GC Business Finance delivers record year with over £26m in Start Up Loan funding
GC Business Finance (GCBF), has delivered a record year through the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme, directly injecting over £26m of Start Up Loan funding into ambitious businesses across the UK in the 2025/26 financial year.
Delivered across almost 2,500 loans, the funding has supported entrepreneurs across a wide range of sectors and areas throughout the UK.
As an alternative lender focused on supporting founders who may otherwise not be able to secure finance, the GCBF team has placed a particular focus on targeting founders who are typically underrepresented in the provision of finance. Of all loans directly provided over the last financial year, 39% went to female-founded businesses and 23% went to founders from ethnic minority backgrounds, exceeding the national average.
Operating as a business support partner for both the North West, along with nationally, GCBF has helped businesses throughout the whole of the UK access vital funding. Outside of the North West, London received the highest proportion of funding at 11.4%, followed by the South East (11.2%), the South West (8%), and the East of England (7.1%).
Sawadee Thai Dining is one of the thousands of businesses supported through the Start Up Loans programme over the past year. Founded by partners Mylo Sedgley Phillips and Ketsara Lumb, the pair secured a total of £50k in Start Up Loan funding. This was used to refurbish a Ramsbottom-based premises into the new restaurant and purchase essential equipment.
Other recent businesses supported include LEXACT Legal Recruitment, a Norfolk-based recruitment consultancy, which received over £10k in funding to provide headroom during the firm’s launch phase, covering salary and overheads.
Reclaim Tentwear, a sustainable fashion business, also secured a Start Up Loan from GCBF, receiving over £10,000 of funding to purchase a hydraulic press, which will help Marlon Bethell, founder, to make clothing faster. The funding will also support marketing efforts to raise brand awareness and reach new customers.
Alex Mearns, head of Startup Lending at GC Business Finance said:“It’s been a record-breaking year for our Start Up Loans team, supporting thousands of small businesses with the funding and guidance needed to grow. As always, our focus on supporting underrepresented founders has been a core principle of our activity, so it’s incredible to see such strong representation for both female and ethnic minority-led businesses. By helping to close the funding gap, we are contributing to a more inclusive and diverse business environment.
“Now with the widening of the eligibility criteria for the Start Up Loan programme, we’re set to support even more individuals and further strengthen the UK’s SME economy.”
Louise McCoy, managing director, Start Up Loans Products at British Business Bank said: “It’s incredible to see what a strong year the GCBF team has had, providing over £26m to businesses all over the UK. This investment is making a real difference to the small business ecosystem, giving entrepreneurs the funding and support they need to grow successful businesses.
“Programmes like Start Up Loans are essential in creating equal opportunities for ambitious founders to scale their businesses. And as the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy continues to focus on innovation, regional growth and unlocking entrepreneurial potential, funding programmes like this will play an increasingly important role in supporting businesses and strengthening the UK economy in the years ahead.”
The Start Up Loans programme caters to the needs of new and growing businesses that often face challenges securing funding through traditional routes, and empowers business owners with the confidence they need to reach their full potential.