Making alternative investments easier to understand and navigate.
Other. is an independent resource for people exploring private markets and other alternative assets. We bring together education, market research and a structured directory of platforms, so you can understand an investment, weigh its risks and find out where it can be accessed.
- 128
- active UK platforms in the directory
- 11
- asset classes covered
- 36
- guides in Learn
- 35
- research and analysis pieces
Alternative investments shouldn't need an insider's network.
The market is growing quickly, but the information about it is scattered. Understanding a private equity fund, a property platform or a whisky cask scheme usually means piecing things together from fund managers, platforms, the FCA register and specialist press. Finding out where you can actually invest is a separate problem again.
Other. puts that information in one place. We explain how each type of investment works, track the platforms that provide access, follow what is changing in the market and set out the risks plainly.
Our job is not to tell you what to buy. It is to help you understand what you are looking at.
Five sections, one question each
- UnderstandLearnHow does this work?
Plain-English guides from the fundamentals up: private equity, venture, property, credit, infrastructure, collectibles, tax wrappers.
Explore Learn - ExploreAsset ClassesWhich area am I interested in?
One page per asset class — risk, liquidity, horizon, return profile and the routes UK investors can use.
Explore asset classes - FindDirectoryWhere can I invest?
128 UK platforms in consistent fields: minimum investment, FCA status, structure, fees and whether they are still operating.
Browse the directory - Stay informedInsightsWhat's happening, and what does it mean?
Original research, market analysis, regulatory explainers and case studies of what has gone wrong.
Read Insights - MapIndustryWho runs this market?
For firms: the managers, administrators, depositaries, platforms and advisers behind private-market funds.
Open Industry
Where the information comes from
The same five steps sit behind the directory, the asset-class pages and the research.
- 01DiscoverWe identify platforms, providers, funds, products and developments across the UK alternative investment market.
- 02VerifyInformation is checked against primary sources: the FCA register, Companies House, company disclosures and fund documents.
- 03StructureEach provider is recorded in the same fields, so minimums, status, structure and fees can be compared like for like.
- 04AnalyseThe research team follows market developments, regulatory changes, new structures and significant events, and says what they mean.
- 05UpdateMinimums, fees and operating status change. Coverage is reviewed on a schedule, closures are recorded, and corrections are welcome.
Useful information, honestly presented.
Other. is built on one principle: you should be able to find useful information about alternative investments without taking marketing claims at face value.
We may work with companies in the alternative investment industry, including through commercial and sponsored content. Where a commercial relationship exists, it is labelled and kept separate from independent editorial and research.
We will not knowingly publish false or misleading information, fabricate data, or present marketing claims as independently verified fact.
- Independent
- We are independent of the platforms and providers we cover. We do not sell investments.
- Research-led
- Company information, regulatory sources, market data and our own research — not press releases alone.
- Structured
- A fragmented market turned into information that can be explored and compared.
- Transparent
- We aim to make clear what is fact, what is our analysis, what is sponsored, and where each comes from.
Where the line is
- We don't give personal financial advice.
- Our content is educational and informational. Whether something suits you depends on circumstances we do not know.
- We don't sell investments.
- We help you find providers and understand the market. Any investment is made with the provider directly.
- We don't guarantee outcomes.
- Alternative investments can carry significant risk and illiquidity. Capital is at risk; past performance is not a guide.
- We don't present paid promotion as independent research.
- Sponsored content is labelled. It does not change how a firm appears in the directory or in editorial.
Beyond stocks and bonds
- Real EstateProperty funds, crowdfunding, debt40 platforms
- Venture CapitalStartups, EIS/VCT, pre-IPO41
- Private EquityBuyouts, growth capital, co-investment16
- Private CreditDirect lending, P2P, debt trusts20
- InfrastructureEnergy, transport, digital2
- ESG & ImpactCommunity bonds, climate tech14
- Luxury AssetsWine, whisky, art22
- BondsDebentures and project bonds4
- Consumer LendingPeer-to-peer personal loans5
- Precious MetalsVaulted bullion, coins3
- Litigation FundingCase-by-case funding1
We don't just explain the market. We look into it.
Original datasets, market analysis, regulatory explainers and case studies of what has gone wrong.
- ResearchInside the UK Alternative Fund MarketWhat the FCA's First Market-Wide Dataset Shows About Managers, Capital and Concentration
- AnalysisThe UK Fund Market and Retail CapitalWhere Individual Investors Actually Own Private Assets
- Case StudyA Whisky Cask Firm Wound Up in the Public InterestWhat the Cask Spirits Global Case Shows About Title, Custody and Cold Calls
A small team of writers, analysts and former industry people
Based in the UK. Each piece carries its author's name. Contact us for corrections, inclusion requests or press.
Raj PatelHead of ResearchRaj leads Other.'s research desk, focusing on private markets, fund structures and how UK retail investors access institutional strategies.
James BennettMarket Research AssociateJames covers the UK alternative investment market day-to-day — platform launches, deal flow, sector trends and the operational reality behind new product structures.
Sarah MitchellEconomistSarah brings the macro and policy lens to Other.'s coverage — rates, inflation, FCA and HMRC regulation, and how tax-advantaged wrappers (ISA, SIPP, VCT, EIS, SEIS) shape what is actually available to UK retail investors.
Where would you like to start?
- UnderstandI want to understand alternatives
How private markets and alternative assets work.
Start learning - ExploreI'm researching an investment
Asset class characteristics, risks and access routes.
Explore asset classes - FindI'm looking for a platform
Search 128 UK alternative investment platforms.
Browse the directory - Stay informedI want to follow the market
Independent research, analysis and case studies.
Read Insights