User Vision, a Scottish consumer behaviour consultancy, has secured a six-figure equity investment from the British Business Bank’s Investment Fund for Scotland through fund manager Maven Capital Partners.

The funding will support the Edinburgh-based company’s next phase of growth, including the appointment of financial services and technology veteran Martin Dempsey as chief executive, and Adrian Astley Jones, a private equity executive and board adviser, as chair.

They will drive User Vision’s more targeted sales strategy, business development and marketing activity.

User Vision was one of the first dedicated UK consultancies focused on user experience and accessibility across both digital and physical products and services. It applies research methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups and behavioural studies to give organisations a clear understanding of customer needs, pain points and motivations.

This insight enables clients to develop and deliver user-centric strategies that improve engagement, accessibility and satisfaction. The firm also provides service design expertise, audits and training.

Over the past 25 years, the business has worked with more than 350 clients in over 50 countries, with longstanding relationships including Emirates, NHS, People’s Postcode Lottery and Vodafone.

Chris Rourke, founder and executive director at User Vision, said: “This investment is a powerful endorsement of everything User Vision stands for – our people, our expertise and our reputation for pioneering research and user-centre design of services and products that makes a genuine difference.

“From day one we have believed in research-led, evidence-driven inclusive design, and this new partnership with Maven will help us amplify our impact, enabling more organisations to deliver experiences that are not only exceptional, but accessible to all.”

Rob Stevenson, investment manager at Maven, said: “As organisations increasingly recognise the importance of customer-centric design, the business is well placed to take advantage of growing demand for UX and accessibility services.

“We are delighted to be supporting the team as they scale, with the appointment of Martin Dempsey and Adrian Astley Jones bringing further strength to the leadership team.”

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Sarah Newbould, a senior investment manager at the British Business Bank, said: “Scotland’s technology ecosystem continues to add significant value to the economy, supporting jobs and competing on a global stage.”

The £150 million Investment Fund for Scotland was launched by the British Business Bank in October 2023, providing a mix of debt and equity funding to smaller businesses across Scotland to help them grow, innovate and create jobs.