NEL Fund Managers Limited published an article exploring why the right funding relationship should be about more than capital and how experienced support, local decision-making, and a long-term perspective can help businesses unlock opportunity and achieve sustainable growth.

NEL was founded in 1989 as the first regional investment management company in the North East of England. Set up with a founding mission to revitalise the local business economy, we have been committed to empowering growth through solutions-focused finance ever since. With over three decades of experience, NEL has successfully managed 17 investment funds sourced from both the private and public sectors, each with a distinct investment mandate. Our unique experience of investing across multiple economic cycles and systemic events effectively demonstrates our agility and resilience, and our ability to navigate changing market conditions effectively. Currently, the NPIF II – NEL Smaller Loans Fund offers investments from £25,000 to £100,000 to entrepreneurs looking to fill the funding gap for growth and development projects, while the NPIF II – NEL Debt Finance Fund provides investments from £100,000 to £2m to more established businesses that can demonstrate growth potential. In 2024, NEL opened a Tees Valley office to help maximise investment presence right across the region. The NEL team have control of the business through an Employee Ownership Trust. As an employee-owned investment management firm, our team is deeply committed to NEL’s mission, core values, and the success of both our own business and the funds we manage. Further, it ensures that the team are fully invested in achieving the most positive outcomes for our portfolio, creating a direct alignment of interests with our investors. We are extremely proud of our heritage and have built on this with a consistent and dynamic vision to deliver exceptional performance for our investors, establishing ourselves as a trusted and valuable partner in the investment management landscape.