SFC Capital's £10m Boost to Fund 100 UK Startups
Funding | Feb 12, 2025 | Business Cloud
SFC Capital, the UK's most active seed-stage investor, has secured an additional £10 million investment from British Business Investments, a subsidiary of the British Business Bank, aimed at supporting 100 early-stage UK businesses. This new commitment is part of the Regional Angels Programme, which seeks to address regional funding imbalances across the UK. The funding is projected to unlock a total of £100 million in new capital for startup and scaleup enterprises. Previously, SFC Capital received a £15 million commitment in 2020 that was effectively deployed among over 150 companies, yielding successful exits like the HR company Peopleforce. This latest investment will enhance SFC Capital’s portfolio, which includes notable startups such as Onfido. Senior officials express gratitude for the continued partnership, underscoring the program's effective collaboration between public and private sectors in bolstering the UK’s entrepreneurial landscape.
Sectors
- Venture Capital
- Startup Ecosystem
- Financial Services
Geography
- United Kingdom – The funding is aimed at supporting UK startups, and both SFC Capital and British Business Investments are based in the UK.
Industry
- Venture Capital – SFC Capital is involved in providing funding for early-stage startups, representing venture capital activities.
- Startup Ecosystem – The additional funding aims to support the growth of startups across the UK, reflecting efforts to strengthen the startup ecosystem.
- Financial Services – British Business Investments, through its financial commitment, plays a role in financing and investment services.
Financials
- £10m – Additional funding commitment to SFC Capital from British Business Investments.
- £100m – Total new funding expected to be unlocked for startup and scaleup businesses.
- 5x – Return on investment achieved by SFC Capital from exiting Peopleforce.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| SFC Capital | Receiving Company | Company | The UK's most active seed-stage investor, focused on funding early-stage businesses. |
| British Business Investments | Investor | Company | A commercial subsidiary of the British Business Bank providing funding to SFC Capital. |
| British Business Bank | Government | Company | State-owned bank focused on making finance markets work better for small and medium-sized businesses. |
| Peopleforce | Ex-Portfolio Company | Company | HR software business that provided a successful exit for SFC Capital. |