Newcastle carbon reduction company SmartCarbon bought in private equity deal

The deal for the Gosforth company aims to support its growth and help develop its technology

Newcastle-based carbon reporting and reduction specialist SmartCarbon has been acquired by private equity firm TVI Group in a deal that aims to support the company’s growth.

The Gosforth firm, which was founded in 2016, has grown from a specialist carbon reporting platform working with several businesses in the North East into a national organisation serving both public and private sector organisations. Clients include such as Greggs, Durham University, Thirteen Group and UCL Hospitals London.

As well as helping organisations to measure and reduce carbon emissions, it has a partnership with Northumbria University to deliver carbon footprint training and other course for organisations working towards long-term carbon reduction.

The new investment from Berkshire-based TVI Group will support the development of SmartCarbon’s carbon calculator and reporting platform, integrating automation and AI capabilities that area designed to reduce the administrative burden associated with carbon accounting.

SmartCarbon managing director Lee Jackson, said: “We’re delighted by the TVI acquisition as this brings not only great experience in technological innovation but also a shared commitment to Smart Carbon’s longstanding values and purpose of driving progress in driving carbon reduction in business. Through this new investment, SmartCarbon will be able to execute plans for the development of our carbon accounting platform, enhance our customer experience and, fundamentally, make it easier for businesses to build emissions reporting and carbon reduction planning into their operations.

“Crucially, SmartCarbon will continue to deliver a combination of technology and environmental expertise. Our highly qualified consultancy team remains committed to providing the practical and insightful support that our clients have relied on over the years.”

The company’s founder and principal consultant, Anna-Lisa Mills, will remain with the business within its consultancy team. She said: “When SmartCarbon was founded, the ambition was to give organisations the tools and the knowledge needed to take genuine action on carbon emissions. I’m incredibly proud of how far the business has come since 2016 and I’m excited to remain part of SmartCarbon’s journey as we build on those foundations as a TVI Group business.”

The deal sees Ian Whittaker join SmartCarbon as chairman. He has more than 20 years of sales, marketing and general management experience in the UK and Europe with IT company Hewlett Packard and, as a CEO and board member of a start-up software technology business that listed on the London Stock Exchange and was subsequently sold in 2024.

He said: “I am excited and delighted to join the SmartCarbon team and look forward to building and growing further the fantastic business the team have established.”