Plan Bee, the eco-innovation start-up offering managed bee-keeping to corporate sponsors, has successfully raised £130,000 through the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS).
The Motherwell-based company, launched 18 months ago and initially housed in Glasgow's E-Spark incubator, secured matched funding from Scottish Investment Bank after raising £65,000 from Kelvin Capital through SEIS.
The scheme was launched by the Government two years ago to allow private investment in small early stage UK companies of up to £100,000 in a tax year, with 50% tax relief, and a maximum £150,000 overall.
South African former film producer Warren Bader started the firm in September 2011 on the back of the 'plan bee' campaign to battle a decline in honeybees, which are critical to biodiversity and estimated to be worth around £1 billion to UK agriculture.
He now has 50 beehives, which are leased to businesses keen to enhance their sustainability credentials, and hopes to increase the stock to 160.
Mr Bader said he offered companies "the quickest way to green themselves", and the return on involvement included two dozen jars of ethical, pure, unfiltered honey in their own corporate livery.
He added: "The more involved you are locally in the community and with the environment, the better your business will be. Look at how Starbucks not paying their tax caused mass irritation and annoyance."
Last year the Griffin pub in Glasgow's Bath Street got involved, keeping a bee colony in the pub's back garden. The client list now includes Balfour Beatty, Highland Spring, Clyde Dental Group, the Two Fat Ladies restaurants, Caledonian University, Glasgow's Holiday Inns and the Royal Troon golf club.
Plan Bee says it offers organisations "the fastest way to make a natural positive impact on their local environment and produce traceable, provenance-driven honey and by-products of the hive, for sale regionally and internationally through key channels".
Its website says: "Our managed bee-keeping facilities allow companies to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, as well as boosting the bee population around the installation sites.
Mr Bader added: "For an eco-innovation start-up to raise one of Scotland's largest seed rounds in this unique area of business is a real testament to the team we have put together and the strength and confidence of our underlying proposition."
He said the SEIS was the ideal vehicle, attracting backers who would not normally have chosen such an investment and prizing open the Scottish Enterprise funding.
Mr Bader said a year ago he was hopeful of persuading west of Scotland local authorities to allow brownfield gap sites a transitional 'oasis' use as wild flower meadows, to attract pollinating insects.
He said: "There are a number of things we are currently looking at to expand the portfolio."
Kerry Sharp, head of the Scottish Investment Bank, said: "Projects like this are exactly what we're here to support: it's innovative and ambitious and it has a real appetite for growth.
"We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with Plan Bee as their business develops."
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