The FSE Group

About The FSE Group

The FSE Group is a UK-based investment and fund-management organisation specialising in providing accessible finance to high-growth businesses where traditional funding is limited. Founded in 2002, The FSE Group focuses on addressing market gaps by delivering loan and equity finance to SMEs across the UK, including innovative and impact-driven businesses.

Since its inception, The FSE Group has supported 1028 businesses with loan and equity funding. It has invested/lent approximately £264 million, helping to leverage a further £764 million of private-sector capital into the UK economy.

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Mission, Goals and Values

Mission
The FSE Group’s mission is to provide accessible finance to high-growth businesses that face funding gaps, enabling them to scale, innovate, and contribute to long-term economic development across the UK.

Goals

• Address market-funding gaps by providing loans and equity to viable, high-growth SMEs.
• Support entrepreneurship, innovation, and regional economic development.
• Leverage public and private capital to maximise impact and crowd in additional investment.
• Deliver responsible financial returns while supporting business growth and job creation.

Values
The FSE Group emphasises long-term partnership with entrepreneurs, responsible investment, and the efficient deployment of capital to support sustainable business growth. Publicly stated values beyond these principles are not explicitly detailed in available sources.

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Investment Focus

Geographic Scope

The FSE Group operates across the United Kingdom, with a strong regional presence supporting businesses in Scotland, Yorkshire & Humber, East of England, London, South East, South West and Midlands, through locally delivered funds and partnerships.

Investment Criteria

Investment criteria vary by fund but generally include:

• High-growth SMEs with strong commercial potential.
  
  
• Businesses that experience difficulty accessing traditional finance.
  
  
• Companies aligned with the objectives of specific regional or publicly backed funding programmes.

Funding is comprised of business loans and equity investment from £25,000 to £5million. 

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Assessment

The FSE Group operates as a professional fund manager, deploying capital on behalf of public-sector partners and institutional investors. Investment assessment processes are fund-specific and typically involve commercial due diligence, eligibility checks aligned with public-funding mandates, and ongoing portfolio management.

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Notable Portfolio Companies

• Green Power Solutions: A UK-based energy management company developing software to monitor and optimise off-grid power systems, helping reduce emissions and maintenance costs for remote energy assets, backed by The FSE Group via the South West Investment Fund.

• Ananas Anam: A sustainable materials innovator producing PIÑATEX®, a plant-based leather alternative made from pineapple leaf fibres, reducing reliance on animal leather and fossil-fuel synthetics, supported by The FSE Group through the Greater London Investment Fund.

• Connekt Group: A Scotland-based EV charging company developing and operating rapid-charging hubs to improve the reliability and accessibility of EV infrastructure, supported by The FSE Group via a £250,000 Investment Fund for Scotland loan.

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Funding Sources

The FSE Group manages capital on behalf of a range of public-sector and institutional partners. These include regional development bodies and economic agencies such as Scottish Enterprise, as well as other UK public funding initiatives.

The organisation specialises in structuring and managing publicly backed loan and equity funds designed to stimulate SME growth.

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Impact

Since 2002, The FSE Group has:

• Invested approximately £240 million into UK businesses
• Supported over 980 SMEs
• Leveraged an additional £702 million in private capital

Its activities are designed to stimulate regional economic growth, support job creation, and enable businesses to scale where conventional finance is unavailable.

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The Team

The FSE Group’s leadership combines deep experience in SME finance, investment and operational delivery to support high-growth businesses across the UK. The Board and Executive Team are led by CEO Paul Marston, whose career spans senior roles in SME banking and finance, with significant experience driving business growth. Chairman Martin Rigby brings venture fund expertise, while Non-Executive Directors Peter Wroe, Paul Lewis and Sam Bagnall contribute strategic oversight from finance, international trade and transformation backgrounds. The management team includes Julie Silvester as Managing Director of Fund Management, Matt Riley as Head of Risk and Portfolio Management, Karen Karaahmet as Head of Operations, Tom Clarke as Head of FSE Business Services, and Alan Walker as Head of Product Operations - together overseeing fund delivery, risk, operations and investor relations.

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FAQs

1. What does The FSE Group invest in?

The FSE Group provides loan and equity finance to high-growth SMEs that face funding gaps, across a wide range of sectors.

2. Where does The FSE Group invest?

The FSE Group invests across the United Kingdom through regionally focused and thematic funds.

3. What types of funding does The FSE Group provide?

The organisation provides both loan and equity finance, depending on the structure and objectives of each fund.

4. Who does The FSE Group work with?

The FSE Group manages funds on behalf of public-sector and institutional partners, including regional economic development organisations.

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Contact

Learn more or get in touch via The FSE Group website.  

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