British Business Bank Investment Fund for Northern Ireland

The Investment Fund for Northern Ireland will deliver a £70 million commitment of new funding to smaller businesses.

The fund aims to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across Northern Ireland.

The Investment Fund for Northern Ireland offers two different commercial finance options of loans ranging from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investments up to £5 million. The fund covers the whole of Northern Ireland, including rural, coastal and urban areas.

To apply, make an enquiry directly to the appropriate fund manager listed on the British Business Bank site, who will contact you to talk through your funding requirement, and may ask for more information before evaluating your application and making the investment decision.

Eligibility

Investments can be made in businesses that are headquartered in Northern Ireland or have a significant operating presence there.

Debt Finance: £25,000 – £2 million

As small businesses grow, large injections of capital are often needed to move them to the next level. The Investment Fund for Northern Ireland 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

The debt finance option is designed for smaller companies that can demonstrate growth potential.

Equity Finance: up to £5 million

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 Northern Ireland 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.