Search Funding Opportunities by Type & Business stage
Use these tables to find funding by type: Grants, Loans, Equity, Competitions, Other
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Business Growth Fund / Helping Businesses Grow & Develop
This section provides information on the variety of funding available to support your business.
GAIN can help your business explore a range of funding sources and opportunities to enable your organisation to grow and develop.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has produced an overview of financing options available for SMEs who are considering seeking funding. The report provides links to sources of debt (loans), equity (investment), and other funding. Links to types of assistance such as business advice programmes, and for export assistance are also included.
If you are new to business finance, another useful resource is a guide to SME finance which sets out the main financing options and key issues to consider when choosing between options.
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Angels Den South West
Angels Den South West
Angels Den exists to help entrepreneurs and SME owners put together investment packages to take their businesses into high growth.
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The Aspire Fund
The Aspire Fund
The £12.5m Aspire Fund targets support for women-led businesses across the UK.
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Business Growth Fund
Business Growth Fund
BGF provides long-term capital for fast growing British companies.
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Business Boost
Business Boost
Business Boost is a suite of investment funds totaling £17 million that is designed to enhance business growth in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
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Business Catalyst Fund
Business Catalyst Fund
The £5 million Business Catalyst Fund is aimed at businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly that want to improve business productivity through investment in capital or revenue projects. It is part of the Business Boost suite of funds.
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Business Investment for Growth Programme (BIG)
Business Investment for Growth Programme (BIG)
The BIG Programme is a £3.6 million fund designed to improve the competitive advantage of high growth SMEs in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It is part of the Business Boost suite of funds.
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CrowdCube
CrowdCube
Founded in 2010, Crowdcube is the next generation of business investment. Based in Exeter in Devon, it is a new way to fund start-ups and business expansion by 'crowdfunding' for equity, giving entrepreneurs a platform to connect with ordinary people and raise venture capital.
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Devon Business Angels
Devon Business Angels
Angel investment activity co-ordinated by Devon & Cornwall Business Council alongside the Economic Development department of Devon County Council
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Energy Efficiency Financing Scheme
Energy Efficiency Financing Scheme
Carbon Trust Implementation Services and Siemens Financial Services have combined forces to offer financing options to organisations who are seeking to reduce their own energy use.
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The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund Scheme
The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund Scheme
A competitive funding scheme to support the development and demonstration of innovative, new technologies, products and processes.
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Enterprise Capital Funds
Enterprise Capital Funds
Enterprise Capital Funds (ECFs) address a market weakness in the provision of equity finance to SMEs by using Government funding alongside private sector investment to establish funds that operate within the 'equity gap'.
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Enterprise Finance Guarantee
Enterprise Finance Guarantee
EFG is a loan guarantee scheme to facilitate additional lending to viable small and medium size enterprises lacking adequate security or proven track record for a normal commercial loan.
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European Fisheries Fund
European Fisheries Fund
Financial assistance to help the fisheries industry adapt to changing requirements under the Common Fisheries Policy.
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FC Fund Managers
FC Fund Managers
FC Fund Managers is a fund management and investment company authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
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The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS)
The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS)
FFIS is part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). It is designed to help farming, forestry and horticultural businesses become more efficient at using resources.
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Finance for young Entrepreneurs
Finance for young Entrepreneurs
If you've got a passion or a hobby or have noticed a gap in the market you think you could fill, why not turn it into a business?
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Folk 2 Folk
Folk 2 Folk
Local, Fast, Secured Lending. We quickly match borrowers with lenders who are looking for competitive returns on their investment and the security of a first mortgage.
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Fredericks Foundation
Fredericks Foundation
Fredericks Foundation will consider you for a loan and business support if you can demonstrate that you have made a genuine application for funds to your bank or a mainstream lender - and that you have been turned down.
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Funding for Lending Scheme
Funding for Lending Scheme
The scheme is designed to boost lending to households and businesses.
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Gap Funding for Employment Space
Gap Funding for Employment Space
Gap Funding for Employment Space offers targeted funding to accelerate developments of offices, serviced employment land or industrial schemes in Cornwall that meet key environmental and economic criteria.
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Grant for Business Investment
Grant for Business Investment
Grant for Business Investment offers grant support for sustainable business investment and job creation projects in disadvantaged areas in England.
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Growing Places Fund - Cornwall
Growing Places Fund - Cornwall
The Growing Places Fund has £6 million of investment funding available to unlock stalled housing and commercial development to create jobs in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It is part of the Business Boost suite of funds.
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Innovation Vouchers: Technology Strategy Board (TSB)
Innovation Vouchers: Technology Strategy Board (TSB)
Innovation Vouchers are designed to encourage businesses to look outside their current network for new knowledge that can help them to grow and develop.
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Investment in renewable energy generation
Investment in renewable energy generation
The Government will help business develop in this area to put the UK at the forefront of new renewable technologies and skills.
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Peoplefund.it
Peoplefund.it
Peoplefund.it is a new crowdfunding website from the makers of River Cottage, Hugh's Fish Fight and Chicken Out! which brings together individuals with fresh business ideas.
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GAIN Growth Fund+
GAIN Growth Fund+
Above all, GAIN Growth Fund+ (GGF+) is about creating jobs. GGF+ will enable small, medium-sized and larger businesses who can credibly demonstrate how investment will lead to rapid job creation, to get hold of the investment they need.
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Plymouth University Funding Solutions
Plymouth University Funding Solutions
We can help your business explore a range of funding sources and opportunities to enable your organisation to grow and develop, whilst accessing high level research expertise from Plymouth University. Securing funding is not always easy. By working with Plymouth University we will aim to help your business access funding from a range of sources and our experts will help to identify the most appropriate opportunities.
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Princes Initiative for Mature Enterprise
Princes Initiative for Mature Enterprise
Princes Initiative for Mature Enterprise (PRIME) - business support loans for the over 50s
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Property Gap Fund, Invest In Cornwall
Property Gap Fund, Invest In Cornwall
Finance gap between cost and market values of developing an environmentally friendly property.
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Regional Growth Fund (RGF)
Regional Growth Fund (RGF)
A £2.4bn fund operating across England from 2011 to 2015, supporting projects and programmes that lever private sector investment to create economic growth and sustainable employment.
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Regional Growth Fund and Assisted Asset Purchase Scheme
Regional Growth Fund and Assisted Asset Purchase Scheme
The schemes will provide grants to support SMEs considering investing in new capital assets and creating new employment.
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Rural Economy Grant (REG)/Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE)
Rural Economy Grant (REG)/Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE)
The Rural Economy Grant (REG) provides grants to enable a significant 'game-changing', transformational performance in farm, forestry, tourism, agri-food businesses and micro businesses in rural areas in England.
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Rural Enterprise Grant Programme
Rural Enterprise Grant Programme
As part of DEFRA / RDPE £1m Rural Enterprise Grant Programme (REG), micro-businesses in rural Devon and Somerset can now apply for capital grants over £10,000.
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Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)
Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)
SEIS offers tax breaks to investors into small start-up businesses.
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Seedrs
Seedrs
Seedrs makes investing in startups simple and rewarding. They allow investors to invest between £10 and £150K in startups they choose through a simple, online process, and let startups raise up to £150K in equity capital seamlessly from friends, family and independent investors.
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Small Businesses Research Initiative (SBRI)
Small Businesses Research Initiative (SBRI)
Competitions for new technologies and ideas are run on specific topics and aim to engage a broad range of organisations.
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SMART
SMART
Smart is a funding programme operated by the Technology Strategy Board, the UK's national innovation agency. Its goal is to accelerate economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation.
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South West Angel Investment Network
South West Angel Investment Network
The South West Angel and Investor Network (SWAIN) connects private investors, or 'Business Angels', with companies looking for investment.
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SWIG Finance
SWIG Finance
If you are looking for a business loan to either start up or grow your business in the South West you can apply to us for a loan.If you are looking for a business loan to either start up or grow your business in the South West you can apply to us for a loan.
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South West Manufacturing Advisory Service (SWMAS) Manufacturing Fund
SWMAS has launched a new funding project to support small and medium-sized manufacturers across the region.
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Start Up Growth Support in the Greater Dartmoor area
Start Up Growth Support in the Greater Dartmoor area
Support for start up and pre-start up businesses.
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Start Up Loans for 18-24 Year Olds
Start Up Loans for 18-24 Year Olds
A new £82.5 million student-loan style initiative for young entrepreneurs in England who are planning to start a new business
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Superfast Cornwall Fund
Superfast Cornwall Fund
The Superfast Cornwall Fund is a £2 million fund to accelerate business growth in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly though the use of superfast broadband. It is part of the Business Boost suite of funds.
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Torbay Business Growth Fund
Torbay Business Growth Fund
A £1m Growth Fund has been approved by Torbay Council to help create jobs and boost business growth.
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Young Business Growth in the South Devon Coastal and Greater Dartmoor areas
Young Business Growth in the South Devon Coastal and Greater Dartmoor areas
Funding and business advice for budding young entrepreneurs aged between 16 and 30.
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Zopa: P2P Lending
Zopa: P2P Lending
Zopa is a marketplace for peer-to-peer lending. People lend and borrow money with each other, sidestepping the banks.
