Helping Young Entrepreneurs Take Their Business to the Next Stage
We set up SWEF with the aim of supporting 500 young entrepreneurs a year to further develop their business.
We are a fund that is looking to support a variety of driven individuals who do not have the funds to invest in their business.
Why does SWEF exist?
At SWEF, we believe that business is a force for good in the world, not only for the individuals who create businesses, but also for their wider families and the local communities in which they live.
For an individual, the creation of a successful business leads to greater self-determination as well as to a more stable and higher income for the founder.
For the local community, the creation of a successful business leads to more choice for customers and to new local employment opportunities.
Both of these factors lead to higher incomes and wealth which, in turn, lead to higher spending within a local community. This creates an increase in demand and offers the potential for new businesses to be set up locally. This creates a virtuous circle with the number of local businesses, incomes, spending and employment opportunities all increasing together.
What is the aim of SWEF?
The aim of SWEF is to change things for young people who are perfectly capable of taking their business to the next stage but don't have access to the finance to do so.
Young people can struggle to access a bank loan if they have no assets to guarantee the loan; they may not have savings; or friends and family who can support them financially; or a network of contacts who are angel investors.
There are few options for them to finance an investment in their business and SWEF's aim is to fill that gap.
What is SWEF?
SWEF is a fund that invests in the business initiatives of young people. SWEF looks at what they are already doing for themselves and backs them with grant funding. In almost all cases, the businesses that SWEF backs are already up and running in some form.
How does SWEF help?
SWEF provides business grants up to the value of £2,000. Aside from grant funding, we also facilitate business forums where successful grant recipients can meet and network with each other.
Looking to Develop Your Business?
Our business grants offer young entrepreneurs up to £2,000 to aid with business expenses such as the purchase of equipment or product development.
