Businesses in Wales backed for expansion

Here we feature news of the latest equity investments in Wales

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BGF has committed to invest £100m to back high-growth businesses in Wales.

The equity investor, formerly known as the Business Growth Fund, said it forms part of plans over the next five years to invest £3bn to support firms across the UK to scale up. It also includes £300m ring-fenced to back female-run UK businesses. This follows an initial £25m pledge to the Invest in Women Task-force (IWT), which contributed to raising over £250m in 2023.

Initial investments from the BGF range from £3m to £30m for growth-stage companies and £3m to £10m for early-stage ventures. BGF backs earlier-stage businesses in the life sciences and deep-tech sectors, and growth-stage businesses across all sectors, typically generating annual profits of £1m-£10m.

Since being established in 2011 BGF has invested more than £4.5bn in 370 companies. Backed companies have generated £7.1bn in additional sales, £1bn in export growth and created more than 27,000 jobs. Some 74% of BGF's capital has been deployed outside London and the south-east of England.

Companies in Wales it has invested in to date include PureCyber, Character.com, Victorian Sliders and IQ Endoscopes.

In total, it has injected £47m in equity into Wales since 2011.

Cardiff-based BGF investor Hannah King said: "Welsh businesses have enormous potential, and we're here to provide the capital and support to help them grow."

Debbie Wosskow, co-chairman on the Invest in Women Taskforce, said: "This is another historic moment. BGF's 10% commitment to female-powered businesses is significant."

The £3bn pledged by the BGF over the next five years follows £2.3bn deployed between 2020 and 2024.

The £100m committed to Wales also includes projected funding from the £300m UK-wide female funding pledge.

■ Space Forge