Get funding for screen, creative, digital and tech
It is helpful to consider a portfolio approach to funding and finance to improve your chances of raising what is needed. Public grant funds can help de-risk plans and so lever in private investment. In summary funding should be explored across: public and private investment/equity, public and organisational grants, R&D grants, and project finance/loans. Games companies can also consider deals with publishers that can advance funds. Crowdfunding is always a possibility.
A portfolio approach is also greatly assisted by the use of tax incentives and the Enterprise and Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes as these also help to de-risk and optimise investment conditions.
TayScreen and our partner Councils have established links with public and private sector agencies and can help with introductions and approaches.
The UK offers a variety of funding options tailored to support the growth and development of creative, digital, tech, and screen companies. These options range from government grants and tax reliefs to private investment and crowdfunding platforms. Below is an overview of the main funding opportunities available.
Government Grants and Loans
Innovate UK – part of UK Research & Innovation, this is the UK Government research funding agency that targets innovation and supports research organisations and businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas. They provide funding through various competitions and grants that are often targeted at specific industries, including tech and digital sectors. Projects can receive substantial funding, ranging from a few thousand to several million pounds depending on the scope and impact of the project (BDO UK ).
British Film Institute (BFI) – the UK national agency for the screen and games sectors The BFI provides funding for film and television production through various schemes, including the Film Fund, which supports the development and production of feature films. They also offer the Audience Fund to help broaden the reach of films and engage audiences (BDO UK ) (GOV.UK).
Creative Scotland/Screen Scotland - the Scottish Government agency for the creative industries and screen sectors. They support creative businesses in Scotland through various funding and support programs.
Creative UK - independent network for the UK’s Creative Industries. They helped develop and run the Creative Growth Finance fund, which offers debt finance to creative businesses with the potential for high growth (BDO UK ) (KPMG).
Tax Reliefs
Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credits R&D Tax Credits are available to companies investing in innovation. These credits can significantly reduce a company's tax bill or provide a cash refund. They are particularly beneficial for tech and digital companies involved in developing new products or services (GOV.UK) (KPMG).
Creative Industry Tax Reliefs The UK offers a suite of tax reliefs for different segments of the creative industries including:
- Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit – currently updating the following
- Film Tax Relief
- Animation Tax Relief.
- High-end Television Tax Relief
- Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR)
- Children’s Television Tax Relief
- Visual Effects (VFX) – updated announced in 2024
(KPMG) (Deloitte United States).
Take a look at our Quick Guide to Creative Industry Tax Reliefs
Private Investment
Venture Capital (VC) Venture capital firms invest in high-growth potential companies in exchange for equity. In the UK, there are numerous VC firms that specialise in tech, digital, and creative sectors. Examples include Balderton Capital, Accel, and Index Ventures (BDO UK ) (KPMG).
Angel Investors Angel investors are affluent individuals who provide capital for start-ups in exchange for ownership equity or convertible debt. Networks such as the UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA) connect entrepreneurs with potential investors (BDO UK ) (Deloitte United States).
Crowdfunding
Equity Crowdfunding Platforms like Seedrs and Crowdcube allow businesses to raise funds by selling shares to a large number of investors. This method is popular among tech start-ups and creative ventures looking to engage a broad base of supporters and investors (Deloitte United States) (Saffery).
Reward-based Crowdfunding Platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo enable companies to raise funds by offering rewards to backers. This is particularly effective for creative projects such as films, games, and digital content that can offer unique perks to supporters (Deloitte United States).
Industry-specific Funds
Tech Nation Tech Nation offers a range of programs and funding opportunities aimed at scaling up tech businesses. This includes the Future Fifty program for late-stage tech companies and the Rising Stars competition for early-stage businesses (BDO UK ) (Deloitte United States).
The UK provides a robust ecosystem of funding options for creative, digital, tech, and screen companies. From government grants and tax reliefs to private investment and crowdfunding, there are numerous opportunities to secure the financial support needed to grow and innovate. Businesses should explore these options and consider seeking professional advice to maximise their funding potential.
For more detailed information, take a look at Innovate UK, BFI, Creative England, and Tech Nation (BDO UK ) (GOV.UK) (KPMG) (Deloitte United States) (Saffery).
You can search for business funding information and sources of advice at:
https://www.mygov.scot/funding-advice-search
Public Agencies
Scottish Government
You can search for business funding information and sources of advice at:
https://www.mygov.scot/funding-advice-search
Scottish Enterprise
This is Scotland’s national economic development agency that helps businesses to innovate and scale. They particularly focus on innovation, investment and international.
Business Gateway
This is a national source of business advice in Scotland delivered and supported by local authorities.
More information on Business Gateway Dundee
More information on Business Gateway Fife
More information on Business Gateway Perthshire
Scottish National Investment Bank
The Scottish National Investment Bank is a state-owned investment bank established to support Scotland’s economic growth by providing long-term capital to projects and businesses that align with its strategic missions. These missions focus on transitioning to net-zero emissions, building communities, and fostering innovation. The bank offers a variety of financial products, including loans, equity investments, and guarantees, aimed at driving sustainable development and addressing social challenges across Scotland.
For more details, visit the Scottish National Investment Bank.
This is the UK’s national development bank and helps businesses find funding routes and offers free financial tools and expert information.
British Business Bank - other forms of finance
British Business Bank- search finance experts
Private Venture Capital
Business angel investment topped a record £50 million in 2022 according to angel group, Linc Scotland. This is the national business angel network for Scotland with a membership comprising both individual investors and most well know groups / syndicates.
Linc Scotland Member Directory
Venture Capital (VC) provides finance and operational expertise for entrepreneurs and start-up companies, typically, although not exclusively, in technology-based sectors such as ICT, life sciences or fintech. Private equity tends to be for more established companies. A more limited group of VCs will look at media and Games.
Sources of information include:
British Venture Capital Association
Includes a directory of investor organisations – 1 year access is available for £150.
UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA)
UKBAA builds and connect the investment ecosystem, creating a coherent and diverse landscape for financing high-potential entrepreneurs across the UK. It also helps to coordinate diverse programmes ranging from access to investment support to investor education and training. Working alongside industry leaders, they help to drive investment into the regions, diversify the investment ecosystem and shine a spotlight on leading UK innovators. Membership is for investors starting at £195 per year.
A free to search directory and additional paid-for services available such as review of proposals.
https://findvc.co.uk/vc-directories/
Growth Business UK venture capital directory, a comprehensive guide to every British VC investing in start-ups and scaleups.
Project finance
Loans are more common for business finance than equity investment/venture finance. Lenders might require the creation of a special purpose company. Lenders generally charge a fee from budget or a premium payable from revenues. They might also want a revenue share. Project Finance is well established for media production. While this is not the case for games, there is a small but growing number of lenders.
To get project finance, you have to show strong commercial potential such as through sales forecasts, track record and examples of previous similar successful projects.