Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund

We believe in taking a market development approach to risk capital for social enterprises.

We’re already working with partners to test capital supply routes and opportunities through funds, individual investors and market information.

Our first activity tackles funding for high potential social enterprises. We’ve made a cornerstone investment in the Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund, managed by Bridges Ventures.

With £4.25 million to invest in scalable social enterprises that deliver a high social impact and operate financially sustainable business models, the fund will invest up to £1 million in each enterprise, through hands-on, equity-like capital.

The aim is to achieve a high social impact through recycling capital into multiple projects, and to establish a track record of financial returns that attract additional investment into the sector.

The Fund is an initiative of the Bridges Charitable Trust and has so far raised £4.25 million.

The other Founder Partners are individuals and institutions from the financial sector and include Sir Ronald Cohen, Nigel Doughty, Harvey McGrath, Apax Foundation, The Generation Foundation, Lehman Brothers Foundation Europe, 3i and the Bridges Ventures team who have allocated funds from their profit share. 

All the founder partners have supported the fund through donations to the Bridges Charitable Trust creating what will be an Evergreen Fund.