Latest News
26th May 2022
CEO of British Business Investments appointed to Government taskforce21st April 2022
Green Angel Syndicate welcomes £10m from British Business Investments to combat climate change5th April 2022
British Business Investments commits additional £15m to Compass Business Finance24th March 2022
British Business Investments commits up to €20m to Bootstrap Europe III25th January 2022
British Business Investments commits £15m to Roma Finance22nd December 2021
24Haymarket secures £10m commitment from British Business Investments9th December 2021
Beechbrook Capital achieves a first close on its third UK SME Credit fund29th November 2021
British Business Investments announces £7m commitment to FOLK2FOLK22nd November 2021
British Business Investments – Annual Report 202122nd November 2021
British Business Investments – Full year results for the period ending 31 March 20215th November 2021
British Business Investments announces £5m commitment to Green Angel Syndicate through Regional Angels Programme1st November 2021
British Business Investments announces new £30m commitment to Mobeus Equity Partners27th October 2021
Autumn Budget and Spending Review 202116th September 2021
British Business Investments announces new £15m commitment to Liberty Leasing10th August 2021
Praetura Ventures secures £15m commitment from British Business Investments through the Regional Angels Programme16th June 2021
Isomer Capital announces first close of new €100m opportunities fund3rd June 2021
British Business Investments announces new £50m commitment to Apera Asset Management27th May 2021
Deepbridge secures £15m commitment from British Business Investments24th March 2021
British Business Investments announces new £10m commitment to Co-Fund NI through Regional Angels Programme16th March 2021
MML Ireland Announces Close of €135 Million Private Equity Fund Raised for Investment in Irish SMEs27th January 2021
British Business Investments announces new £10m commitment to Syndicate Room19th January 2021
British Business Investments commits €40m to Claret Fund III at first close22nd December 2020
Liberis adds £70m funding and venture debt to grow embedded business finance platform and help SMEs weather the COVID storm11th December 2020
British Business Investments announces new £25m commitment to Haydock Finance26th November 2020
Newable Ventures and Bristol Private Equity Club secure £10m commitment from British Business Investments11th November 2020
British Business Investments – Full year results for the period ending 31 March 202011th November 2020
British Business Investments – Annual Report 202010th November 2020
British Business Investments announces new £15m commitment to Compass Business Finance5th November 2020
British Business Investments announces new £30 million commitment to back UK SMEs through Funding Circle’s UK SME Direct Lending Fund28th October 2020
FDC launches new £100 million debt fund with investment from the West Midlands Pension Fund and British Business Investments28th October 2020
Assetz Capital secures additional £25m from British Business Investments27th October 2020
British Business Investments appoints Adam Kelly as new Managing Director17th September 2020
British Business Investments announces £30m Tier 2 investment in Shawbrook Bank as part of a £75 million capital raise3rd September 2020
British Business Investments announces a commitment of up to €75m to new Isomer Capital fund of funds, aimed at early stage venture capital managers18th August 2020
British Business Bank appoints CEO on an interim basis of commercial subsidiaries British Business Investments and British Patient Capital, along with new Chairs9th July 2020
British Business Investments announces a commitment of up to €120m to LGT Capital Partners funds10th June 2020
British Business Investments CEO appointed Interim CEO, British Business Bank4th June 2020
British Business Investments commits up to £40m to Columbia Lake Partners UK LLP’s second fund13th May 2020
British Business Investments commits £35m to Harwood Private Capital UK LP (“HPC UK SME Fund”)23rd April 2020
British Business Investments commits £10m to Startup Funding Club17th April 2020
British Business Investments and Par Equity to deliver £75m of investment to support ambitious entrepreneurs in the regions20th March 2020
Statement from the CEO with regards to the Coronavirus outbreak13th March 2020
Assetz Capital secures £15m British Business Investments funding to help boost UK housebuilding11th March 2020
Budget 2020: British Business Investments Response4th February 2020
British Business Investments commits £50m to fund targeting North and Midlands based businesses27th December 2019
Keith Morgan, Chair, British Business Investments, awarded CBE for services to small business finance17th December 2019
British Business Investments commits up to £100m to Hermes GPE in second cornerstone commitment through its Managed Funds Programme30th October 2019
British Business Investments makes £15m Tier 2 capital facility available to PCF Bank16th October 2019
British Business Investments – Full year results for the period ending 31 March 201916th October 2019
British Business Investments Annual Report 201919th September 2019
British Business Investments provides £25m funding line to North West asset finance provider Kingsway12th September 2019
British Business Investments commits £10m to Dow Schofield Watts Angels as first partner in Regional Angels Programme4th September 2019
British Business Investments commits up to €100m to Top Tier Capital Partners’ first vehicle dedicated to European Venture Capital15th May 2019
British Business Investments commits €27m to Bootstrap Europe II2nd May 2019
British Business Investments commits £50m to BOOST&Co’s Second Fund6th March 2019
Beechbrook Capital’s second UK SME Credit Fund reaches first close at £128m and completes first two investments18th February 2019
British Business Investments commits £20m to ThinCats to provide more debt finance to UK businesses29th October 2018
Autumn Budget 201823rd October 2018
British Business Investments – Full year results for the period ending 31 March 201823rd October 2018
British Business Investments Annual Report 20182nd October 2018
British Business Investments makes £25m Tier 2 investment in Secure Trust Bank PLC1st October 2018
British Business Investments launches new £100m programme to support regional angel investment1st October 2018
Catherine Lewis La Torre appointed CEO of British Business Bank’s commercial patient capital activities27th June 2018
British Business Investments commits £31.15m to IQ Capital Fund III to support deep tech companies16th May 2018
British Business Investments provides £12m to asset finance specialist Universal Leasing Ltd15th May 2018
British Business Investments launches new £500m programme to increase access to patient capital3rd May 2018
Growth Capital firm Oxx announces first close of debut fund with commitment from British Business Investments17th April 2018
British Business Investments commits to Dawn Capital’s new venture capital fund11th April 2018
British Business Investments provides new finance facility to Liberis28th February 2018
British Business Investment commits £20m to new venture capital model from Kindred Capital6th February 2018
British Business Investments commits to a £30m boost for smaller businesses22nd December 2017
British Business Investment’s latest commitment boosts regional finance options for UK smaller businesses11th December 2017
British Business Investments commits £30 million at the first close of Shard Credit Partners first direct lending fund4th December 2017
British Business Investments and IGF to increase SME funding with new cash injection30th November 2017
British Business Investments commits £15m to Balderton’s new $375m fund24th November 2017
Budget 201723rd November 2017
News from our partners – Seedcamp celebrates 10 year anniversary with £41M first close seed fund to invest in next generation of European entrepreneurs16th November 2017
British Business Investments commits £20m to £100m FPE Capital fund16th November 2017
Catherine Lewis La Torre at this year’s BVCA Summit21st September 2017
British Business Investments – Full Year Results for the Period Ending 31 March 201721st September 2017
View our Annual Report for 2016-173rd August 2017
British Business Bank Investments Ltd commits €40 million in first closing for Harbert European Growth Capital Fund II.10th July 2017
GCP caps a successful year with a £40m investment from British Business Bank Investments Ltd to complete the final close of Fund IV at £205m29th June 2017
BOOST&Co Limited secures additional £20m commitment from British Business Bank Investments Ltd for its Industrial Lending 1 fund21st June 2017
Atom bank secures £30m Tier 2 capital facility from British Business Bank Investments Ltd21st April 2017
British Business Bank Investments Ltd provides £6.6m of funding to Shire Leasing to boost asset finance for smaller businesses2nd February 2017
Beechbrook Capital closes £150m UK SME Credit I and backs two more businesses18th January 2017
British Business Bank Investments Ltd makes £400m from Autumn Statement available to venture capital funds5th January 2017
British Business Bank expands partnership with Funding Circle8th November 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd announces £10m commitment to new £260m technology fund20th September 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd – Full Year results for the period end 31 March 201620th September 2016
View our Annual Report for FY2015-1613th September 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd commits £18m to northwest-based asset finance provider, enabling a £36m boost to smaller business growth3rd August 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd partner Beechbrook Capital holds first close on latest private debt fund20th July 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd provides £16.5m line to Northwest asset finance provider Kingsway under new expansion capital initiative16th June 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd names Catherine Lewis La Torre as Chief Executive Officer17th May 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd invests in Frog Capital II14th April 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd invests £30 million in first close of CORDET Direct Lending fund31st March 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd invests in Atlantic Bridge III, a new €140 million fund for Technology companies22nd March 2016
British Business Bank Investments Limited partners with Liberis to support funding for smaller UK businesses10th March 2016
British Business Bank Investments Limited publishes half year results for the six months ended 30 Sept 201522nd February 2016
View our annual report for FY 2014-201519th February 2016
British Business Bank Investments agrees £25m facility with Haydock Finance19th January 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd invests in new UK Private Debt Fund from Muzinich & Co19th January 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd – Annual Results and publication of 2015 Annual Report and Accounts4th January 2016
British Business Bank Investments Ltd-supported Beechbrook Capital’s inaugural UK SME Credit Fund holds first close at more than £100m29th October 2015
British Business Bank’s commercial arm supports UK SMEs with investment in Shawbrook Bank17th September 2015
British Business Bank’s VC Catalyst Fund invests in Nauta27th March 2015
British Business Bank Investments Limited makes €6m clean technology investment2nd February 2015
British Business Bank Investments backs Northwest asset finance provider with £5m investment, introduces new expansion capital initiative31st October 2014
£80 million boost for leasing finance as British Business Bank focuses on alternative lending for smaller businesses24th September 2014
British Business Bank partner BMS Finance provides debt finance to Whittle, one of the UK’s leading commercial painting contractors2nd September 2014
British Business Bank boosts European Capital UK SME fund to £100m to help provide debt finance to UK’s smaller businesses6th August 2014
Making Britain the global centre of financial innovation – £100m extra for British Business Bank Investment Programme25th February 2014
New £40m investment by British Business Bank to support £450m of lending to smaller businessesSpecialist direct lender Beechbrook Capital has held a final close of its inaugural UK SME Credit fund with commitments in excess of £150m. The fund has completed two new investments.
Beechbrook Capital UK SME Credit I, which backs small and medium-sized businesses in the UK with a turnover of between £10m and £100m and EBITDA of more than £1m, has attracted investors from across the UK, Continental Europe and North America.
Nick Fenn, Beechbrook managing partner, commented: “We are delighted that investors continue to see the attractiveness of high-quality investment opportunities among UK SMEs, where we see a continuing shortage of long-term development and expansion finance.”
The final close was supported by a combination of new and existing investors. British Business Bank Investments Ltd has increased its commitment.
Catherine Lewis La Torre, CEO of British Business Bank Investments Ltd, commented: “We have supported Beechbrook and its experienced management team for a number of years through our Investment Programme. In line with our aim to support diverse debt finance markets, we are pleased to be participating in the latest round of Beechbrook’s UK SME Credit fund. The new fund’s focus will help address the well-recognised funding gap for loans between £3m and £15m.”
The fund’s most recent investments are unitranche loans to 2Excel Aviation, an innovative business in the aviation sector, and Cloud Direct, a cloud migration and management company, to support the two groups’ respective growth strategies. These are the fifth and sixth investments made by the fund, which is already more than 30 per cent committed.
Founded in 2005 by two ex-RAF pilots, Andy Offer and Chris Norton, and based in Northampton, 2Excel provides solutions to challenging aviation problems. Operating across sectors including defence and security, engineering, agriculture, travel and the oil and gas industry, 2Excel’s customers include the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office along with major airlines and blue chip corporations. It currently manages a fleet of 24 aircraft, 30 long-term contractors and more than 150 staff across eight sites.
Bath-based Cloud Direct, founded by chief executive Brett Raynes in 2003, has helped 4,000 small to midsize businesses switch to cloud computing. Currently employing 100 people, and with recurring revenues around £10m, it has had continuous profit growth and has completed five acquisitions to date.
Meanwhile, Beechbrook Capital is planning to open its first regional office, in Manchester. Jon Herbert, Beechbrook managing director of the UK SME Credit fund, said: ‘The Manchester office, which is scheduled to open in the first half of 2017, will increase our ability to meet the strong funding demand from UK SMEs and will facilitate closer relationships with the firms we back and their advisers.’
For further information, please contact:
Paul Shea, Beechbrook Capital, 020 3551 5971, paul.shea@beechbrookcapital.com or
Jon Herbert, Beechbrook Capital, 020 3551 5965, jon.herbert@beechbrookcapital.com
Caroline Cecil, Caroline Cecil Associates, 020 7610 4110, ccecil@carolinececil.co.uk
James Pignon, MHP Communications (for British Business Bank Investments Ltd), 020 3128 8755, bbb@mhpc.com
Scott Shearer, British Business Bank Investments Ltd, Scott.Shearer@british-business-bank.co.uk
Beechbrook Capital, a specialist direct lender founded in 2008, invests in SMEs across a range of industries in the UK and across Europe. Beechbrook’s three private debt funds support northern European private equity-backed companies with a typical enterprise value of €10m to €100m, investing an average of €8m to €9m per transaction.
The Beechbrook UK SME Credit fund provides finance to non private equity backed UK SMEs. Its investments include Chinese takeaway business Hotcha, trampoline parks operator Oxygen Freejumping, comic convention business MCM Expo Group and 4Most Group, a company providing regulatory and credit risk analytics consultancy to banks, credit card providers and other businesses with consumer credit exposure.
The finance Beechbrook provides often fills a funding gap between equity and bank debt faced by SMEs as banks focus on large corporates and capital market activities. Beechbrook is backed by institutional investors who are drawn to the attractive, risk-adjusted returns it generates. The firm has completed more than 40 investments in growing European businesses since 2010.
British Business Bank Investments Ltd is the commercial arm of the British Business Bank. It aims to earn a commercial return by investing – through finance providers – in smaller businesses and small mid-caps, pursuing investments on a fully commercial basis without receiving any advantage from the government. Find out more at www.bbinv.co.uk
British Business Bank Investments Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of British Business Bank plc, the UK government’s economic development bank, registered in England and Wales, registration number 09091930, registered office at Foundry House, 3 Millsands, Sheffield, S3 8NH. Neither entity is authorised or regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
British Business Bank plc and its principal operating subsidiaries are not banking institutions and do not operate as such. A complete legal structure chart for British Business Bank plc and its subsidiaries can be found on the British Business Bank plc website.
Businesses can find out more about their funding options, including venture capital, by accessing the Business Finance GuideLink opens in a new window. Published by the British Business Bank in partnership with the ICAEW and a further 21 business and finance organisations, the guide impartially sets out the range of finance options available to businesses – from start-ups to SMEs and growing mid-sized companies. Take the interactive journey, or download/print a copy, at www.thebusinessfinanceguide.co.ukLink opens in a new window