Created to nurture entrepreneurship and increase access to finance, the current MEIF has invested £142 million into 648 companies since its launch in 2017. This funding has been matched by a further £150 million of additional private sector investment and is forecast to create more than 3800 jobs.

Announced in 2021, the next generation of the MEIF will be allocated £400 million by government, to be delivered by the British Business Bank. This brings the total (current plus next generation) for investment in our region’s ambitious firms to over £700 million. Plus, there is an expectation that this will be matched by private sector co-investors to help boost our region’s innovative and high-growth SMEs.