SWIG Finance
SWIG Finance is a UK Community Development Finance Institution, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Truro, that provides start-up and SME loans (£500-£250,000) across South West England as the British Business Bank's regional delivery partner.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersTruro, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SWIG Finance does
SWIG Finance is a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) founded in 1990 and headquartered in Truro, Cornwall, that provides loans and business support to start-ups and SMEs across the South and West Country of England. The company operates two principal product lines: Start Up Loans (£500-£25,000), delivered as the British Business Bank's South West delivery partner, and Business Loans (£25,001-£250,000) priced at 12% Above Base Rate with a 5% arrangement fee and monthly repayment over up to 60 months. As the appointed fund manager for the smaller-loan portion of the British Business Bank's South West Investment Fund, SWIG also intermediates loans of £25,000-£2m and equity of up to £5m, and participates in the Growth Guarantee Scheme.
SWIG Finance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SWIG Finance
- Legal name
- SWIG Finance Limited
- Website
- https://swigfinance.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SWIG Finance is a UK Community Development Finance Institution, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Truro, that provides start-up and SME loans (£500-£250,000) across South West England as the British Business Bank's regional delivery partner.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SWIG Finance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Finance / Small Business Lending
- NAICS
- Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI), Merchant Cash Advance & Revenue-Based Financing Enablement (FSAGALAH)
Keywords
Where SWIG Finance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Truro
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
SWIG Finance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Loan Interest Income: SWIG Finance generates revenue through interest charged on loans provided to start-ups and SMEs. They charge 12% Above Base Rate (ABR) on business loans and a 5% arrangement fee at outset. As a CDFI, all profits are reinvested into the business to support continued growth and community lending.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Start Up Loans for new and early-stage businesses trading less than 5 years |
| Other | Monthly | Business Loans for growing SMEs |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Growth Guarantee Scheme |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
SWIG Finance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SWIG Finance is a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) that provides business loans and start-up loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs in the South and West Country of England. It offers personal loans of £500–£25,000 under the British Business Bank's Start Up Loans programme, unsecured business loans of £25,001–£250,000, and manages the smaller-loans portion of the South West Investment Fund (£25,000–£2 million). The institution lends on the basis of business potential rather than collateral and supports businesses underserved by mainstream banks.
Product overview
SWIG Finance is an award-winning Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) offering a comprehensive suite of lending products for startups and SMEs across the South and West Country of England. The core offerings consist of Start Up Loans (£500-£25,000) delivered in partnership with the British Business Bank, and Business Loans (£25,001-£250,000) for established SMEs. The company also manages the South West Investment Fund (SWIF) providing £25k-£2m loans and up to £5m equity, and participates in the Growth Guarantee Scheme. Specialized products include Net Zero Business Loans, Business Loans for Women, Growth Capital, Unsecured Business Loans, Business Equipment Loans, Loans to Buy a Business, and Commercial Business Loans. The company bases lending decisions on business potential rather than collateral, providing relationship-based support through dedicated business managers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Start Up Loans
Quantifiable outcome
- Supported 506 businesses with £18.4m in 2025/26, creating/safeguarding 1,134 jobs and generating £95.2m social impact
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SWIG Finance
Customer profileNamed customers28 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
SWIG Finance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
SWIG Finance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- Responsible FinancecoreResponsible Finance represents Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) in the UK. SWIG Finance is one of the UK's leading CDFIs and works with Responsible Finance to promote ethical lending and financial inclusion. SWIG uses the CDFI Economic Impact tool developed by Responsible Finance to measure social impact.
- Oxford Innovation CornwallsecondaryOxford Innovation Cornwall collaborates with SWIG Finance on events and webinars to support Cornish businesses, including business recovery discussions following COVID-19 and ongoing entrepreneurial support programs.
- Access to Finance CornwallsecondaryAccess to Finance helps businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly looking to raise investment by referring them to SWIG Finance for funding support. They serve as a key referral channel for SWIG's loan products.
- Business WestsecondaryBusiness West is a business support organization in the Bristol area that refers entrepreneurs to SWIG Finance for funding, helping connect local businesses with appropriate financing options.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SWIG Finance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Big Issue Invest: UK social investment arm of The Big Issue that provides loans and investment to enterprises tackling poverty and social exclusion. Directly comparable as a UK CDFI focused on underserved entrepreneurs and SMEs unable to access mainstream finance.
- Charity Bank: UK ethical bank providing loans to charities, social enterprises, and community organisations. Comparable to SWIG as an ethical, mission-driven lender focused on the social sector with similar loan sizing and relationship-based underwriting.
- Triodos Bank UK: UK arm of ethical Triodos Bank offering business banking and loans to sustainable SMEs. Both an actual capital partner of SWIG and a direct comparable operating in the ethical SME lending space across the UK.
- Unity Trust Bank: UK ethical bank focused on lending to organisations with positive social impact, including SMEs, charities, and social enterprises. Comparable to SWIG's mission-driven approach to SME and start-up lending.
- Funding Circle: UK SME lending platform providing business loans to small businesses. Comparable to SWIG's core SME loan product, though Funding Circle operates as an online marketplace lender rather than a relationship-based CDFI.
- iwoca: UK fintech providing flexible working capital and small business loans to SMEs. Comparable to SWIG's SME lending product range, particularly for businesses that may struggle to access traditional bank finance, though iwoca operates on an algorithmic model.
Broad incumbents
- British Business Bank: UK government-owned development bank that SWIG works with as a delivery partner. While primarily a wholesale funder rather than direct lender, BBB shapes the competitive landscape through regional fund programmes and Start Up Loans.
Regional players
- Maven Capital Partners: UK fund manager providing debt and equity finance to SMEs across UK regions, including regional fund management mandates. Comparable to SWIG's role as a regional fund manager for the South West Investment Fund.
Others
- Business West: Regional Chamber of Commerce and business support organisation in the South West that refers SMEs to SWIG. An ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor, but comparable as a regional business support organisation serving SWIG's target market.
- Start Up Loans (British Business Bank programme): Government-backed loan programme for new businesses that SWIG delivers as a regional partner. Comparable as a UK-wide delivery network of similar loan products (£500-£25,000) to the same start-up segment SWIG serves.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SWIG Finance social profiles
Digital presenceSWIG Finance compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
SWIG Finance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SWIG Finance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
SWIG Finance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SWIG Finance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments23 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SWIG Finance
What does SWIG Finance do?
SWIG Finance is a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) that provides business loans and start-up loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs in the South and West Country of England. It offers personal loans of £500–£25,000 under the British Business Bank's Start Up Loans programme, unsecured business loans of £25,001–£250,000, and manages the smaller-loans portion of the South West Investment Fund (£25,000–£2 million). The institution lends on the basis of business potential rather than collateral and supports businesses underserved by mainstream banks.
Is SWIG Finance a public or private company?
SWIG Finance is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SWIG Finance founded?
SWIG Finance was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SWIG Finance based?
SWIG Finance is headquartered in Truro, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does SWIG Finance make money?
One revenue line is on record: loan Interest Income.
Who are SWIG Finance's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Big Issue Invest, Charity Bank, Triodos Bank UK, Unity Trust Bank, Funding Circle and iwoca. British Business Bank is listed as a broad incumbent. Maven Capital Partners is listed as a regional player. Others are Business West and Start Up Loans (British Business Bank programme).
Does SWIG Finance have an API?
No public API is recorded for SWIG Finance.
What industry is SWIG Finance in?
SWIG Finance's product category is Community Development Finance / Small Business Lending. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAGAA, Microloans & Working Capital Loans, with a secondary code of FSAKAGAI, SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans. Its NAICS code is 522 and its SIC code is 6159.