England’s North West, once a by-word for decline, is open for business. Filling significant gaps in the funding ecosystem offers great opportunities for innovative investment – and positive social outcomes, write Palatine's Gary Tipper and Beth Houghton.

Investors need to be nimble in balancing respect for the seller's legacy with the practicalities of operating a business, write Carl Bradshaw and Angus Simpson of law firm Goodwin.

Don’t treat the early stages of an acquisition discussion as a business transaction – it should be about nurturing a relationship, writes Seth Collins, managing partner, martinwolf.