Our Unlocking Investment – Insights into high-growth companies report, has been published in partnership with Beauhurst and is funded by the UK Government. This report provides an annual review of investment trends into UK based high-growth companies, and follows on from our previously published Unlocking Investment: Trends for high-growth companies, H1 2023 insight.
Between January and May 2024, equity investment into high-growth UK companies amounted to £6.53bn via 2,423 deals. High-growth companies within the UK secured higher value deals in 2023, than those previously acquired in 2019 and 2020. Overall, equity investment into these organisations totalled £18.0bn across 2023.
High-growth companies however only represent 0.90% of the total UK company population, illustrating their significant importance to the UK economy - for investment, tax revenues, job creation and increased innovation. Platforms such as Seeders (500 deals), SFC Capital (469) and Crowdcube (411) have been the three largest investors into high-growth companies, between January 2019 – May 2024.
Founding teams predominantly consist of all-male members (74.9%). The same trend can be seen with boards of directors (59.2%). Wider government funded initiatives such as the Invest in Women’s Taskforce, chaired by Hannah Bernard OBE and Debbie Wosskow OBE, are dedicated towards addressing these disparities. The core aim of the Taskforce is to raise a bespoke funding pot for female-founded businesses, to help unlock potential for them to establish and grow enterprises.
London continues to stand out as the leading hub for high-growth companies. As of May 2024, there were over 15,000 active high-growth firms in London and the capital had also secured over half of the UK’s total investment (50.4%). The South East of England comes in second with a total of 6,591 firms and the next largest pot of investment (10.3%).
Barclays (including its employees, Directors and agents) accepts no responsibility and shall have no liability in contract, tort or otherwise to any person in connection with this content or the use of or reliance on any information or data set out in this content unless it expressly agrees otherwise in writing. It does not constitute an offer to sell or buy any security, investment, financial product or service and does not constitute investment, professional, legal or tax advice, or a recommendation with respect to any securities or financial instruments.
The information, statements and opinions contained in this content are of a general nature only and do not take into account your individual circumstances including any laws, policies, procedures or practices you, or your employer or businesses may have or be subject to. Although the statements of fact on this page have been obtained from and are based upon sources that Barclays believes to be reliable, Barclays does not guarantee their accuracy or completeness.