Creative Growth Finance (CGF) is a landmark fund from Creative UK, run in partnership with Triodos Bank since 2019. CGF’s mandate is to support ambitious creative sector companies with growth potential. We offer loans of £100,000 to £1 million to ambitious post-revenue companies who bring growth, innovation and new IP to the creative industries.
Creative Growth Finance Business Loan FAQs
What is the Creative Growth Finance Debt Fund?
Creative businesses are unlike any other – talent-driven, innovative and IP-led. Traditional finance often undervalues these strengths, placing greater priority on tangible assets. That’s where we come in.
Our team understands the cashflow profiles, IP potential, and asset-light balance sheets of creative businesses. Creative UK actively service this community and have invested over £31 million in creative businesses over the past five years.
Delivered in partnership with Triodos Bank, CGF was created to close the finance gap that holds back many creative businesses from reaching their full potential.
CGF offer business loans of £100,000 to £1 million to ambitious post-revenue companies who bring growth, innovation and new IP to the creative industries. Each investment is more than just capital: it’s a partnership. We work alongside founders to help them grow sustainably, create jobs, and strengthen the UK’s creative economy.
We are also an accredited lender under the British Business Bank’s Growth Guarantee Scheme, allowing us to provide access to finance for even more creative businesses in the UK.
What do we mean by the ‘Creative Industries?’
We cover virtually all of the sub-sectors of the creative industries, listed below, with a focus on commercial business models:
- Film, TV, Animation & VFX
- Games and Interactive Entertainment
- Music, Audio, Performing & Visual Arts
- Advertising, Marketing & Publishing
- Design, Fashion & Crafts
- Tech Platforms & SaaS
- Education & Training
- Architecture & Heritage
What are the criteria?
To apply, companies must:
- be small and medium sized enterprises incorporated and registered in the United Kingdom
- operate within the creative sector as outlined above
- have a strong commercial proposition
- have been trading for at least two years, with identifiable revenues and customers as proof of traction
- have minimum annual revenues of £300,000
- have at least one year of accounts filed at Companies House
- pass our eligibility, due diligence and affordability test
What are the permissible uses of investment?
CGF provides long-term business loans for investment in growth. Specific permissible uses can be funding the growth of team, capex, or IP. Please note that we do not provide content/sale funding.
How do I apply?
To apply, complete our quick and easy Eligibility Checker. If your business is eligible, you will be invited to book a call with our Investment Managers, who can help guide you through the rest of the application process.
How much is available?
Loans range from £100,000 to £1,000,000.
Are the loans secured through Personal Guarantee?
We may ask for partial personal guarantees in cases where we perceive a necessity for shared risk.
What are the rates of interest?
Interest rates range from 10% – 15% depending on your risk profile and the repayment term.
What are the repayment terms?
Repayment terms can be up to a maximum of 5 years, with monthly repayments.
What are the fees?
We ask every successful applicant to pay an arrangement fee of 5% of the loan value. This is charged to cover assessment, due diligence, legal, administration and monitoring costs. We have a dedicated Portfolio Management team that works with our Portfolio Companies during the course of the loan term, not just on monitoring and safeguarding the loan, but also acting as strategic partner for the portfolio companies. The strategic partnership focuses on financial controls, governance, and commercial thinking.
What might the final deal look like?
In the same way that each company within the creative sector is different, each loan agreement and deal through CGF is slightly different too. The final loan will include an agreed interest rate (assessed based on the level of risk the loan to your company poses), along with an agreed term of repayment. This is a secured loan, so we always take a first-priority debenture against the company to secure this debt against. As mentioned above, there is a standard 5% fee, invoiced to you after you have received the full loan payment. In some cases, a redemption premium (tied to the end of the loan) or shared success premium (tied to a specific milestone) in the form of a lump sump payment may be negotiated to compensate CGF for risk, while controlling the ongoing interest cost of the loan. Again, these will be bespoke to each company.
Is match required?
Match is not required as standard. We are able to act as the sole lender, and we take a first-priority debenture on all our loans. However, CGF financing can also be accessed in the context of a wider equity round, where there is clear visibility of co-investment partners and shared due diligence.
How are companies assessed and will due diligence be carried out?
A due diligence process is conducted on every investment. This will include company searches and may require personal searches on company directors.
We review each application with the following points and questions in mind:
KYC/Customer Due Diligence – We find out about each company’s trading and credit history, and carry out background checks, including press, anti-money laundering and insolvency searches
Management and Governance Review – We assess if there is a proven management team, board and/or advisors and whether suitable governance mechanisms are in place.
Commercial review – How does the business make money? What contracts, pipeline and assumptions back up the forecasts? What is the client acquisition strategy? Who are its competitors? What is the company’s USP and mote?
Financial review – Is this a viable and profitable business? Does it have a good track record and demonstrate affordability? What is the company’s ability to meet its liabilities and how solvent is the company? Can the applicant afford to repay the debt?
Will I need to prepare anything to apply?
We will be asking you to provide the following information as part of the application process:
- Application form submitted via online portal.
- Responses to KYC and due diligence queries.
- Current cap table and group structure if applicable.
- Integrated financial forecast model with P&L, cashflow, and balance sheet. The model should include 12 months of actuals and at least 24 months of forecasts.
- Existing customer base or over last 12 months in Excel format – client / revenue / percentage.
- Weighted pipeline of confirmed clients and prospects – client / status / amount / likelihood %, and any contracts to back up the forecasts.
- Monthly management accounts (including aged debtors and creditors).
- Year-end accounts for previous financial year.
- Recent company bank statements and applicant proof of ID.
- Any other information requested on a case-by-case basis
What is the decision process?
After completing the initial Eligibility Checker, you will be directed to book a call with us and complete an Expression of Interest (EOI), where we ask what it is your looking for from the debt fund and for some top line financial information. The Investment team will review this and aim to provide an initial decision within 3-5 business days of receiving an EOI. If suitable, we will invite you to submit a full application.
Once you have submitted your application, we will undertake a due diligence review, working with internal and external experts to take a position on the suitability for investment. All final investment decisions are reviewed by an independent Credit Committee.
How long does the process take?
The typical timeline for an investment offer (a term sheet) is 4-6 weeks from submission of an Expression of Interest. This depends on the quality and timeliness of application materials supplied. We look to contract and draw down investments within 4 weeks of providing an investment offer.
