£100m Liverpool fund manager River Capital expands its North West operations by opening a new office. Tony McDonough reports

River Capital is to extend its reach as leading North West SME funder by opening a second office.

Liverpool-based River Capital, a division of MSIF, has opened a new base in the centre of Manchester. It has set up shop at the Bruntwood SciTech BLOC building on Marble Street in the city centre. Bruntwood is also the firm’s landlord at The Plaza in Liverpool.

This expansion reflects the expanding portfolio of funds now being managed by River Capital, which employs 25 people, as it looks to support SMEs across the North West with its blend of debt, venture and equity offerings.

It follows the £10m investment from the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, delivered by TDC, that has bolstered River Capital’s highly North West Business Growth Loan fund.

This new office will serve as a hub for the entire portfolio of River Capital’s funds, including the North West Private Equity Fund, and its evergreen EIS fund, fund:AI – the North’s first dedicated artificial intelligence investment fund.

River Capital can now offer debt, venture and equity packages from £25,000 to £2m across the North West with a local presence.

“We are delighted to announce the opening of our Manchester office, which represents a landmark moment for River Capital, and underpins our commitment to support the wider North West business base,” said Mark Borzomato chief executive of River Capital.

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“With the increased variety of funds managed which now total over £100m we are keen to build on our track record obtained over the past 25 years and fuel the ambitions of more of the region’s SMEs.

“The new office in Manchester perfectly complements our Liverpool office and will enable us to work more closely with local entrepreneurs, advisors and investors across a broader geographic landscape providing not just capital, but also hands-on support.”

After securing the British Business Banks Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II Smaller Loans Fund, Rover Capital has also increased its presence in Lancashire and Cumbria with the opening of satellite hubs in Preston and Kendal.”