British Business Bank’s start up loans programme reveals its 2023 small business ambassadors
A business offering scuba-diving off the coast of Northern Ireland, a 3D printing business from Wales that exports internationally, a cat café and a Scottish tech firm with a long-distance ultrafast camera used in the space industry are among 12 businesses announced today as Ambassadors of the Start Up Loans programme.
The annual Start Up Loans Ambassadors programme, now in its eighth year, celebrates exceptional business owners who have launched an enterprise using funding from the government-backed scheme. Each Ambassador is selected for their ability to inspire others and embodies the can-do mindset it takes to make a start-up successful.
Drawn from each of the UK’s 12 Nations and Regions, the 2023 Start Up Loans Ambassadors reflect the broad diversity of sectors and business owners supported via the programme. More details of the businesses selected from each of England’s nine regions and three Devolved Nations can be found further below.
The 2023 Ambassadors will be introduced at a dedicated event in central London that kick-starts a year-long programme which will see the new Ambassadors take part in a series of local and national activities, helping inspire and encourage aspiring start-up founders to take the leap into business ownership.
Richard Bearman, managing director of Small Business Lending, British Business Bank, said: “Start Up Loans is proud to support and nurture British entrepreneurial spirit and I’m inspired to see the breadth and diversity of this year’s Ambassadors. They represent the dedication and resilience that it takes to launch and grow a business in the current economic environment. Small businesses are a vital part of the UK economy, and when they thrive, we all do.
“These Ambassadors are being celebrated soon after we’ve passed the huge and exciting milestone of having put £1bn of finance into UK startups through the Start Up Loans programme. We hope these great business owners help us to reach new heights and support even more aspiring entrepreneurs.”
Since its inception in 2012, the Start Up Loan programme has delivered more than 105,000 loans to business owners across the UK, amounting to more than £1bn of funding. Of those loans, 40% of loan recipients have been women and 20% from Black, Asian, and Other Minority Ethnic backgrounds (not including White Minorities).
Regional breakdown of loans since 2012
| UK Region | Loans Made | Amount Lent (£) | Average Loan Amount (£) |
| East Midlands | 5,926 | 55,508,883 | 9,367 |
| East of England | 7,575 | 74,413,479 | 9,824 |
| London | 21,737 | 202,977,862 | 9,338 |
| North East | 5,668 | 52,820,928 | 9,319 |
| North West | 13,114 | 122,893,482 | 9,371 |
| Northern Ireland | 1,671 | 14,804,028 | 8,859 |
| Scotland | 6,855 | 62,930,827 | 9,180 |
| South East | 10,736 | 111,736,805 | 10,408 |
| South West | 9,131 | 85,949,845 | 9,413 |
| Wales | 4,614 | 46,500,850 | 10,078 |
| West Midlands | 8,720 | 82,201,089 | 9,427 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 9,315 | 90,551,998 | 9,721 |
| Region not obtained | 782 | 9,676,074 | 12,373 |
| Grand Total | 105,844 | 1,012,966,151 | 9,570 |
Source: Start Up Loans, 31 July 2023
Through a network of business support partner organisations, the Start Up Loans programme provides access to pre-and-post loan support to help applicants to develop a business plan; fixed-interest first and second loans of up to £25,000 to start or grow their business; as well as mentoring support to help loan recipients with everything from cash flow to marketing.
