£150M funding for Scottish entrepreneurs and businesses

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The British Business Bank has launched The Investment Fund for Scotland which will deliver a £150 million commitment of new funding to Scottish businesses.  The fund aims to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across Scotland.

The Investment Fund for Scotland offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans and debt finance from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million. The fund covers the whole of Scotland, including rural, coastal and urban areas.

It is increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for smaller businesses across Scotland, providing funds to businesses that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.

The new fund has embedded ESG awareness into its design and will help support the UK economy’s transition to net zero.

You can find out more about the various options here:

LOANS OF £25K TO £100K

For entrepreneurs wishing to start their own business, or early stage or more established small businesses looking to grow but finding it difficult obtaining the finance needed.  Smaller loans can be used to fill the funding gap for growth and development projects.

Find out more, including how to apply by clicking HERE.

DEBT FINANCE OF £100K TO £2M

The debt finance option is designed for smaller companies that can demonstrate growth potential.   As small businesses grow, large injections of capital are often needed to move them to the next level. The Investment Fund for Scotland could help smaller business owners to deliver their business ambitions, including:

  • Leasing new commercial premises
  • Hiring a new team
  • Funding marketing costs
  • Purchasing new machinery or equipment
  • Launching a new product or service

Find out more, including how to apply by clicking HERE.

EQUITY FINANCE UP TO £5M

Equity finance is widely accepted as an important ingredient for businesses with potential for high growth.  Equity finance can be particularly important for new and innovative companies with high growth potential as it can provide long-term backing to fund business growth through to revenue and profit. In simple terms, equity finance is raising capital through the sale of shares in a business.

The Investment Fund for Scotland has particular interest in supporting equity investments, helping the Nation to become a vibrant and sustainable venture capital market. An equity-based investment could be right if you run an established business with ambitious plans, or a large start up with high growth potential.

Find out more, including how to apply by clicking HERE.

ROADSHOWS

The Investment Fund for Scotland is hosting 2 roadshow information events aimed at people working in the small business finance ecosystem including enterprise agencies, advisers, accountants and the wider business community.

The first is in Inverness on 31st October, click HERE to register.

The second is in Edinburgh on 1st November, click HERE to register.

There will be additional roadshows taking place in Aberdeen, Dundee, Dumfries and Glasgow in early 2024.

If you’re not already a member of WeDO and are interested in finding out more about the benefits of peer learning, sharing knowledge, ideas and experiences as well as building a core network of like-minded, growth focused entrepreneurs and business leaders, click HERE.