The Start Up Loans programme has delivered over £150m in funding to founders of small businesses across the South East.

Since the programme launched in 2012, more than one in 10 Start Up Loans have gone to a founder based in the South East. Of the approximately 127,000 in loans taken out nationally, just under 14,000 loans have been delivered to South-East based entrepreneurs.

The most entrepreneurial counties across the region were Kent, Hampshire and Surrey, which respectively saw 2,429, 1,837 and 1,572 founders take out loans to kickstart, or grow, their business.

The Start Up Loans programme, part of the British Business Bank, is committed to ensuring all founders can access the finance they need to thrive, particularly those who may otherwise be underrepresented.

Since the programme’s inception, two in five (40%) of loans in the South East have gone to female founders, 18% to formerly unemployed founders and around one in ten (11%) has gone to founders younger than 25.

In 2025, almost £20m (£19.5m) was delivered by the programme to entrepreneurs based in the South East.