Interim Impact Evaluation of the Regional Investment Funds


The British Business Bank’s Northern Powerhouse, Midlands Engine and Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Funds provide microfinance, loans and equity finance to help SMEs to grow and develop.

Just over four years since the first investment, the British Business Bank has commissioned SQW to undertake an interim impact evaluation of the Funds, starting with the Northern Powerhouse and then moving on to the Midlands Engine later in 2021 and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in 2022. 

For each area, SQW will engage with Fund Managers, beneficiaries, regional stakeholders and market experts to gather evidence on outcomes for participating businesses and impacts on the wider finance ecosystem, alongside detailed econometric analysis.  This work follows our early assessments of each Fund on behalf of the British Business Bank between 2018 and early 2020.