Scale-Ups: Growth Loans and Private Equity Investments

The FSE Group has been providing high-growth businesses with accessible market-gap funding since 2002. They work with stakeholders and partners, including British Business Bank, Funding London and Local Enterprise Partnerships, to deliver regional funding that supports job creation and economic prosperity. Read the latest Impact Report.

With a passion for, and successful history in, managing and deploying market gap funds with an economic impact purpose, FSE Group focus on more than pure commercial return to support the growth of SMEs. They promote diversity. They support underrepresented geographies. They are insightful in determining how to improve an evolving funding landscape and stimulate sustainability by successfully recycling smaller funds.

Across the country they offer growth loans and private equity investments from £50k up to £5m, and each fund has its own specific lending / investment criteria.

The regions covered are:

• Scotland
  • IFS Debt Finance
• Yorkshire & Humber
  • Finance Yorkshire Business Loans, Debt funds £25k-£250k
• Midlands
  • Midlands Engine Investment Fund, Debt funds £100k-£1.5m
• East of England
  • CPCA Business Growth and Social Impact Investment Fund, Debt and Equity streams £100k-£500k
  • East of England Regional Growth Loan Schemes, Debt funds £50k-£500k
• London
  • Greater London Investment Fund (GLIF), Debt funds £100k-£1.5m
• South West
  • Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund, Debt and Equity streams £25k – £2m
  • SWIF Equity Finance, Equity Fund up to £5m
  • SWIF Debt Finance, Debt Finance £100k-£2m
• South East
  • Coast to Capital Funding Escalator, Debt and Equity streams £50k-£500k
  • Enterprise M3 Funding Escalator. Debt and Equity streams £50k-£500k
  • Thames Valley Berkshire Funding Escalator, Debt funds £50k-£500k

The funds vary in requirements and what they can be used for, but some examples of costs for growth projects include:

• Acquiring new vehicles or machinery
• Purchasing new equipment including hardware and software
• Developing new products or services including R&D
• Recruiting additional staff *sometimes including some salary costs
• Sales & Marketing activity / digital transformation / web development and ecommerce
• Moving to new premises
• Entering new markets and exporting overseas

Learn more about the specific funds on offer on their website.

Find out about other open funding in our Funding Finder.