BGF invests £16.6m in Workbooks to fuel growth of its ‘no-BS CRM’ platform

BGF has completed a £16.6 million minority investment in Workbooks, the mid-market software platform positioning itself as a practical alternative to traditional CRM systems by bringing sales, marketing, customer support and commercial operations into a single, integrated solution.

Workbooks serves hundreds of customers across the UK and the US, spanning a broad range of sectors. The platform has gained traction among mid-sized organisations looking to avoid the complexity, cost and fragmented add-ons often associated with enterprise CRM providers.

Customers cite Workbooks’ lower total cost of ownership, wide-ranging functionality and its ‘Shared Success’ onboarding and support methodology as key differentiators. The approach focuses on long-term partnership and adoption rather than one-off implementation.

The new funding will be used to accelerate go-to-market activity and product development, with particular emphasis on deepening integration across sales, operations and finance workflows. Workbooks also plans to build on its growing footprint in the US market.

John Cheney, chief executive of Workbooks, said the investment would allow the business to scale without compromising its customer-first philosophy.

“Our mission is simple: to give mid-market organisations an integrated platform that works the way their business works — without the complexity, hidden costs or bolt-ons that often come with alternative providers,” he said. “BGF’s backing helps us move faster, while staying true to what sets us apart.”

Workbooks’ service-led approach has been a recurring theme in customer feedback. One US-based customer described the experience as increasingly rare in the CRM market.

“The customer service we receive from Workbooks is exceptional,” the customer said. “The team is responsive and proactive, which is something you don’t often see today.”

BGF said Workbooks’ clarity of positioning and reduced implementation risk were central to its decision to invest.

Jack Teasdale, investment director at BGF, said: “Workbooks has carved out a strong position in the mid-market with a platform that goes well beyond sales CRM. Its onboarding model significantly reduces implementation risk, and customers consistently tell us the product is intuitive, flexible and easy to adopt. We’re excited to support the team as they scale.”

As part of the deal, BGF will take a seat on the Workbooks board while remaining a minority shareholder.

The investment adds to BGF’s growing portfolio of UK-based software and technology businesses focused on scalable growth, customer retention and long-term value creation.