Key Takeaways
- Sector: Healthcare Healthtech & Medtech.
- Geography: United Kingdom.
Analysis
The UK private equity landscape gains another healthcare technology story as LDC endorses a management buyout of Taking Care, a leading provider of technology-enabled care products and remote monitoring. This move aligns with a broader shift toward digitally enabled elder care, where private capital is backing operators that combine safety services with home-based digital solutions.
Founded in 1985 and based in Exeter, Taking Care delivers personal alarms, smart-home monitoring, and emergency response services that empower older adults to remain in their homes. The business serves more than 150,000 end customers and is the exclusive telecare partner to Age Co, underscoring the trust and scale of its model.
The investment team from LDC includes Oliver Schofield (Investment Director) and Vera Kuehne (Investment Manager) from the South West and Wales region, with Dewi Hughes as Partner. Post-close, Oliver Schofield and Vera Kuehne will join Taking Care’s board as Non-Executive Directors, joining Gary West who will chair the board. CEO Steve Gates remains at the helm to guide the next phase of growth and product expansion.
The transaction includes a clear growth thesis: extend the service offering, broaden the product range, and pursue complementary acquisitions to strengthen technology-enabled care capabilities. The UK telecare market—underpinned by an aging population and rising adoption of digital health tools—is positioned for ongoing expansion as households demand safer, more connected living environments at home.
Reflecting LDC’s healthcare specialization, the firm notes a long-running track record of sector-focused value creation. In the last decade, LDC has committed approximately £409 million to 18 healthcare platforms, delivering a combined enterprise value near £920 million. Recent healthcare bets—such as Medray Group and Bullen Healthcare in 2024—highlight a disciplined approach to health services, equipment, and MedTech services and signal ongoing capital inflows into European health tech ecosystems.
The deal features a broad advisory consortium. On the seller side, AXA Health facilitated the exit, while the deal team included Quantuma (lead advisory), Osborne Clarke (legal), BDO (financial & tax), PMSI (commercial), Coppett Hill (go-to-market), Grant Thornton (M&A review), Alvarez & Marsal (IT), Collinson Grant (operations) and Mactavish (insurance). The collaboration underscores a rigorous process typical of healthcare private equity, with a focus on governance and scalable digital solutions that can benefit a broad cohort of customers.