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.

Read the success story about NQ64
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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. 

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.

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.

Start Up Loans

Valiant Lingerie

Valiant Lingerie took out a £6,500 loan through Start Up Loans delivery partner Virgin Start Ups to start her business.

Start Up Loans

Mama Claudia

Mama Claudia is a children’s accessories business based in Northern Ireland initially ran the business from her home, having received a Start Up Loan

Start Up Loans

Tarian Drums

The company, the first of its kind in Wales, received a Start Up Loan of £10,000, which it has used to create sustainable drum moulds and to cover the cost of materials.

Start Up Loans

The Whisky Chairmen

The Whisky Chairmen received a Start Up Loan of £13,000 through delivery partner Transmit, which helped to provide the essential tooling, materials, rent and insurances needed to establish the business.

Start Up Loans

Tribal Milk

Rahma Ahmed Ali and Nura Nur secured a loan of £10,000 in July 2021 through delivery partner Financing Sharia Enterprise to start alternative dairy brand Tribal Milk.

Start Up Loans

Pop Pressed

Kayleigh Cooper took out a £15,000 Start Up Loan in December 2020 to launch POP Pressed – an organic and plant-based cold-pressed juice brand.

Start Up Loans

Tide Climbing Centre

After Sophie and her partner Sam secured loans of £20,000 each through delivery partner SWIG, they put all they had into creating a space that Cornwall would love.

Start Up Loans

This Charming Naan

Max Paley took out a loan of £15,000 in 2021 to launch This Charming Naan, a Smiths-inspired Indian Street Food business in Manchester.

Start Up Loans

Aberffraw Biscuits

James Shepherd started his business, Aberffraw Biscuits, with the help of a £5,000 Start Up Loan.

Start Up Loans

Academy ICT

Brian Stoneman secured a Start Up Loan of £6,600 in March 2017 to put towards the running of Academy ICT.

Start Up Loans

Altum Designs

Learn how Altum Designs used funding from a British Business Bank programme. Read more about how the funding helped them.

Start Up Loans

40 St Pauls

Learn how 40 St Pauls used funding from a British Business Bank programme. Read more about how the funding helped them.

Start Up Loans

hiSbe

Brighton sisters, Amy and Ruth Anslow, founded their independent supermarket, hiSbe, with the help of Start Up Loans.

Start Up Loans

CorkYogis

Lara Sengupta is the founder and owner of CorkYogis, a right corker of a social enterprise. Situated just off the renowned Lordship Lane in East Dulwich, they make and sell as the name would suggest – yoga mats made out of cork.

Start Up Loans

North 55 Gallery

Inga Irvine opened her art gallery, North 55 Falmouth, with the help of a £6,500 Start up Loan.