Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund supports thousands of skilled jobs across the North, report finds

Press release 05 April 2022

Evaluation shows how the fund is helping to shape a stronger North

Since its launch in 2017, the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) has increased productivity, employment and skills across the North, a report by independent research company SQW has found.

Jobs, skills and R&D increases

The analysis surveyed 274 SMEs that have benefited from NPIF funding, and has revealed that 73% had increased workforce skills, and 62% had reported additional investment in research and development. In addition to this, 6,071 new high-quality jobs have been created through the fund – almost 1,000 more than originally planned.

Environmental and health benefits

This report (.pdf - 2.2mb) analysed the impact of NPIF across the North, including the success of businesses that have received funding. It found that for 68% of surveyed businesses, the NPIF investment had funded the development of new products or services. Of these, 48% said their innovations would reduce carbon emissions, 52% said that they would lead to broader environmental benefits, and 42% said they would improve health or the delivery of health services.

Business resilience, confidence in raising finance and increased valuations

NPIF investment also led to increased business resilience for 92% of businesses, and 87% said that they had greater confidence in their ability to raise finance from private sector sources in future. Of those surveyed, 45% of businesses went on to secure follow-on funding from sources other than NPIF, totalling over £63 million* or an average of £540k per firm. Meanwhile, 86% of equity recipients saw an increase in their company valuation.

Turnover increases and a growing business community in the North

In addition to this, 74% of businesses saw an increase in sales with the help of NPIF funding, and the investment encouraged 36% of respondents to keep their business in the North. NPIF has also been promoting diversity in business leadership with 71% of NPIF-funded businesses having mixed gender senior management teams.

NPIF provides equity, debt and microfinance to businesses in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber, and Tees Valley regions. To date, NPIF has made 1,324 investments into 983 companies totalling £318 million to the end of January 2022. The Fund has also generated an additional £437 million in private sector leverage, boosting the overall impact on Northern SMEs.

Manchester-based developer and software provider to the legal sector, Summize, is one example of a business that has benefitted from NPIF funding. The business completed a £1 million funding round led by NPIF – Maven Equity Finance in December 2020 and used the funding to invest in its talent and SaaS product offering. It has since gone on to grow its team by over 80 per cent.

Castings Technology International (Cti) is another business that secured a £2 million fundraising. Round led by Nucleus Commercial Finance and NPIF – Mercia Debt Finance. Based in Rotherham, the manufacturing and technology business has expanded rapidly, investing further into product development, sales and marketing.

Tees Valley utilities firm Everflow secured a £750,000 investment from NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance in April 2021 and has since grown significantly. In 2021 alone, the group made 55 new hires and turnover rose to more than £75 million, a 35 per cent annual increase. The business has since announced plans to make 30 new hires in 2022 as it continues to scale its operations and customer base.

We are extremely proud of the positive economic impact that the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund has had on the North over the past five years. This evaluation shows that we’ve supported a wide range of businesses in every corner of the North, from rural agriculture and environmental businesses to fast-growing manufacturing and technology companies based in urban areas. Catherine Lewis La Torre CEO at British Business Bank
This investment programme has been highly successful due to the hard work and expertise of our team, our fund managers and wider stakeholders, including the Combined Authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and Growth Hubs across the North. As we look forward to the next phase of NPIF, we will continue to harness this local knowledge to keep building on our understanding of the finance needs of businesses in the North so that they may reach their full potential. Catherine Lewis La Torre CEO at British Business Bank
Investment is a key part of business growth, now more than ever before. Over the years, NPIF funding has enabled businesses to survive the pandemic, grow their teams, create new, innovative products and contribute to the standing of the North on the national and global stage. Sir Roger Marsh OBE DL Chair of the NPIF strategic oversight board and NP11 group of Northern local enterprise partnerships
This Evaluation truly demonstrates the impact the funding can have on business growth, and sets out the success that NPIF will continue to have in the future. Sir Roger Marsh OBE DL Chair of the NPIF strategic oversight board and NP11 group of Northern local enterprise partnerships

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.

Notes to editors

About the report

This evaluation was carried out by independent research company, SQW, and commissioned by British Business Bank.

About the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund

Operating from the British Business Bank’s Sheffield head office, the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund provides a mix of debt and equity funding (£25,000 to £2 million).  It works alongside ten Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), the combined authorities and Growth Hubs, as well as local accountants, fund managers and banks, to support Northern-based SMEs at all stages of their development.

  • The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund will invest in Microfinance, Business Loans and Equity Finance sub-funds which will offer financing ranging from £25,000 to £2 million, specifically to help small and medium sized businesses secure the funding they need for growth and development.
  • The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund is operated by British Business Financial Services Limited, wholly owned by British Business Bank, the UK’s national economic development bank. Established in November 2014, its mission is to make finance markets for smaller businesses work more effectively, enabling those businesses to prosper, grow and build UK economic activity.
  • The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund is supported by the European Regional Development Fund, the European Investment Bank, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and British Business Finance Limited, a British Business Bank group company.
  • The NPIF covers the following LEP areas: Tees Valley Combined Authority, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Liverpool City Region, Lancashire, Hull and East Yorkshire, Leeds City Region, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, York & North Yorkshire.
  • The project is receiving up to £140,359,192 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit gov.uk/european-growth-funding.