This business funding directory is for you!
I created it and Hear the Hustle podcast because whilst I supported clients with content marketing strategies to grow their businesses, they always complained that it was hard to get financial investment to help them scale. Getting money for your business isn’t easy but I’ve met entrepreneurs who have done it and they didn’t have ‘connections’ or rich families.
I decided to speak to them so that they can share their secrets, tips, successes and lessons about raising money for their businesses.
I’ve created this funding directory, providing another practical resource to help you take that leap in raising business finance or continuing to raise funds even if you’ve failed before.
Things to note about this list:
- It is NOT funded by any organisation.
- Funding sources can change their offering or stop at any time; do your due diligence and check all eligibility criteria details.
- It is not exhaustive either but contains tailored funding sources for specific entrepreneurs and opportunities that others have used themselves.
- Most opportunities are for Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the UK government and European Commission, an SME is a business with less than 250 employees – micro business = less than 10 employees, small business = less than 50 and a medium-sized business = less than 250.
- It’s updated monthly but if any deadlines expire before then, you can get notified by signing up to the Hear the Hustle Podcast Pipeline.
- ‘Underrepresented founders’ include those from ethnic minority groups and women.
Opportunities are listed as:
Organisation:
Funding/support type and value:
Your business sector/type:
Your business location:
Lastly, let me know if you successfully applied for any opportunities listed! Just drop me a line at adelina@purposecopywriter.com, I’d love to celebrate your wins with you, no matter how ‘small’.
Click the links in the contents to go to the relevant sections.
Contents
Time-sensitive opportunities
Funding opportunities for women entrepreneurs only
Funding opportunities for underrepresented founders
Funding opportunities for all entrepreneurs
Region-specific funding opportunities
Expired opportunities
Q3 2024 time-sensitive UK/Europe opportunities
Pinterest Inclusion Fund Incubator Programme (fashion, beauty and lifestyle small businesses) – 16 August 2024 9pm BST
Barclays Funding Readiness Programme – 21 June and 27 September 2024; 3 January 2025
Funding opportunities for women only
Female entrepreneurs’ mentoring and support programmes
Organisation: Fem Tec lab
Funding/support type and value: Various types of upskilling and investment opportunities
Your business sector/type: Tech, healthcare
Your business location: UK, Europe
Find out how this solo entrepreneur featured on Hear the Hustle podcast won a place on this programme for her menstrual cycle business.
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Organisation: Fund Her North
Funding/support type and value: All-stage equity investment; varied values
Your business sector/type: All
Your business location: North England, UK
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Organisation: Founderland
Funding/support type and value: Upskilling with potential to pitch for funding
Your business sector/type: All
Your business location: UK, Europe
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Girl Geeks
Various funding and investment opportunities for startups to scale up
All business sectors
UK
Funding opportunities for underrepresented founders (including those from ethnic minority groups and women)
Organisation: 20/20 Levels
Funding/support type and value: Startups with founders aged 18-30, Up to £5k
Your business sector/type: All
Your business location: UK
Find out how this solo entrepreneur featured on Hear the Hustle podcast won a place on this programme.
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Organisation: Black Seed Ventures
Funding/support type and value: Early-stage, £200,000 to £400,000
Your business sector/type: Tech
Your business location: UK
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Cornerstone Partners
Angel investment; varied values
Tech
UK
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Create Equity Fund
Grant, loans, equity; varied values
Arts, social enterprise and commercial; varied values
Europe
Note: Your business should also be/have: Differentiated and defensible competitive position, strong management who has invested time and money, exceptional job creation potential, the ability to positively impact lives on a global basis, compelling exit opportunities
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Fredericks Foundation
Flexible revenue share models, £20,000 – £50,000
Social enterprises, charities and B-corporations
UK
Note: Investment opportunity for founders who don’t have fundraising experience or a ready-built network of potential investors.
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Growth Impact Fund
Equity, revenue share and patient debt; £50k- £1,500,000 and up to £15k grant funding
Social enterprises, charities and B-corporations
UK
Find out how this solo entrepreneur featured on Hear the Hustle podcast won £11k grant funding
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Hatch Enterprise
Various funding opportunities
All business types and sectors
UK
Find out how these business partners featured on Hear the Hustle podcast benefitted from one of the Hatch programmes.
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Impact X Capital
Large market opportunity with demonstrable customer traction; venture capital, varied values
Tech (mainly)
UK and Europe
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Lendoe
Varied support
All business sectors UK
Funding opportunities for all founders
Organisation: Ada Ventures
Funding / support type and value: Venture capital; Pre-Series A thesis driven investor with a first cheque of £250k to £750K (pre-seed) or £1m to £1.5m (seed)
Your business sector/type: Climate equity, economic empowerment and healthy ageing
Your business location: UK
Note: supports founders building breakthrough ideas for the hardest problems
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Organisation: Atomico
Funding/support type and value: Venture capital; varied values
Your business sector/type: Tech
Your business location: Europe
Note: Founder-led venture capital firm; has invested in Stripe and Klarna
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Beauty Backed Trust Grant Programme
Grants up to £5k
Beauty
UK
Note: Beauty-backed Trust start-up Grant is a donation targeted at individuals who wish to enter the beauty industry by opening a new salon or offering a new service.
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Better Business Finance Finder
Various finance options
All sectors
UK
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BGF
Equity funding; varied values
All business sectors
UK and Ireland
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Crack IT Challenges
Up to £1million
Tech
UK, Europe
Note: CRACK IT is a challenge-led competition that funds collaborations between industry, academics and SMEs to solve business and scientific Challenges which will deliver 3Rs benefits, either by improving business processes or developing a commercial product.
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NatWest Business Builder
Upskilling
All sectors
UK
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UK government grants
Various grant values
All business sectors
UK
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Vantage
Accelerator programmes to help startups to succeed, and help them become investor-ready
All business sectors
UK
UK Region-specific funding opportunities
Scotland
Organisation: Business Support Scotland
Funding / support type and value: Various including grants
Your business sector/type: Any
Your business location: Scotland
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Investment fund for Scotland
Small loans, debt finance and equity finance; £25k-£5million
All business sectors
England
Business Growth Hub
Upskilling
All business sectors
Manchester, England
Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF)
Various commercial finance options with smaller loans and debt finance from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million.
All business sectors
Midlands, England
Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF)
Commercial finance options with smaller loans and debt finance from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million.
North England
Northern Ireland
Invest Northern Ireland
Upskilling and business support
Expired 2024 time-sensitive UK/Europe opportunities
You may be able to sign up for the next round of these, so keep an eye out!
Barclays Eagle Labs – Global Connect – 21 May 2024, a virtual programme that helps ambitious UK businesses learn how to scale, expand or raise funding in the US.
Barclays Black Venture Growth Programme – 19 June 2024, 16-week programme that focuses on growth and removing barriers to fundraising
Barclays Funding Readiness Programme – 21 June and 27 September 2024; 3 January 2025
Innovate UK Business Connect – Women in Innovation Awards 2024/25 – 10 July 2024
Barclays Black Founder accelerator – 15 May 2024
The Black Beauty Grant Programme – 10 May 2024
Tech Female Funders Cohort / Invest in Women Hub – 30 April 2024
Jeitent Content Marketing 