£8m fund for early-stage businesses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire

The ESAIF launch in Nottingham

Early-stage businesses based in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire can now pitch to access new funding to support growth.

The Early Stage Angel Investment Fund (ESAIF) was developed by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (D2N2 LEP) ahead of it becoming part of the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) earlier this year.

The fund aims to stimulate investment and growth in early-stage companies – those that have been trading between six and 24 months.

D2N2 LEP/EMCCA are contributing £4m to the fund, match-funded by ESAIF fund manager, Haatch. Over the longer term these funds will be reinvested in the programme, to catalyse investment and growth for more early-stage companies.

Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said: “Supporting our local economy is one of my priorities as Mayor of the East Midlands and I’m delighted we’ve been able to launch the Early Stage Angel Investment Fund.

“I look forward to hearing all about the impact of this fund, how it supports our local businesses, and how it will help our regional economy thrive. I’m keen to see what we can achieve together through this significant investment and strong collaborative partnership.”

The Early Stage Angel Investment Fund was announced by D2N2 LEP Chair Elizabeth Fagan at the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds earlier this year.

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