Regional growth funds provide interest-free loans to businesses seeking to invest and create jobs in specific regions of the UK. To qualify, businesses must be small or medium enterprises seeking to safeguard or create local employment. Applications require 50% match funding and proposals are judged on viability, investment, and positive economic impact. The document provides details on funds available in East Kent, Thames Gateway, and other parts of the UK, eligible expenses, and a three-stage application process. It also summarizes support available from BSK to help businesses access growth funds and alternative sources of financing.

1. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
High Growth Kent
Content:
Bank funding
Equity funding
Government and Local funding
Alternative funding

2. Regional Growth Funds – what are they ?
• Interest free and usually unsecured
•Needs to be 50% match funded through own resources,
traditional finance or have access to other funding
•Repayable over a maximum term of 5 - 7 years
Who can apply ?
•Sole trader, partnership, Ltd Co or Not for Profit business and
qualify as a small or medium sized enterprise
•Viable Businesses

3. Eligibility criteria
Create or safeguard Employment – all proposals must safeguard or
create jobs in the specific growth fund area
Demonstrate Need – for financial support
Viability – business must be viable and have good growth potential
Private sector Investment – match funding is required
Impact – must have a positive impact on the economy both locally and
regionally.

4. Regional Growth Funds – where are they ?
Tiger
ExEK
Escalate
Marsh
Million

5. Regional Growth Funds – where are they ?
Expansion East Kent is a £35million programme of financial support to
businesses seeking to invest in East Kent to create jobs.
The programme aims to unlock private sector finance, stimulating over
£300million in associated investment over the course of the next three years
and creating a major boost for the East Kent economy.
TIGER (Thames Gateway Innovation, Growth and Enterprise) is a £20Million
fund that offers financial assistance to businesses looking to invest in new
products, processes or markets, or potentially looking to expand existing
activities where they will lead to increased sustainable employment.
Escalate (covering Local Authority areas of Maidstone, Sevenoaks,
Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells, Wealden and Hastings) is a £5.5M fund
which was released in December 2013. Applications expected to be available
from 6th December and we expect it to be similar to Expansion East Kent.

6. What can be funded
Tangible Assets – includes assets relating to land, buildings, plant,
machinery and equipment.
Intangible Assets – assets acquired from third parties by the transfer of
technology or knowledge. E.g. patent rights, licences etc
Additional criteria
Assets must be used exclusively in Escalate area and be regarded as
amortizable.
Assets must remain in Escalate area for at least 5 years.
Applicants must be a client of High Growth Kent or participating in the
Growth Accelerator programme.
Sectors
Manufacturing, Pharamceuticals and life Science, Media and Creative
industries, ICT and software development – however does not preclude
other high growth sectors applying provided they are not within the ineligible
sectors.

7. What cannot be funded
Expenditure already incurred – must be for a new project or
requirement.
Specific sectors due to EU State Aid and RGF’s cannot invest in :
•Primary Agriculture and horticulture
•Iron, Steel, Coal, Synthetic fibres, Vehicles and Fisheries
•Any unlawful or illegal business activity
•Organisations engaged in political activity or lobbying at any level or
activity of an exclusively religious nature
Businesses that have received and reached State Aid limits over a
three year rolling period . (Deminimus limit 200,000 euro’s)

8. Application process and timeline
Pre Application – 2 page online application form – notified within 7
days if suitable to proceed
Full Application – Business plan, Historic and projected accounts for 3
Years and additional information required such as CV’s, details of
match funding, project costs etc – notified within 40 days if to proceed
to next stage. This must be completed and submitted within 3 months.
Panel Interview – invited to pitch to Panel on why you should be
funded – decision provided within 24/48 hours

9. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
BSK Support
• Business planning support and guidance through our
High Growth Kent and/or Growth Accelerator service.
• BSK’s FINANCE FINDER Service, accesses over 500
Venture capitalists and Angel Investor networks.
• Help with presentations to investors.
• Support meeting Terms and conditions laid down by
investors and access the funding you need.

10. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
Options for match funding
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•
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Own or family investment
Bank or traditional sources of finance
Equity finance
Crowd funding

11. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
Bank Funding…
Steps to take to make the Bank say YES
Discuss your requirements with the Bank and ask ?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Have they the appetite to lend for this purpose
What is their lending criteria? i.e. Loan to Value %,
repayment cover, maximum term, indicative fees and
rates
What information do they need for the application
What is the timescale before the funds will be available

12. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
Bank Funding…
What the Bank or any lender will consider?
• Purpose – and correct product – i.e. buying assets
using cash flow
• Management – reaction during trading difficulties
• Risk – both perceived and industry together with
mitigates
• Repayment ability – what level of cover is available
• History – unpaids, defaults
• Security – available?

13. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
Bank Funding…
What to do if the answer is NO !
As long as you are a sustainable profitable business with
growth aspirations talk to us about :-
•
•
•
•
Other alternative sources of funding
Finance finder
Regional growth funds
Etc

14. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
Equity Funding…
• Investors provide cash into your business in return for
a share of the business itself.
• You give up a percentage of your business (shares) in
return for short, medium or long term funding.
• Investor may also want a strategic say in your
business (non-executive position)
• Investor may have added attraction of being able to
help your business achieve its goals/access new
markets through their network (Dragons Den)

15. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
Terms…
• Short term: May include equity loans, repayable
within an agreed period plus a return linked to
profits.
• Medium term: Investors are attracted to the growth
strategy of the business and significant return on
their share of the proceeds when the business is
sold.
• Long term: Investors will expect to recoup their
investment (plus a strong return) from their share of
business profits.

16. Could you work the crowd?

17. What we are going to cover
Background
to crowd
funding
Different
types of
platforms
Which one
would work
best for you?
Top tips for
reaching
your crowd
funding goal
How we can
help

21. Put realistic budget in
place
Think about your
rewards or pledges
Be clear and
transparent
Tell a really
compelling story
Market to your online
networks pre launch
Keep engaging….
Reaching your
crowd funding goal

25. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
High Growth Kent
so far we have ……………..

26. .
•We are funded by KCC and receive match funding from EEN.
•We have short interventions with High Growth Companies and help them with
strategy , planning and identify other services such as Growth Accelerator which
could benefit them
•We can assist them with their regional growth funds applications
•We are able to provide them with a discounted bespoke report which identifies
possible sources of grants , traditional and new types of funding and lenders that
have appetite in their particular sector
•We are able to introduce them to contacts / possible clients or suppliers in over
50 European countries

27. Growing your Business
.

28. Where is your business going?
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•
•
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•
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Delivering better services/products to more people
Happy, well trained and managed staff & volunteers?
Financially robust – 12 months working capital?
Do you have sustainable income growth?
Meet all the latest and up-coming legislation?
New premises?
New equipment?
New services?
Wider geographical reach?
Just want to get there quicker
GrowthAccelerat
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2013

29. Do you face lots of challenges and barriers?
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•
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Not enough time in the day
Not enough people with the right skills
Wrong people in the wrong job
Tough budget decisions to make
Too much time managing people and not the goals
Uncertain annual income
No strategy for marketing and PR activity
Inconsistent quality in delivery of services
GrowthAccelerat
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Version 1
Date 21 Aug
2013

30. Helping you achieve your objectives through…..
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Identifying the key challenges
Creating a growth plan
Business development coaching
MasterClass workshops
Alumni networking
Leadership & management training*
*Grant funding of up to £2,000 on a matched basis
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31. The Client Journey (1)
•Eligibility
- Registered in England
- Independently owned
- Less than 250 employees
- Under £40m turnover
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Suitability
- Ambition
- Opportunities
- Capacity

32. The Client Journey (2)
– GROWTHmapper®
– Face to face meeting with Growth Manager to scope requirements
– Introduction of Growth Coach with defined outputs agreed in
scope of support
– Access to Leadership and Management support for Directors &
Senior Managers (Conditions apply)
www.growthaccelerator.com/success-stories/video-diaries
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33. The costs for SME Organizations
Micro and start-up
+VAT
Small
+VAT
Medium-sized
(up to 4 employees)
£600
(5 to 49 employees)
£1,500
(50 to 249 employees)
Now ask why you need to be VAT registered?
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GrowthAccelerat
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£3,000 +VAT

34. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
Any Questions?
GrowthAccelerat
or
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Date 21 Aug
2013

35. www.bsk-cic.co.uk
Thank you
Alex Ledger
alex.ledger@bsk-cic.co.uk
07850 742174
GrowthAccelerat
or
Version 1
Date 21 Aug
2013