Kindred Nurseries is planning to expand its nursery network to 100 settings with investment from mid-market private equity firm Livingbridge and existing partner Unigestion.

Kindred has already expanded from four to 48 nurseries in Southern England and the Midlands since 2017 with the support  of independent, specialist asset manager Unigestion. Unigestion is renewing its investment in Kindred Nurseries through the Unigestion Direct III Fund.

Ruth Pimentel, chief executive of Kindred, said Livingbridge and Unigestion’s experience in empowering businesses to unlock their full potential “ensures they bring not only financial backing, but also valuable insights and strategic support tailored to our sector.”

 “Unigestion’s support has been pivotal to our growth strategy,” she added. “We are grateful to the team for their partnership over the past years and look forward to continuing this successful relationship alongside Livingbridge. Together, we are ready to take Kindred to new heights.”

Pieter-Jan Frederix , partner – private equity direct investments at Unigestion, said: “Backing proven leaders in resilient markets alongside like-minded partners is core to the strategy of Unigestion’s direct funds. We are therefore delighted to make a new investment in the next stage of Kindred’s evolution alongside Livingbridge.”

“We are excited to partner with Kindred as it embarks on the next phase of its growth journey,” said Joe McGee, investment director at Livingbridge. “The team’s dedication to delivering high-quality childcare aligns perfectly with our values and our extensive experience in the education sector.”