British Business Bank

Two Scottish companies have joined the British Business Bank's Future Fund, revealed by the published list of 53 additional companies in which the bank holds an equity stake, taking the total to 515 as at end of December 2022. Companies in which Future Fund is now a shareholder include Edinburgh-bas

Susan Nightingale discusses the impact of the economy on smaller businesses in Scotland, the equity investment landscape in the country, and what must be done to address geographical imbalances in access to finance for small firms. While the headwinds facing Scotland’s economy have been well p

A Glasgow-based startup specialising in advanced imaging technology has secured £50,000 in support from the Start Up Loans programme to take its business to new heights. Launched in January 2022 by metasurface physicists Charles Altuzarra and Yash Shah, Metahelios has created a first-of-its-ki

The British Business Bank (BBB) has announced plans to launch a £150 million investment fund this summer, aimed at driving the growth of small and medium-sized businesses in Scotland. The Investment Fund for Scotland is one of a series of nations and regions investment funds being launched by

Equity investment levels in Scotland’s smaller businesses continued to rise during the first half of 2022, despite well-publicised economic headwinds, according to new research published as part of the British Business Bank’s annual Nations and Regions Tracker. A total of £411 mill

West Lothian has the highest rate of successful Start Up Loans applications per adult in Scotland, laying its claim to being the country’s most entrepreneurial local authority area, according to new analysis by the British Business Bank. Released to mark the beginning of Business Finance Week,

Glasgow-based DamGoodDrams, an ecommerce platform specialising in independent spirits, has planned the launch its own line of whisky and aims to take its business overseas. Founded in October 2020, DamGoodDrams sells a range of independent whiskies. The company had a successful first year and, as th

Glasgow-based Pastéis Lisboa, Scotland’s first specialist Pastel de Nata bakery, is among 12 small businesses to be selected as champions of UK start-ups by Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank. The announcement comes as the programme celebrates its 10-year anniversary, hav

The British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme has been expanded in order to provide vital support to Scottish start ups during a challenging economic period. The programme now includes start ups that have been trading for up to three years and second Start Up Loans are now availabl

A Speyside-based whisky experiences business, CopperCairn, has secured £20,000 in funding to take its bespoke tasting tours to the next level. CopperCairn first came to life in October 2020 after entrepreneur Mitch Bechard decided to leave behind his career as a global whisky ambassador for Wi

Glasgow’s west end will be home to Scotland’s first specialist 'Pastelaria' bakery after it received a £40,000 loan. The Portuguese-style bakery, 'Pastéis Lisboa', run by entrepreneurial couple Emma Airley and Sebastian Bacewicz, is opening this week on Byres Road.

Accredited lenders have offered over £229 million to smaller businesses in Scotland, through the Recovery Loan Scheme, as they steer a path towards a sustainable recovery, announced the British Business Bank.   Of the £229.7m of total funding offered th

A Freedom of Information request to the British Business Bank by Purbeck Personal Guarantee Insurance, has revealed that one in ten firms who borrowed money under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) are in arrears by over ninety days, with £29.357 owed in total.

About one in eight of the 1.5 million small businesses in the UK who were encouraged to take out loans under the COVID-19 Bounce Back Loan Scheme have fallen into arrears on their repayments.

New data shows that small businesses founded at Scottish universities accounted for the highest number of equity investment deals to UK spinouts last year, according the British Business Bank. Of the 211 equity deals involving spinouts across the UK during 2021, 44 (21% of the total) came from Scott