# James Austin

> James Austin is a funding round investor at Business Growth Fund backing Manufacturing and SaaS. See 6 investments, check sizes, portfolio. Updated Aug 2026.

- Type: Angel Investor
- Fund: [Business Growth Fund](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/business-growth-fund)
- Total investments: 6
- Last investment: Mar 2022
- Lead investor: 83%
- Last updated: Aug 2026
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-austin-477b2911

James Austin is a funding round investor at Business Growth Fund focused on Manufacturing and SaaS. James joined BGF’s Bristol office in December 2011. He is responsible for the origination and execution of investments in Wales and South West England. He will also sit on the boards of certain investee companies.After qualifying as a chartered accountant in Glasgow, James has specialised in corporate finance transactions for more than 15years. He has worked in the South and South West of England for more than eight years, as a Director in the RBS Structured Finance Southern team and latterly as an Investment Director in LDC.He has experience of a broad range of sectors and transaction types and has particular interest in technology and energy growth businesses. James enjoys golf, rugby and most sports but is usually diverted by two small children and two large dogs.

## Investment focus

### Industry

| Industry | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Manufacturing | 2 | 33% |
| SaaS | 1 | 17% |
| Men's | 1 | 17% |
| Retail | 1 | 17% |
| Fashion | 1 | 17% |

24 industries tracked in total.

### Stage

| Stage | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Funding Round | 3 | 50% |
| Seed | 1 | 17% |
| Series A | 1 | 17% |
| Venture - Series Unknown | 1 | 17% |

## Investments

| Company | Description | Amount | Stage | Date | Website |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ARuVR | ARuVR (previously VRtuoso) is the world's first enterprise-level XR (Extended Reality) training platform. Using VR and AR ARuVR enables companies to build, distribute, and manage immersive training experiences themselves for both on-demand and real-time training. Currently used by over 1 million users, we help teams collaborate better anddevelop new skills across the workforce. ARuVR integrates with any existing platforms, LMS or intranet. Use your existing training content or draw on our library of over 1M+ assets. The ARuVR solution seamlessly brings together our XR platform, content, hardware and implementation services.More info about us and our solution can be found at: https://aruvr.com/solutions/ | $3M | Series A | Mar 22, 2022 |  |
| ARuVR | ARuVR (previously VRtuoso) is the world's first enterprise-level XR (Extended Reality) training platform. Using VR and AR ARuVR enables companies to build, distribute, and manage immersive training experiences themselves for both on-demand and real-time training. Currently used by over 1 million users, we help teams collaborate better anddevelop new skills across the workforce. ARuVR integrates with any existing platforms, LMS or intranet. Use your existing training content or draw on our library of over 1M+ assets. The ARuVR solution seamlessly brings together our XR platform, content, hardware and implementation services.More info about us and our solution can be found at: https://aruvr.com/solutions/ | $3M | Seed | Mar 22, 2022 |  |
| Wiserfunding | AI-backed cloud-based platform to assess the Credit Risk of SMEs across the globe. | $4.1M | Venture - Series Unknown | Sep 21, 2021 |  |
| Christopher Ward | Christopher Ward – an innovative, modern luxury watchmaker Christopher Ward is a British watch brand with a unique business model that offers an international range of luxury watch collections for men and women across Dress, Sports/Dive, Aviation, and Motoring styles. Based in Maidenhead, Berkshire, the vertically integrated companycreate all its own designs and has a team of watchmakers and craftsmen in Biel, Switzerland, as well as a luxury showroom at its Maidenhead HQ.Combining innovative in-house design and exceptional technical quality with unprecedented levels of value, product guarantees and customer service, Christopher Ward has opened the ‘Swiss Made’ luxury watch market to a radically broadened range of consumer profiles. Focused principally on online B2C communication, the business is supported by powerful strategic planning, marketing and social media strategies.In 2014, the company further expanded its watchmaking expertise through a merger with Swiss movement specialists Synergies Horlogères and launched its first in-house movement, Calibre SH21. In June 2015, the company was the only British watch brand to feature in the Sunday Times BT Business SME Export Track 100 and was also listed as #3 in the Sunday Times Emerging Brands Award for 2015. | $8.2M |  | Jul 31, 2019 |  |
| Bullitt Group | Bullit Group is a UK-based company that provides go to market solutions for global brands looking to extend into mobile or audio products.Its channel partners and customers include global cellular distributors and telecoms carriers, who sell the company’s products to end users in 32 countries.It is the worldwide licensee of Caterpillar Inc.for mobile devices and accessories and the licensed manufacturer of JCB mobile devices. Another brand in the portfolio is Ted Baker (audio products).Bullitt operates globally and employs 30 people, with offices in Shenzhen in China, and the US. | $4.6M |  | Feb 13, 2013 |  |
| Primrose | Primrose engages in the online retail of garden necessities, luxuries, and frivolities. Primrose retail product category includes water features, planters, garden screening products, plants, garden furniture, awnings, greenhouses, outdoor heating products, shade sails, pest control products, marquees, outdoor clocks, willow and hazel hurdles. | $5.2M |  | Jun 10, 2012 |  |

6 of 6 investments shown.

## Co-investors
- [Symvan Capital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/symvan-capital) — VC Fund, 2 deals together

## About Business Growth Fund

VC Fund · London, United Kingdom

Business Growth Fund is an influential investor in small and mid-sized businesses. It was set up in 2011 to offer growing companies and ambitious entrepreneurs patient capital and strategic support.With 14 offices, they are close and relevant to the businesses they invest in. They have grown to a team of 150+ and a network that’s made up of oneof the largest pools of board-level executives. Collectively, the companies in their portfolio employ close to 50,000 people. They want to see more entrepreneurs using their capital not only to scale-up their own business but also, collectively, to drive economic activity and with it increase employment, exports, and growth.

5 contacts available at Business Growth Fund.

| Name | Title | Profile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aoife McAdam | Investor | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/aoife-mcadam |
| James Austin | Investor | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/james-austin-2 |
| Michael Clarke | Investor | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/mike-clarke-2 |
| Alice Avis | Non-Executive Director | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/alice-avis |
| Bethany Shiers | Investor | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/bethany-shiers |

## Similar investors

### Similar stage
- [Bpifrance](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/bpifrance) — VC Fund
- [SFC Capital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/startup-funding-club) — VC Fund
- [HTGF (High-Tech Gruenderfonds)](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/high-tech-gr%C3%BCnderfonds) — VC Fund

## FAQ

### What does James Austin invest in?

James Austin invests primarily in Manufacturing, SaaS and Men's startups, most often at Funding Round and Seed stage. Most of the 6 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United Kingdom. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.

### When did James Austin last invest?

The most recent investment recorded for James Austin closed in Mar 2022. Shizune tracks 6 investments in total for this profile, including round sizes, stages and portfolio companies, all sourced from confirmed public funding rounds and refreshed monthly.

### Is Shizune's investor data accurate?

Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.

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