the NHS information centre in 2006. James Stoddart sits on the management committee.

Grosvenor Health Ltd, a leading UK occupational health provider, was an MBO from Capio UK in March 2004, initially backed by funds from Close Ventures, with two subsequent rounds from Close and Bestport to fund the acquisitions of AHS and Health Sure. Ole Bettum, Managing Partner of Bestport Ventures, led the MBO whilst at Close Ventures and continued to represent all the institutional shareholders through to the highly successful exit... read more

Intercare Residential was an East Anglian based, high quality specialist care home company first backed in an institutional round led by Ole Bettum in 1998. Between 1998 and the disposal of Intercare to Southern Cross PLC in 2004, the total amount invested was £9.9m in a mix of secured loans and equity. The investment generated a blended IRR of 25%.