Beer & Partners, the UK business investment agency, is launching a due diligence initiative in partnership with London law firm, Nabarro. The initiative, entitled DD Pack, presents investors with advance due diligence on businesses seeking funding, creating time and cost savings as well as giving investors a higher level of guarantee.

When reviewing opportunities featuring the DD Pack stamp, Beer said it assures investors that the business has completed a due diligence questionnaire from Nabarro and agreed to warrant in advance that the information is correct.

As a result of the process, the investor will have easy access to detailed commercial and operational information about the company, minimising the risk of deal-breaking facts appearing at a late stage.

“Any investor and many banks who do not have a direct relationship with a small business owner will require a level of due diligence on the businesses’ affairs before investing or loaning funds. This is a time-consuming process, involving the checking of facts such as the market landscape, key staff, directors, financials and legal position, chief executive of Beer & Partners Michael Weaver said, in a statement.

“Our advice is to seek out professional advice and support where required. The DD Pack is geared to offer just that – expert support, resulting in a more streamlined process and a level of comfort on due diligence over and above the usual business plan. Moreover, with the fixed fee approach, only a minimal amount of investment is required for the legal fees on completion,” Mr Weaver added.

Founded in 1991 and headquartered in London, Beer & Partners is an established business investment agency with a database of some 1,500 active investors and over 200 smaller institutions. The company matches investors to businesses looking to raise funds, from those in early start-up phases through to IPO. These investments fill the equity gap between family capital and the institutions, typically ranging from £150,000 ($227,610) to £1.5 million.