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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Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Panacea Children Services

The North West’s leading provider of specialised therapeutic services for children has received a significant six figure investment to increase its number of homes in the North West to eleven as part of a three year strategic growth plan.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

MicroLub

MircoLub, a University of Leeds spinout, has raised £3.5m of seed funding in a round combining capital from NPIF II – Praetura Equity Finance

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Central Group

North West-based electromechanical specialist Central Group secured a £700K investment package which is supporting significant growth, job creation and advances in new technology to support its digital transformation strategy.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Ruuby

An on-demand beauty marketplace, which allows customers to order a host of beauty services to their desired location, has raised £2m to accelerate its growth in the North West by doubling down on its existing operations in Manchester and Liverpool.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Fittingsco

Manchester trade kitchen fittings supplier Fittingsco is growing its team as it aims to increase sales and expand its stock levels. The firm is being supported with investment from NPIF II – FW Capital Debt Finance.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Cytix

A growing cybersecurity company has raised £1.6m to expand its client base and scale its operations as demand grows for support managing tech defences.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Black Milk

Popular Manchester café, Black Milk, secured a loan from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

The Padel Club

Founded in 2020, Kris Ball launched The Padel Club after recognising its rising popularity while working abroad. With no courts available in his local area, Wilmslow, Kris decided to start the business in the anticipation that demand for the sport would take off.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Littlefair’s

Based in Blackburn, Littlefair's Wood Finishing Products, an award-winning and environmentally-friendly wood finishing products brand, has raised £75,000 from NPIF II

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

Biograd Education

Based in Liverpool, BioGrad Education, a specialist laboratory education provider, has raised a six figure investment from NPIF II – FW Capital Debt Finance, managed by FW

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.

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund

Collabor8Online

Maven Capital Partners invested £150,000 in cloud-based project management system, Collabor8Online on behalf of NPIF – Maven Equity Finance, part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

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.

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

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.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS)

GMJ Fire Prevention

Unable to service its existing customers or win new business because of COVID-19 restrictions, this fire safety company’s future was under threat unless it could secure funding. Declined a loan from its bank, the company turned to the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) for a vital lifeline.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS)

Pearson Quality Homes

Forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to cease work on its first new development, this housebuilding company decided to seek support via the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) so it could resume construction as soon as restrictions allowed.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS)

Make Up Or Break Up

Having grown from little more than a market stall in 2014 to an almost £1m-a-year business in 2020, the future was looking bright for this eco-friendly glitter supplier. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the business faced sudden financial trouble, having spent much of its working capital on stock it now couldn’t sell. Furloughing staff and depending solely on its dwindling overdraft, the business applied to the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) for support.