BCRS Business Loans has provided more than 50 small businesses with investment for growth and job creation through the British Business Bank’s Midlands Engine Investment Fund II.
Collectively, 55 small businesses across the West Midlands have received funding worth more than £3.2 million via the team at Wolverhampton-based BCRS Business Loans since the fund launched in February 2024, bringing an economic impact of almost £17.3 million to the region.
The financial support has led to the creation of 154 jobs and has safeguarded a further 467 roles.
The £400 million Midlands Engine Investment Fund II covers the whole of the Midlands, providing debt finance from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million to help small and medium sized businesses in the region to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
BCRS Business Loans is delivering smaller loans in the West Midlands from £25,000 to £100,000, with Frontier Development Capital offering debt finance from £100,000 to £2 million and Mercia Ventures delivering equity investment up to £5 million.
One of the businesses to benefit recently was a Stoke-on-Trent design agency, Exesios, which secured £50,000 in funding to deliver innovative new projects.
Located at the Innovation Centre at Keele University, Exesios specialises in brand, marketing, digital, content and design, working with a range of clients in the UK and globally.
Exesios Managing Director Paul Brammer said:
“The funding from BCRS has been instrumental in allowing the business to research and develop a new tool, providing us with the vital cashflow to ensure we can continue to operate.
“You cannot always foresee everything in your financial future, but BCRS is great, easy to deal with and understands the needs of the business.”
A total of 250 small businesses were supported by the first Midlands Engine Investment Fund, which launched in 2017, through BCRS Business Loans.
Since its launch in 2002, BCRS Business Loans has provided loans worth more than £100 million to businesses. The 2024-25 financial year was one of its most successful to date, with £9,900,502 provided to 124 businesses, representing a 68% increase in the number of SMEs supported compared to the previous year.
Last month BCRS Business Loans was named as a finalist for the small business of the year prize at the Express & Star Business Awards 2025, which honoured business success stories across the Black Country and Staffordshire in June.
Stephen Deakin, Chief Executive at BCRS Business Loans, said:
“We are pleased to have helped 55 businesses secure financial support from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II.
“Many small businesses are unable to access traditional finance and struggle to secure funding to start up, scale up and stay ahead, so support from funds like the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II can make a big difference.
“To date, 42% per cent of Midlands Engine Investment Fund II loans awarded via BCRS have been directed to the UK’s most disadvantaged areas, which is a great achievement.
“We have lending managers to help business owners from a wide range of sectors and backgrounds to secure funding. Our goal is to ensure that no viable business goes unsupported.”
British Business Bank’s Senior Investment Manager Beth Bannister added:
“It is encouraging to witness the strong uptake of small business loans through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II.
“Small enterprises are crucial to the Midlands economy, driving economic growth, creating jobs, fostering innovation and providing a diverse range of products and services.
“The Midlands Engine Investment Fund II is instrumental in providing broader access to financing options across the region, and we are committed to continuing our support for more businesses and entrepreneurs.”
Earlier this year, Reels in Motion, a video production agency specialising in corporate, animated, marketing and promotional content, secured £70,000 in funding to support a rebrand and invest in new equipment.
Reels in Motion Accounts Director Matt Hubbard said:
“It was really easy to apply for funding. The team at BCRS were really flexible, responsive and professional. They met with us face to face, which enabled them to easily understand our business and its potential. It was a very quick, smooth process.”
The Midlands Engine Investment Fund II drives sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the Midlands.
The fund aims to increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for small businesses in the Midlands, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.
To find out more about the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II and apply for funding through regional fund manager partners, please visit the British Business Bank website.
