The British Business Bank’s financial capacity is being raised to £25.6 billion, allowing it to scale up investments to approximately £2.5 billion annually. The expansion aims to unlock significant private capital and support high-growth, innovation-driven UK firms, particularly those in the life sciences, deep tech, and venture capital sectors.
The move follows confirmation of governance and financial reforms to the Bank, as outlined in the latest government Spending Review. These changes are expected to be implemented by the end of the current financial year.
The Bank has already backed 22 of the UK’s current unicorns through its equity programmes, representing over half of all such firms in the country. With its expanded mandate, the institution is expected to play a pivotal role in delivering the government’s upcoming Industrial Strategy and broader ambitions for regional growth and scale-up funding.
