Member Article

Personal data startup gets seven-figure backing from Business Growth Fund

London-based investment firm the Business Growth Fund has announced a £2m investment in personal data firm MyLife Digital.

The Wiltshire business, which operates the Wood for Trees and PGIR data analytics platforms, hopes to use the funding to facilitate a more expansive roll out of its digital platform which helps organisations and individuals share personal data.

Founded in 2014, MyLife Digital provides analytics and data sharing services to the not-for-profit, sport, healthcare and government sectors aimed at improving organisational performance and transparency.

Through its Wood for Trees platform the startup serves over half of the UK’s top 50 charities, including the British Red Cross and Dogs Trust, managing the data of millions of supporters and donors; meanwhile, its PGIR service provides performance analysis for a variety of professional sports including the Rugby Football Union.

John Hall, who is Chief Executive Officer at MyLife, said that the public had understandable concerns around the privacy of their personal data, and that the organisation was focused on ‘re-establishing trust’ between data-holding organisations and the people they serve.

He explained: “This might be helping asthma sufferers better manage their condition, or athletes and teams perform at a higher level, growing sport participation nationally.

“The platform enables multiple health and social care agencies to work together to better protect vulnerable people. It’s an exciting time and BGF’s investment will really help us accelerate our growth and development in this new space.”

BGF’s investment sees James Austin, who is an investor at the Venture Capital (VC) firm, join MyLife Digital’s board.

He commented: “With an impressive customer base in the sport and charity sector, MyLife Digital is already a leader in the field of personal information data analysis.

“We are pleased to be backing this highly experienced team as they continue to grow in these rapidly developing markets.

“Their vision for the Group over the next five years is powerful and credible, and we will be able to bring additional value to MLD through our existing network of investments and partners.”

BGF is one of the UK’s biggest VC investment funds and is backed by the the likes of Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS and Standard Chartered.