The Private Equity & Venture Capital Team, led by Partner, Penelope Garden has advised The FSE Group on its appointment as manager of the debt finance element of the South East Investment Fund which was launched by the British Business Bank on 9 September 2026 and is designed to support the growth of small and medium sized businesses in the South East of England, has been launched today by the British Business Bank.
The launch of the South East Investment Fund and forthcoming East of England Investment Fund later this month means the British Business Bank is now delivering targeted finance across every UK Nation and region outside of London.
This supports the Government’s plan for growth in every postcode by helping businesses access finance close to home. By backing ambitious smaller businesses, the fund aims to support innovation, create jobs and stimulate sustained economic growth in the region.
Covering Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Sussex, Surrey and Kent, the South East Investment Fund will provide much-needed access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses, offering loans from £25,000 to £2 million.
The Fund has already made its first investment with a £250,000 loan to Basingstoke technology company Process Vision, demonstrating early impact in the region. The funding is backing the company’s next phase of commercial growth and international expansion.
The South East of England is home to 17% of the UK’s university spinout businesses, behind only London (Small Business Equity Tracker 2026), while the region received 5% of the UK’s total equity investment by value last year (figures to end of March 2026). The launch of the fund will help to ensure the bridge between academic innovation and market deployment is adequately supported in the region.
