EF News
By Nicki Clark OBE, Chief Executive at UMi
UMi believe that when businesses thrive, communities do too. Nicki Clark OBE, Chief Executive, shares why reaching the incredible milestone of over £1billion in investment for UK businesses feels so much more than a statistic. Here, she explains how it's a reflection of the innovation, resilience and ambition that drives entrepreneurs across the country, especially here in the North East.
Since launching in 2007, we’ve been making it easier for businesses to access the right advice and funding solutions. Whether through grants, loans or private investment, we’ve worked alongside ambitious startups, growing SMEs and established companies to help them do more and go further.
In partnership with both public and private sector organisations, UMi has helped more than 680,000 businesses navigate the funding landscape, investing £335m in grants and loans and unlocking £670m in private investment.
But we also know that for too many businesses, accessing finance still feels like climbing a mountain without a map. The British Business Bank reports that 60% of SMEs don’t know where to go to find the right funding, and lending to SMEs has dropped by 50% since 2011. That’s why, even as we celebrate what we’ve achieved, we’re looking ahead to what more we can do to make business finance simpler and more accessible for everyone.
After the successful launch of our Get Funding service, we’ve seen firsthand what ‘accessible’ means in the world of business finance. Some businesses simply need to know where to look, but others need to understand and prepare for it too.
That’s where FUEL comes in. Launching in early 2026, the FUEL Roadshow is a UK-wide series of events designed to tackle the access to finance challenge head-on. Each full-day will bring together over 250 local business leaders with national funders, investors and advisers to help them understand what type of finance is right for them and how to get funding-ready.
We’re proud that FUEL is backed by national partners including the Minister for Small Business, Office of the Small Business Commissioner, CBI, British Business Bank, and NatWest, and it’s already attracting huge interest.
There’s still time to join us on this journey. We’d love to invite more like-minded partners from across the finance and investment world to work with us to create real, sustainable change for UK businesses.
The first event is confirmed for the North East (17th March 2026), with others planned across Yorkshire, Scotland, the North West, Midlands, South East, and Wales.
This isn’t a trade expo. We’ve designed FUEL to be a practical, no-fluff experience – a day where founders and leaders can meet directly with the people and organisations who can help them move forward. ‘Meet the Money’ sessions have been designed with this in mind, with 250 appointments scheduled at each event. These are tailored meetings between attendees and pre-matched funders that can provide support for their specific business needs.
Too many brilliant businesses are held back by complexity and missed opportunities. Despite having a world-class financial services sector, the UK still faces persistent barriers when it comes to SME finance. With FUEL, we’re determined to help break those down.
Reaching the £1billion milestone is a moment to celebrate, but it’s also a reminder that our work is far from done. We’re more committed than ever to ensuring that every business, regardless of size or sector, can access the funding and support they need to survive and thrive.
If you’re a business leader ready to take your next step, or an organisation doing great work in this space then I’d love for you to join us at one of the FUEL Roadshow events.
