Sources of finance

Critical to the success of any start-up or expanding business is to get the right funding at each stage of a company's development. For start-up or early stage companies, capital is available from a wide variety of sources, including bank and non-bank finance, venture capital, business angel finance and grants.

Some important links:

Selective Finance for Investment in England: For businesses that are looking at the possibility of investing in an area of high deprivation but need financial help to go ahead.

Research & Development: For businesses looking to carry out research or development of a technologically innovative product or process.

South East Growth Fund: Commercial government-backed venture capital provider that provides equity finance to companies based in the South East of England with potential for fast growth. The amounts available for investment range from £100,000 to £500,000 and the portfolio will be available to start ups, early stage, development and small MBO’s and MBI’s.

Finance South East Managed funds: Funds available include Accelerator Fund, South East Seed Fund, South East Commercialisation Fund, Commercialise PoC Fund.

Oxford Investment Opportunity Network (OION): Helps early stage companies raise finance through providing contacts to business angels and investment networks.

Oxford Early Investments: Business Angel Network focused on early stage businesses.

Oxford Technology Venture Capital Trust: Provides start up capital of £100-500k for early stage companies.

Wellcome Trust: Support research across all biomedical science through several grant schemes, including the Translation Awards and Seeding Drug Discovery award.

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC): Supports research in biochemistry, cell biology, biomolecular sciences, biotechnology.  

Medical Research Council (MRC): Research funded through grant schemes available to researchers from academia and industry.

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC): Funding for researchers promoting academics and businesses through supporting collaborative research, strategic partnerships and commercialisation of research.

Technology Strategy Board (TSB): Invests in several areas of innovation, including healthcare and assisted living through an innovation platform.

Department of Health: Supports several R&D calls for proposals, and has information on relevant funds available from charities and research councils.