BGF has committed to invest £300m in female-powered businesses as part of its £3bn pledge to support high-potential UK companies over the next five years.
The leading growth capital investor has also pledged £400m to North West businesses, having previously invested £596m in the region since 2011
The £300m commitment to female-powered businesses is one of the largest pledges of its kind in the UK.
It followed an earlier £25m to the Invest in Women Taskforce (IWT), which unlocked over £250m in capital in 2023.
Debbie Wosskow OBE, co-chair of IWT, said: “This is another historic moment. BGF’s 10% commitment to female-powered businesses is significant.
“At £300m in total, it builds on our already groundbreaking progress with the Invest in Women Taskforce, and is one of the largest ever made in the UK.”
Pinesh Mehta, partner, North West, BGF, added: “The North West is home to some of the most exciting and ambitious companies in the UK.
“This £400m commitment underlines our confidence in the region and our determination to support more businesses through every stage of growth.”
This £3bn commitment is a £700m increase from the £2.3bn that the London-based firm deployed across the UK between 2020 and 2024.
It is designed to help scaleups and early-stage companies reach their full potential and has resulted in 74 per cent of its capital being invested outside of London and the South East.
Multi-million pound investments in North West-based firms from BGF include those into Manchester-based Besseges, Blackpool-based Eleven Sports Media and Wigan-based Evolve Business Group.
Initial investments range from £3m to £30m for growth-stage companies and £3m to £10m for early-stage ventures.