A new £10 million Seed Fund has been launched to drive the growth of innovative early-stage businesses across the Liverpool City Region.
The LCR Seed Fund is designed to support high-growth potential companies by providing an alternative to traditional grants and debt-based finance. Open to businesses across all sectors, the fund particularly welcomes applications from firms operating in key regional growth areas: Advanced Manufacturing, Digital and Creative Industries, and Health and Life Sciences.
The initiative was unveiled by Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram at the LCR Talking Business Conference, the region’s flagship summit for entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Mayor Rotheram said:
“Small businesses are the bedrock of our economy – not just here in the Liverpool City Region, but across the UK. They make up 99% of our local companies and drive innovation, opportunity, and job creation.
Yet I frequently hear from entrepreneurs that scaling up is tough, especially outside London. This £10m fund is our way of helping turn great local ideas into national success stories.
I want to invest in local talent, create high-quality jobs, and empower people to build something meaningful for themselves and their communities. When our local businesses grow, the entire national economy benefits.”
The fund will offer investments ranging from £250,000 to £2 million, targeting ambitious startups ready to scale and make a lasting impact.
