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Leading equity investor BGF has committed £400m to help the scale-up of firms in the South West over the next five years. The investment pledge builds on the £624m BGF (formerly known as the

Business Growth Fund) has already invested in the region since 2011. BGF’s regional-first strategy aims to close the capital access gap and support ambitious founders across the South West.

Across the UK the BGF has committed to invest £3bn in high-growth potential firms over the next five years. This includes £300m for female-powered businesses, one of the largest commitments

of its kind. This follows an initial £25m investment into the Invest in Women Taskforce (IWT), which unlocked more than £250m last year. Ned Dorbin partner, South West and Wales, BGF, said:

"The South West is a vibrant region with a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our £400m commitment is a sign of confidence in the region’s ability to generate high-growth businesses

and long-term economic impact." Since being established in 2011 BGF has invested more than £4.5bn in 370 companies across the UK. Backed companies have generated £7.1bn in additional

sales, £1bn in export growth, and created more than 27,000 jobs. Some 74% of BGF’s capital has been deployed outside London and the south east of England. Initial investments from the BGF

range from £3m to £30m for growth-stage companies and £3m to £10m for early-stage ventures. BGF backs earlier-stage businesses in the life sciences and deep tech sectors, and growth-stage

businesses across all sectors, typically generating annual profits of £1m to £10m.