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Early Growth Funds

Encouraging risk funding for start-ups

What is Early Growth Funding?

This programme was developed to encourage risk funding for start-ups and growth firms. The objective: to increase the availability of small amounts of risk capital of on average £50,000 for innovative and knowledge intensive businesses, as well as for other growth businesses.

Who can benefit from Early Growth Funds?

All small businesses in the early stages of growth whether they be:

• start up or university spin outs
• innovative and knowledge intensive businesses
• smaller manufacturers needing fresh investment to pursue new opportunities
• any early growth company
  

How will the funds operate?

Each of the funds will be managed on a purely commercial basis with each fund manager responsible for their own application processes. Fund managers will make all investment decisions and will be looking to make a commercial return on investments.

How much can be raised?

The funds will be able to make maximum initial investments of up to £100,000. Most funds will require matched private sector investment to at least the same amount as Early Growth Fund investment.

Are there any excluded sectors?

There are no excluded sectors, but fund managers will make all investment decisions and are likely to take into account the potential commercial return and the make up of their portfolio.

Where are the funds operating?

The funds are a mixture of regional and national funds.

Fund contact details and area covered

West Midlands
Advantage Early Growth Fund
PO Box 11679
Tamworth
B78 2YD
Website: www.aegf.co.uk
Email: peter@aegf.co.uk
Tel: 0121 311 0378

North East
North East Equity Matching
c/o Entrust
Portman House
Portland Road
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
NE2 1AQ
Email: enquiries@entrust.co.uk
Tel: 0191 244 4000

Yorkshire and the Humber
The Viking Fund
Metic House
Ripley Drive
Normanton
West Yorkshire
WF6 1QT
Website: www.vikingfund.co.uk
Email: ab@vikingfund.co.uk
Tel: 01924 227237

South East
Finance South East Limited
Riverside House
4 Meadows Business Park
Station Approach
Blackwater
Camberley
Surrey, GU17 9AB
Website: www.financesoutheast.com
Email:  kevan.jones@financesoutheast.com
Tel: 01276 608510

England Wide Technology Focused
E-Synergy Ltd
6-7 New Bridge Street
London
EC4V 6AB
Website: www.e-synergy.com
Email: enquiries@e-synergy.com
Tel: 0207 583 3503

England Wide
GEIF Ventures Ltd
Ravenscroft House
61 Regent Street
Cambridge
CB2 1AB
Website: www.geifventures.co.uk
Email: geifv@geifventures.co.uk
Tel: 01223 345615

England Wide
London Seed Capital
New City Court
20 St Thomas Street
London
SE1 9RS
Website: www.londonseedcapital.com
Email: info@londonseedcapital.com
Tel: 020 7403 0300