Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF) was established to address the financing needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly region. The fund aimed to transform the finance landscape for smaller businesses by providing debt and equity financing, thereby fostering economic growth through enterprise. CIOSIF was a collaboration between the British Business Bank and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, with a total fund value of £40 million, comprising £32 million from the European Regional Development Fund and £8 million from the Local Enterprise Partnership.

CIOSIF offered debt finance ranging from £25,000 to £1 million and equity investments from £50,000 to £2 million. The fund supported SMEs at various stages of development, including seed, early stage, growth, and late stage. It focused on a wide array of industries, including technology, healthcare, real estate, financial services, manufacturing, retail, energy, agriculture, construction, transportation, education, media, telecommunications, utilities, and hospitality. The fund aimed to address the equity gap in start-up, early stage, and development capital, enabling businesses to scale up and realize their growth ambitions.

The fund's investment phase concluded in December 2023, having facilitated over £200 million of direct and private sector co-investment to growing companies across the South West. Following the completion of CIOSIF's investment phase, the South West Investment Fund was launched in July 2023 to continue supporting regional growth and development. The new fund aims to deliver £200 million of investment to growing companies in the region, ensuring that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly continue to thrive economically. For more information about the South West Investment Fund, please visit the official website.