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Investor pledges £100m to NI businesses over next five years

Investor pledges £100m to NI businesses over next five years

Growth capital investor BGF has pledged £100m to Northern Ireland businesses as part of its wider £3bn plan to support companies UK-wide.
BGF said it had already invested £86m in NI since 2011, which it said reflected a commitment to back business with flexible capital.
As part of its broader national strategy, BGF has also committed £300m to female-powered businesses across the UK.
Since 2011, BGF portfolio companies across the UK have delivered £7.1bn in revenue growth, £1bn in export growth, and created more than 27,000 jobs.
BGF says it has a 'regional-first' model, with 74% of capital deployed outside London and the South East.
Paddy Graham, regional partner for BGF in Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: "Despite economic headwinds, Northern Ireland's entrepreneurial spirit remains strong.
"With our £100m commitment, we're deepening our long-standing presence here and reaffirming our mission to support more high-potential businesses with capital and strategic guidance."
This latest commitment increases BGF's national investment from the £2.3bn deployed between 2020 and 2024.
NI firms supported by BGF include Connected Health in Belfast, which in January announced it had been given support with plans to hire an additional 1,000 carers over the next two years.
Woodland Kitchens, a Northern Irish manufacturer and supplier of kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture, also announced in April last year that it had received BGF support to fund acquisitions and support future growth.
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