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75Media secures seven-figure NPIF II investment to power expansion and innovation Leeds-based disrupter in the outdoor advertising industry will use the investment to further technological advancements, making the sector more accessible to all

Press release 05 March 2025

75Media, the UK’s fastest-growing roadside media operator, has secured a seven-figure investment from NPIF II – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia Ventures as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), to help cement its position as a tech-driven leader in the outdoor advertising industry.

Paul Inman of 75Media front left and Chris Borrett of Mercia Ventures front right with the 75Media team

The investment will accelerate 75Media’s technological developments, particularly its proprietary AI platform, BOB (Billboard Optioning & Booking system) which has been designed to democratise outdoor advertising, empowering brands of all sizes to plan and build impactful outdoor advertising campaigns. Additionally, the funding will support the company’s international growth, building on its recent wins in the US, Scandinavia and the Middle East.

Despite only launching in 2020 with two employees and 140 classic billboard sites, 75Media has demonstrated impressive growth over the last five years and is now the number two market leader for large format roadside billboard sites in the country, and number six in the outdoor advertising market overall. The company saw revenues rise by 454% in the 12 months to the end of 2024 and employee headcount has more than doubled in that time, now standing at 56.

75Media has also unveiled changes to its senior leadership team to reflect the recent growth of the business. Paul Inman, previously 75Media’s Managing Director, will transition to CEO & Founder. Joel Turner, who joined the company in 2023 as Commercial Director, will now assume the position of Managing Director and Joe Lawson, who has been Sales Director since the company’s launch, will move into the role of Commercial Director.

75Media acquired London-based iQ OOH in January 2024 and, following further acquisitions, now has over 1,200 classic and digital billboard sites across the UK.

Paul Inman, CEO and Founder of 75Media, said: 

This investment is a defining moment for 75Media. Mercia’s support isn’t just about capital; it’s a vote of confidence in our vision to build a tech-enabled outdoor advertising business, which still has people at its heart – both in terms of our team, and the real audiences we need to deliver for our clients. As an industry, we need to be pushing innovation and reaching more people, and that’s what we’re here to do - to shake things up. This partnership allows us to move forward with even greater ambition, pioneering technologies that will set new standards in the outdoor advertising space.

Chris Borrett, Investment Director at Mercia Ventures, commented:

75Media is one of the fastest-growing businesses in the UK having built a platform that combines capital efficient asset growth with digitally enabled sales channels. Paul and the team at 75Media are ambitious, passionate, tenacious and highly experienced in the sector. They have the right creativity and drive to disrupt this industry and Mercia Ventures are excited to partner with them on this journey.

Lizzy Upton, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said: 

Leeds is fast becoming known for its bright talent across the tech sector and businesses like 75Media are helping to fuel this growth. Having grown its team rapidly in just five years is impressive, and establishes the business’ position as a market leader in the outdoor advertising space. This will ultimately help draw more investment to the region, which is one of the key aims of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.

Fundraising support was provided by 75Media’s corporate advisers, Jonny Sharp and Mick Morris at Cerelo Advisory. Legal advice for 75Media was provided by Andy Francey and Farrell Tang at Freeths, and by Daniel Hayhurst at Brabners for Mercia Ventures. 

The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII) covers the entire North of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.

The purpose of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the North of England. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.

Further Information

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Notes to editors

About 75Media

75Media is an roadside advertising operator with a rapidly expanding network of large format roadside billboards across the UK. As well as working with some of the country’s biggest brands and agencies, 75Media is also committed to helping businesses of all sizes reach new audiences through out-of-home advertising.

2023 marked the beginning of 75Media’s rapid UK-wide growth strategy with expansion into iconic urban locations such as London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Leeds. In April ‘23, the operator also announced its move into Scotland with the acquisition of 122 new billboard sites, including Scotland’s largest roadside advertising structure, the M8 Tower in Glasgow.

Continuing its growth trajectory, 75Media acquired London-based operator iQ OOH in January 2024, incorporating its entire network of 81 digital panels, and all its employees. The move instantly placed 75Media at number six in the OOH market.

In April 2024, the company launched proprietary software, BOB (Billboard Optioning & Booking system) which would go on to incorporate AI chat and campaign building technology to make outdoor advertising accessible to businesses of all sizes.

By September 2024, 75Media’s portfolio had more than doubled in size thanks to the acquisition of 595 classic 48 sheets, propelling the operator to the number two position in the UK’s large format roadside market.

Since 2021, 75Media has worked in partnership with the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT), helping the charity deliver a variety of projects aimed at supporting the people, landscape and wildlife of the Yorkshire Dales. The company’s wider sustainability and ESG strategy supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Further information on 75Media’s ESG goals can be found here: 

For more information on 75Media, visit 75media.co.uk.

About Mercia Ventures

Mercia Ventures is a proactive venture capital investor focused on being the first-choice partner for growth. Mercia Ventures makes equity investments of up to £10million across all sectors, with specialisms in Software, Consumer, Healthcare and Deep Tech.  

Mercia Ventures is a trading name of investment funds managed by Mercia Fund Management Limited and Mercia Regional Ventures Limited, part of the Mercia Asset Management PLC Group, and sits alongside the Group’s wider private equity, debt and proprietary balance sheet operations. The Group has 11 offices in the UK, and Mercia Ventures’ national footprint and 48 strong investment team draws on their experiences as founders, PhD scientists, software engineers, corporate financiers and management consultants to help our partner companies successfully achieve their ambitions. As at 30 September 2023, Mercia Asset Management PLC has c.£1.5billion of assets under management. Mercia Asset Management PLC is quoted on AIM with the epic "MERC".

The Group raises its own Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) and Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) Funds, and details about open offers can be found through Mercia’s website.

Mercia Asset Management PLC is quoted on AIM with the epic "MERC" and includes the following wholly owned subsidiaries -

  • Mercia Fund Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the FCA under firm reference number 524856
  • Mercia Regional Ventures Limited is authorised and regulated by the FCA under firm reference number 183363
  • Mercia Business Loans Limited is authorised and regulated by the FCA under firm reference number 443560
  • Frontier Development Capital Limited is authorised and regulated by the FCA under firm reference number 829697

mercia.co.uk

About the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

  • Operated by the British Business Bank, NPIF II provides a mix of debt and equity funding.  NPIF II will offer a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million. It works alongside the Combined Authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), and Growth Hubs, as well as local intermediaries such as accountants, fund managers and banks, to support the North’s smaller businesses at all stages of their development.
  • The funds in which the NPIF II invests are open to businesses with material operations, or planning to open material operations, in: Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire & Warrington, Cumbria, Liverpool City Region, Leeds City Region, South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority, York & North Yorkshire, Humber and East Yorkshire, Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne & Wear.
  • Supported by Nations and Regions Investments Limited, a subsidiary of British Business Bank plc, the Bank is a development bank wholly owned by HM Government. Neither Nations and Regions Investments Limited nor British Business Bank plc are authorised or regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

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