Investment Process

The process for progressing online enquiries is as follows:

1) Initial desk top review by the relevant Fund Manager 
- Once uploaded, your application will be assessed by the appropriate Fund Manager within two working days; 
- The Fund Manager will make direct contact with you, typically to check the understanding of your funding requirements and business plan and/or to seek further information; 
- If the Fund Manager considers that the application should be dealt with by a different product fund within The North West Fund, your application will be transferred to the appropriate Fund Manager and you will be advised accordingly; 
- After this assessment, our Fund Managers will advise you promptly whether or not your application will be taken to the next stage. 

2) Face to face meeting 
- If your application meets with the objectives of the Fund, the Fund Manager will arrange a meeting with you; 
- Following this meeting, the Fund Manager will let you know whether they are able to progress your application to the next stage.

3) Assessment by Fund Managers and deal structuring 
- At this point, the Fund Manager will undertake a comprehensive review of your investment proposition and make a recommendation to their Investment Committee on whether to proceed with an investment; 
- You will be kept fully updated during this process. 

4) Agreement of investment terms 
- If an investment is agreed, a formal written offer will be made; 
- This will be subject to a detailed due diligence review, the nature of which will be stipulated as part of the written offer; 

5) Conduct a due diligence assessment 
- Due diligence involves the examination of your company by external experts, possibly including industry specialists, to confirm the accuracy of the information that you have supplied to the Fund Manager during their appraisal of your investment proposition; 
- Due diligence reports will be completed which will typically contain several recommendations to help improve the performance of your business going forward; 
- Completion of the investment on the terms set out in the written offer will only take place if the results of the due diligence work are considered to be satisfactory by the Fund Manager. 

6) Legal documentation completed 
- Legal documentation will be drawn up to reflect the terms of the investment agreed between you and the Fund Manager.

7) Completion 
- Upon completion of the investment, cash will be invested into your company in exchange for the agreed combination of instruments (shares, loans, options etc);
- It may be that the Fund Manager will require certain conditions to be met by the company at or after completion, and the investment may be made subject to the fulfilment of these specific conditions.

8) Ongoing support and monitoring 
- Each company receiving investment will be expected to provide regular reports on its business and financial progress - including cash flow projections, management accounts and audited financial statements; 
- The Fund Manager will typically appoint a Non-Executive Director to the board of the company to provide support and advice to the executive directors.