Private Capital in the North West 2026

This report is launching at a time when regional economic growth is at the forefront of political discourse. The new Government’s ambition for ‘growth in every postcode’ is a laudable goal that will only succeed by matching stronger local leadership with the investment needed to deliver it.

Private capital already plays a substantial role in the North West economy, backing businesses across every sector. Life sciences is a particularly powerful example. The concentration of research and specialist facilities across Liverpool, Daresbury and Alderley Park gives the North West the foundations for a globally competitive cluster.

Through active ownership, private capital firms strengthen management and operational capability, helping promising businesses navigate the difficult journey from innovation to sustainable scale, and helping established businesses compete in a rapidly changing economy.

The industry’s commitment to the North West is significant. Over the past five years, the region has attracted over 
£8.5 billion of private capital investment. Venture funding rose from £88 million in 2023 to £181 million in 2024 and £214 million in 2025, pointing to greater confidence in the North West’s pipeline of young companies. Those headline figures sit behind thousands of day-to-day decisions in firms right across the economy.

The scale of that contribution matters and with the right conditions, the industry can play an even bigger part in the region’s success. This means having a policy and regulatory environment that enables firms to move from start-up to scale-up, gives businesses access to the skills and talent they need, and delivers the infrastructure required for investment and expansion.

With those foundations in place, private capital can play an even greater role in turning the North West’s ambitions into growth that reaches every part of the region and the wider United Kingdom.