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Success Stories

Learn how other UK businesses have used external finance to reach their ambition

Here’s just some of the tens of thousands of smaller businesses funded through our partners, with the support of British Business Bank’s programmes.

Have you received finance from one of our partners using one of our programmes? Do you want to have a chance of being featured as a success story on our website? Please email our Communications team to register your interest.

Enterprise Capital Funds

NQ64

NQ64 are a chain of unique bars across the country offering a range of specialist beers and cocktails which can be enjoyed by customers while playing a range of retro arcade games and consoles.

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Start Up Loans

Light Rave Studios

Light Rave Studio’s Founder, Aitanna, set up her business in 2022 and took out a Start Up Loan that year to fund expansion. Aitanna received two Start Up Loans, totalling £14,500. 

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund

Floks

Founded by Sophie Platts, Floks specialises in sustainable bedding including duvets, pillows and mattress toppers, all made from British wool and organic cotton and manufactured in Yorkshire.

Start Up Loans

Hand-i-Craft

Leo Winstanley founded Hand-i-Craft, based in Formby, after losing the ability to use his dominant hand and arm in a car accident. Now, it is a successful woodworking shop, stocking handmade items, finishes and accessories that are sold online.

British Business Investments

Artisan Travel

The Artisan Travel company accessed equity investment through British Business Investments via Panoramic Growth as their lender. The equity finance has allowed the business to enter its next chapter and provide a more certain future for its employees.

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund

Oxi-Tech

Oxi-Tech is a clean-tech company which has developed disinfectant technology using water and electricity. A £250,000 investment through the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (COISIF), has helped to accelerate the company’s commercialisation and its next phase of growth.

Start Up Loans

Lemon Tree Softplay Café

Lemon Tree Soft Play Café took out a Start up Loan and is a growing business founded by three mothers and entrepreneurs, creating a haven for children and families in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Recovery Loan Scheme

Airsym

Airsym is an established, Heathrow-based transport company that provide services for airlines, crew transfers, terminal transfers, and shuttles.

Future Fund

Magnitude Biosciences

North East based contract research organisation (CRO) Magnitude Biosciences helps its clients in the health & nutrition, biotech and pharmaceutical industries progress their research projects.

Enterprise Capital Funds

OrganOx

OrganOx is at the forefront of changing the way donor organs are preserved in the critical time between donation and transplantation. OrganOx accessed venture capital via the Enterprise Capital Funds (ECF) programme, which it used to fund the clinical studies to secure market approval for its product, a complex class III medical device.

ENABLE Funding

Barclay & Daughters

Barclay & Daughters is a family-run nationally competitive haulier with over 25 years of industry experience.

ENABLE Guarantees

ThinCats

ThinCats is a leading alternative finance provider. It supports mid-sized UK businesses from all sectors with funding for growth, acquisitions, refinancing and restructuring.

Investment Fund for Wales

EverTrek

Caerphilly (and Hereford) based EverTrek is a growing online travel brand catering to the £1.7bn hard adventure segment of the £10.7bn UK adventure tourism market.

ENABLE Funding

Simply Asset Finance

Simply Asset Finance was founded in April 2017 by a team of asset finance specialists, in response to the need for innovation and disruption in the sector. Simply have provided over £750m of funding to over 8,000 UK smaller businesses across the country through the ENABLE Funding programme.

ENABLE Funding

Sherbet Taxis

Sherbet Taxi is a leading eco-friendly electric taxi company based in London that accessed finance through Simply Asset Finance via the ENABLE Funding programme to recover after the Covid-19 pandemic, and replace their fleet from diesel to electric LEVC black cabs with the aim to build a stronger and healthier city with their iconic black taxis.

Enterprise Capital Funds

Lucky Saint

Lucky Saint completed a Series A funding round with JamJar Investments, supported by the Bank’s Enterprise Capital Funds programme. This capital allowed the business to grow its team and provided the funding to open the Lucky Saint pub.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS)

Shropshire Festivals

When Beth Heath used a Bounce Back Loan to protect her business in Shropshire, the loan not only boosted the cashflow of her award-winning festival company, but also gave her an opportunity to support her local community during lockdown.

Recovery Loan Scheme

Thomas Paine Hotel

Owner of the Thomas Paine Hotel in Norfolk, Gez Chetal used the Recovery Loan Scheme to not only help his business, but to assist ex-offenders to gain employment in the hospitality industry.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS)

Diversity Business Incubator (DBI)

Based in Plymouth, DBI is a business hub for minority ethnic entrepreneurs that assists with advice and provides support to help businesses grow. DBI took out a Bounce Back Loan to help support his local community during the pandemic.