We combine our advisory and
investing background with
a fintech approach.
About us
Backed by families and long-term investors.
Founded in late 2018 and headquartered in London, Umbra Capital Partners is a modern merchant bank. We advise, improve and invest in mid-market companies.
We are primarily corporate finance advisers with an ability to invest. We have access to capital and invest across the capital structure.
We leverage our proprietary technology-based platform to help clients identify the most relevant partner for each opportunity, as well as helping businesses capture and analyse key data to make better decisions.
“Our aim is to sit down with entrepreneurs, owners and management teams of ambitious companies and figure out a way to work with them.”
Our approach
We founded Umbra to fill a gap at the smaller end of the mid-market, that is the ability to provide SMEs with both the things they need for growth: quality advisory services and access to capital.
We are primarily corporate finance advisers, but our ability to commit capital and roll our fees, gives us a significant edge and sets us apart from the competition. We also provide wealth management services for current or exiting shareholders.
“We bring our network, creativity, structuring know-how and investor mindset.”
Our Values
We are here to build long term partnerships with clients by putting their interests first, working closely with them day-to-day and by tying our returns to their success.
Our core values are integrity, transparency and alignment. These values ensure we earn and maintain the trust of our clients.
“Our core values are integrity, transparency and alignment.”
Our team
We are passionate about working with entrepreneurs, founders, owners and management teams of quality mid-market companies and have a strong track record of improving businesses.
Our backgrounds are complementary and our skill set includes experience from private equity, private debt, investment banks, hedge funds and family offices.
“We have known each other and worked together for many years. We have all founded businesses before and know how entrepreneurs, owners and management teams think.”
History of merchant banking
The first modern banks.
From its humble origins in the mercati (market places) of medieval Italy, where commodity merchants traded from their banci (benches) in cloth and grain, merchant banking has evolved over the centuries. Its activities widened and powerful family-owned merchant banks were established in the late 18th and 19th centuries, many of which remain famous names today, such as the French-English Rothschild family and the Baring brothers in London.
The growth of merchant banking continued into the 20th century, both in Europe and the US. In the years leading up to the Millennium, many smaller firms were merged into larger banks and corporations. No one could have predicted the sudden demise of the even most established merchant banks that was to come.
Today, a modern version of the merchant bank has begun to emerge, with the traditional model reimagined for the 21st century with a contemporary twist. Modern merchant banks like Umbra can offer a much wider array of activities than our medieval counterparts, while appealing to discerning investors, funds and companies with our differentiated model and fintech approach.
Protecting entrepreneurs and mid-market companies
Óm.bros (Ancient Greek) genitive ὄμβρος
Um.bră (Latin) plural umbras or umbrae
Derivation of Umbra
The Latin word umbra derives from the Ancient Greek ombros, meaning “shade or shadow”, as well as “protection”. It is also the root of the ubiquitous English umbrella, that unassuming yet indispensable object which has been sheltering people from the elements, including Britain’s year-round unpredictable weather, for over 4000 years.