Financing Social Enterprises

Big Issue Invest is a specialised provider of finance to social enterprises or trading arms of charities that are finding business solutions that create social and environmental transformation.

Part of The Big Issue group of companies, it is led by social entrepreneurs and experienced social financiers. As a social enterprise itself, Big Issue Invest pays any dividends generated up to its parent, The Big Issue, also a social enterprise with a charitable arm, The Big Issue Foundation.

  • Providing finance

    We provide finance for social enterprises in the form of loans, participation loans (where repayment is linked to the future performance of the enterprise) and equity. We work closely with social enterprises to tailor our finance to fit with their growth needs and repayment capability. We can offer finance between £50,000 and £500,000. BII can also arrange financing in partnership with other social finance institutions for amounts over £500,000. We do not provide grants.

  • Research and development

    We are developing an Alternative Credit Scoring Index that will add alternative data, such as rent payments, to traditional credit scoring models. This may help increase access to mainstream credit and other services for up to £1 million low-income consumers.

  • An experienced team

    Big Issue Invest's Team is made up of a unique combination of social entrepreneurs and experienced investment professionals. Our Board and partners bring together a wealth of experience, innovation and success

    Social Entrepreneurs say that they like dealing with a unique financial organisation that has had first hand experience of building and running social businesses in both good and difficult times.

Latest News

  • Financial Times article - Big Issue bank leaps forward with HSBC’s £4m

    The venture capital arm of the Big Issue – a self-styled “social merchant bank” – has taken a leap forward with a £4m contribution towards its latest £10m fund from HSBC.

    Big Issue Invest, which directs funding to socially responsible businesses, now has total committed capital of £8m, with Deutsche Bank also among the fund’s backers, alongside more traditional supporters.

    Read more on this article here >

  • Latest Big Issue

    With the simultaneous release of Coriolanus and Warhorse, what can war films tell us about our society today? Ralph Fiennes, star and director of Coriolanus, and retired colonel Tim Collins share their thoughts... Elsewhere in this week's Big Issue… Almost 70 years on from the landmark Beveridge report, leading public figures assess its legacy in shaping the British welfare state... Alastair Campbell plays the bagpipes and turns down knighthoods in Letter To My Younger Self... Robbie Savage takes us through his Week... Plus Street Lights, Guess Whose iPod, competitions and much more!

    Read more on this article here >

  • More news

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