Venture capital access expanded for early-stage companies in UK

Intention to invest £100 million through British Business Bank’s Investor Pathways Capital Initiative to boost growth in every postcode.

Investors in early-stage companies across the UK can access a multi-million-pound investment boost as the Chancellor backs growth in every postcode through the next £100m phase of the British Business Bank’s Investor Pathways Capital Initiative.

Supporting talented, first-time venture capital investment fund managers from a wide range of backgrounds, the initiative, which will invest £400m in total, helps businesses scale up as the fund managers provide the catalytic early capital that innovative, early-stage businesses need to scale up drive local growth and create more good British jobs.

Business large and small have felt the squeeze as the cost of business has risen. The Chancellor is backing investment outside of London into businesses to help tackle this, bolstering efforts to make Britain better off.

Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey MP said:

One of my priorities as Chancellor is wealth creation. That means building an economy that helps people live well. I know there is a cost of business and it will not go unnoticed.

This must involve stepping up our support for the businesses who invest in people, and this £100m boost will help provide the fuel to drive new life into local economies up and down the country.

In June, the British Business Bank committed up to £90m to 10 new microfunds as part of the first Investor Pathways Capital cohort. Applications for the next cohort, which is part of this £100m deployment, will open in Autumn 2026.

Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby said: