Success Stories

Learn how other UK businesses have used external finance to reach their ambition

Here’s just some of the tens of thousands of smaller businesses funded through our partners, with the support of British Business Bank’s programmes.

Growth Guarantee Scheme

Câr-y-Môr

Câr-y-Môr is the first community-owned regenerative ocean farm in Wales. With a diverse membership of over 300 individuals from various backgrounds, Câr-y-Môr has become a shining example of community-driven sustainability and innovation.

Read the success story about Câr-y-Môr
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Enterprise Capital Funds

Firenze Unlocking Lombard Lending for the Mass Affluent

David Newman is Founder and CEO of Firenze, a Manchester-based fintech on a mission to democratise access to Lombard lending - an investment-backed credit product traditionally reserved for high-net-worth individuals. Backed by Outward VC through the British Business Bank’s Enterprise Capital Funds (ECF) programme, Firenze is enabling wealth managers to offer low-interest lending solutions to clients with facilities from £65,000, without moving custody or disrupting investment plans.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Charles Grey Menswear

Durham-based menswear brand, Charles Grey Menswear Limited, secured a five-figure investment from NPIF II – NEL Smaller Loans, which is managed by NEL Fund Managers as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), to accelerate its fast-paced growth across the UK retail landscape.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Candid Hospitality

The entrepreneurs behind two of the UK’s most successful hospitality tech businesses have joined forces to launch a new venture that aims to reshape hospitality recruitment.

Growth Guarantee Scheme

Trustist

Founded in 2014 and based in Bootham, York, Trustist is an innovative digital reviews platform helping businesses maximise the impact of their online reputation. With a £250,000 loan through the Growth Guarantee Scheme, Trustist is scaling up its technology, marketing, and team, and redefining how businesses use customer feedback to grow.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

SCI Semiconductor

A UK start-up that aims to win the race to develop the world’s first ‘memory safe’ computer chip has raised £2.5m in a funding round led by Mercia Ventures.

Growth Guarantee Scheme

Reel Film

Reel Film, a video production company in Wetherby, sought a £70,000 loan through the Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS) to expand the business. Facing a shift in the industry toward short content projects, the loan allowed Reel Film to grow its marketing and sales efforts and hire a dedicated business development team.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Envoke

A UK company whose simulation software enables medical staff to train to use laboratory equipment and troubleshoot problems has raised a further £1m.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Atomik-AM

A female founded advanced manufacturing business raised £600k of investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II to scale-up the solutions it provides to manufacturers across the world.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Quality Bearings Online

A Queen’s Award-winning company that supplies bearings worldwide raised £500,000

from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia Debt as part of the

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II)

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Frank Olsen Furniture

Cheshire-based Frank Olsen Furniture, a designer and manufacturer of smart technology-integrated furniture, secured £80k from NPIF II – GC Business Finance & River Capital Smaller Loans, which is managed by the consortium as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Hi-Point Access

One of Sheffield’s leading scaffolding companies has secured funding for further growth following its acquisition of a business in Barnsley.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund

Airship & Toggle

In this video, Dan Brookman, CEO & Co-Founder of Airship & Toggle, talks about raising equity finance from the first Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund and how the investment allowed them to exit the business.

Investment Fund for Scotland

Podfather

Cloud-based logistics software business Podfather received a £3.4 million investment to support their ambitious growth strategy.

Investment Fund for Scotland

Sky-Pin Drones

Melrose-based entrepreneur offers advanced crop spraying services using state-of the-art supersized drone following funding from the Investment Fund for Scotland.

Investment Fund for Wales

Longa

Women-led Turkish restaurant Longa expanded with a second site in Cardiff thanks to funding from the Investment Fund for Wales.

Investment Fund for Scotland

Scotmas

B-Corp accredited specialist water treatment technologies business, Scotmas secured £2.2 million in equity funding to support its international expansion plans.

Growth Guarantee Scheme

Câr-y-Môr

Câr-y-Môr is the first community-owned regenerative ocean farm in Wales. With a diverse membership of over 300 individuals from various backgrounds, Câr-y-Môr has become a shining example of community-driven sustainability and innovation.

Investment Fund for Wales

SudoCyber

Cyber security software business SudoCyber received a £1m equity investment from the Investment Fund for Wales through appointed fund managers Foresight.