Imbiba

Huge news from Imbiba today! We are pleased to announce our investment in PINDROP HEARING LIMITED, a leading private clinical audiology business with clinics across London. Founded by Dr Rony Ganguly, Pindrop Hearing has built an outstanding reputation for clinical excellence and patient-centred care. Since opening its flagship Harley Street clinic in 2017, the business has combined evidence-based audiology with exceptional service, developing strong referral relationships with GPs, ENT consultants and private medical networks. Today, Pindrop operates three premium clinics across Harley Street, Chelsea and Winchmore Hill, providing advanced diagnostics, vestibular services and unbiased hearing aid provision across all major manufacturers. With our investment, Imbiba will support the next phase of growth, helping expand the clinic network across London and the South of England, whilst strengthening the clinical and operational team to support a multi-site platform. Heidi Duckworth, Partner at Imbiba, said: “Pindrop represents a truly premium clinical platform in a structurally growing market. Rony has built an outstanding reputation for clinical excellence and patient care. We believe there is a significant opportunity to roll out this model into other locations, delivering unbiased, customer-centric audiology services of the highest quality.” ➡️ More details in the link below. https://lnkd.in/eawec7TY

We're delighted to announce that we've been shortlisted for Investor of the Year at the 2026 EducationInvestor Awards.   Over recent years, we’ve partnered with some of the UK’s most ambitious, values-led providers in early years education - helping them grow sustainably while staying true to their culture and community roots. Here's a snapshot of what we've been up to: - OurHouse Clubs - we supported the platform’s growth journey and new site openings, culminating in a successful exit to Blackstone at the back end of 2024. - Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries Ltd - since our 2021 investment, it’s become the UK’s largest nursery franchise, now welcoming over 4,500 children each week across 70+ sites. - Abacus Ark Nursery Schools - since partnering in 2024, we’ve supported Abacus Ark’s mission to bring its distinctive, play-based learning model to more families across South West London. With several new sites underway, momentum is strong, and the team continues to set the bar for quality and care. - Nannie Annies Day Care - we’re backing the next stage of growth with a major new site in North East London and building the operational foundations around an exceptional founder-led team. Congrats to all other nominees and fingers crossed for the ceremony.

Great start to 2026, with our portfolio company Openr being nominated for Startup 100! https://lnkd.in/ewDt7h7p Huge congrats to all of the Openr team, a real testament to their hard work. Onwards and upwards! 💥

We’re thrilled to be shortlisted for UK & RoI: Small-Cap Deal of the Year at the Real Deals Private Equity Awards, following our investment in and exit from Pizza Pilgrims.   Our journey with Pizza Pilgrims has been a textbook example of what we love doing most: backing brilliant founders and supporting them through critical stages of growth. Their partnership with L'Osteria and McWin provides the perfect base (sorry, we had to…) for what comes next.   Fingers crossed for the ceremony, and congrats to all the nominees.

Exciting news from Imbiba today! We are delighted to announce our investment in Nannie Annies Day Care - a much-loved early years nursery group in Northeast London. Founded by Patricia Gray, Nannie Annies has earned a reputation for its warm, community-centred ethos, creative learning approach and strong bonds with parents. With high occupancy, an Ofsted “Outstanding” rating, and a passionate dedicated team, they deliver exceptional childcare and a home-from-home environment for children and families. With our investment, Imbiba will help Nannie Annies expand, bringing their nurturing, high-quality nurseries to new communities, while preserving the values and standards that make them special. Nick-Raj Birdi, Investment Manager at Imbiba said: “Nannie Annies is exactly the kind of purpose-driven business we love to support. Patricia has built an extremely strong culture, a talented team and a clear vision for the future. We are thrilled to be partnering with her to bring Nannie Annies’ unique approach to more communities.” ➡️ More details in the link below. https://lnkd.in/e5UB3K4V

In our latest article, Darrel Connell reflects on Imbiba's journey with Pizza Pilgrims; a partnership born in lockdown and built on backing people first. Four years later, as we now exit, the lessons are clear: ✅ Success is built on trust, loyalty and respect ✅ A balanced team creates resilience through challenge ✅ The best investors learn from relationships in adversity A huge thanks to the Pilgrims team - Thom, Gavin, Sophie, and James - for living the “Pilgrims Way” and making this journey unforgettable. As Darrel points out: “Meddle at your peril. In pizza love you must trust.” Read the full piece here → https://lnkd.in/eddhmY9u

🎙️ Building resilience and compounding value in growth capital private equity What does it take to run a growth capital private equity firm through shocks like COVID, keep supporting founders, and still deliver consistent growth? Our managing partners Darrel Connell and Lizzie Ryan-Podbury recently joined Private Equity Guy’s HoldCo Builders podcast with Mikk Markus to share: · How Imbiba built Fund I with a focus on proven unit economics, operators, and rollouts. · How this evolved into Fund II’s thesis, with greater emphasis on education, wellness, and healthcare. · The realities of fundraising in challenging markets, and how focus and resilience helped get the fund across the line. ·  Why we remain operator-heavy, supported by a broad network of operating partners across property, finance, operations, and marketing. ·  Our journey from Fund I (£50m) → Fund II (£90m) → Fund III, and what’s next in leisure, education, and healthcare. ·  Recent exits, including a 3× MOIC in under two years, successfully returning capital to Fund II LPs. 🎧 It’s a candid look at the tough times, spotting true operators, and compounding value across our investment sectors. 👉 Listen here: https://lnkd.in/ey-r4qSS 🔗 See further links in the comments below

🌟 Portfolio Spotlight: Abacus Ark Nursery Schools – Where Education Meets Exploration 👶 From the moment we met Anthony, Moira, and the Abacus Ark team, it was clear this was something special. Abacus Ark isn’t just about childcare, it’s about creating environments where children flourish through curiosity, creativity, and confidence. Their nurseries bring together warmth, education, and play, setting the foundation for lifelong learning. 💡 Why we invested: Abacus Ark combines high-quality early years education with a distinctive approach rooted in child-led exploration. With beautifully designed nurseries across London, the group is building a reputation for premium, boutique settings where children are encouraged to grow as individuals. Their focus on education, creativity, and care makes them a natural fit for our portfolio of purposeful, growth-focused businesses. 📍 Where it’s at: With sites in Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wandsworth, and Maida Vale, Abacus Ark is becoming a go-to name for London families seeking quality and trust in early years education. Each setting blends nurturing care with structured learning and exploration, guided by dedicated staff and tailored to support every child’s journey. 🚀 What’s next: With new sites already in the pipeline, Abacus Ark is poised for further growth. Imbiba is proud to support the roll out and scaling of this best-in-class brand across South West and surrounding areas of London, bringing the Abacus Ark experience to more families and communities. 👉 Learn more: https://abacusark.com/