The British Business Bank has announced a £10 million allocation to SFC Capital through its Regional Angels Program. This latest injection brings the bank’s overall support for the firm to £35 million, underscoring sustained confidence in SFC’s capacity to bridge funding gaps in underserved areas.
Launched to tackle geographic disparities in access to seed and early-stage equity funding, the Regional Angels Program channels resources to promising startups beyond traditional investment hubs.
The new fourth tranche follows three earlier commitments totaling £25 million. It highlights the bank’s belief in SFC Capital’s proven track record of efficiently deploying capital, nurturing entrepreneurs, and fostering vibrant innovation ecosystems nationwide.
SFC Capital has fully utilized all prior allocations, channeling the combined resources into more than 260 young companies throughout the UK.
These investments, made in tandem with the firm’s own SEIS and EIS vehicles as well as its angel investor network, have delivered solid performance metrics.
Early portfolios from 2020–2022 have achieved an average 2x multiple on paid-in capital, accompanied by a rising tally of profitable exits.
Notable successes include Peopleforce, an HR software provider acquired by a European recruitment tech firm, which delivered over 5x returns, and Ryft, a payments platform that provided early backers with a partial secondary exit yielding up to 6.2x.
The additional £10 million is projected to back approximately 100 more ventures, elevating SFC’s cumulative impact under the program to over 350 early-stage businesses.
This expansion aligns with SFC’s ethos of discovering talent wherever it emerges.
Notably, more than half of its portfolio companies sit outside London, with deal flow cultivated through extensive partnerships with universities, accelerators, incubators, and angel syndicates spanning the UK’s nations and regions.
Mark Barry, Senior Director at the British Business Bank, said:
“This additional support, elevating our total backing of SFC Capital to £35 million via the Regional Angels Programme, will help correct imbalances in early-stage financing availability across the country. It positions SFC to further its strong history of empowering high-potential growth companies from every corner of the UK.”
Founded in 2012 by Stephen Page, SFC Capital ranks among the UK’s most prolific seed investors.
The firm has backed over 600 startups in sectors including B2B software, climate technology, health tech, deep tech, fintech, and life sciences.
As an official partner to Innovate UK, SFC sources opportunities through a nationwide network of innovation enablers. It operates under Financial Conduct Authority regulation.
The British Business Bank, the UK government’s dedicated economic development institution established in 2014, focuses on enhancing smaller businesses’ access to finance to stimulate growth, scaling, and retention within the UK.
Its flagship initiatives have facilitated billions in funding, reaching tens of thousands of enterprises and playing a pivotal role in regional economic vitality.
This renewed partnership exemplifies ongoing efforts to democratize venture funding.
By enabling firms like SFC Capital, the bank now aims to more effectively unlock innovation potential nationwide, ensuring that talented founders—regardless of location—gain the capital needed to thrive in a competitive global landscape. As regional disparities in startup financing persist during 2026, such commitments remain vital for building a more inclusive and resilient UK digital economy.