Smart has raised £76m in its Series E funding.

The round was led by Aquiline Capital Partners, with a number of existing investors also participating, including: Chrysalis Investments, Fidelity International Strategic Ventures, DWS, Barclays and Natixis Investment Managers. Funds from the investment round are expected to bolster Smart’s expansion plans, and will also help finance near-term acquisitions and accelerate Smart’s investment in and distribution of its retirement savings technology platform, Keystone. Lazard acted as financial adviser to Smart for the Series E funding round, while Perella Weinberg Partners acted as financial adviser to Aquiline.

Quietroom has launched a new audit service designed to help Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulated businesses get ready for the new Consumer Duty.

The four-stage audit was developed to help firms meet their consumer duty needs ahead of the 31 July deadline. It is based on a framework that compares firms’ communications to the Consumer Duty guidelines, drawing on the specific examples of effective communication that the guidelines offer. It also considers some of the key improvements that the FCA has said it wants, such as better communication with vulnerable audiences.The audit can be tailored to suit companies’ needs, including a stage that allows firms to learn from the process so they can run the bulk of the audit themselves.

Octopus Energy Generation, the generation arm of Octopus Energy Group, has launched a new Octopus Energy Transition Fund (OETF).

The fund aims to provide access to investment opportunities in fast-growing sectors delivering on net zero and creating green jobs. It made its first investment in partnership with Legal & General Capital, investing £70 million in The Kensa Group, the UK’s leading manufacturer and installer of ground source heat pumps. The OETF is aiming to raise £500m from institutional investors including pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds and endowments, with an initial cornerstone investment from Wandsworth Pension Fund.

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