Big Issue Invest

About Big Issue Invest

Big Issue Invest is a UK social impact investor with more than £100 million deployed since 2005 (£9.4 million deployed in 2024/25, more than tripling year-on-year in its 20th year), headquartered in London. The firm was founded in 2005 by Big Issue Group entrepreneurs John Bird and Nigel Kershaw and operates as a social enterprise (a company limited by guarantee) part of the Big Issue Group, B Corp certified.

Investment thesis

Big Issue Invest deploys capital through multiple funds including the Growth Impact Fund and the Outcomes Investment Fund, targeting social impact investing via social impact loans (£20,000-£4 million), equity and quasi-equity and blended finance with grant support to social enterprises and charities. Sector focus spans affordable and precarious housing and homelessness, employment support, health and wellbeing, learning disability and neurodiversity support and social business. Geographic deployment is the United Kingdom, focused on the most deprived communities. The mission-locked investor targets capital at the UK's most deprived areas with each deal structured around social outcomes.

Recent activity

As a social impact lender, realisations are primarily loan repayments rather than equity exits and are not individually disclosed. Recent investments include an accessibility-tech social enterprise (Sociability) and a homelessness-focused hospitality and employment venture (2024-2025), plus an ex-Standard Bank CEO appointed Chair in January 2026. The platform continues active deployment across the UK social impact mandate. Detailed buyer names and multiple data available on Pro at €49/month.