Impact report 2025-26: executive summary
A year of reach, growth and investment
Both early-stage grants and business advice saw more demand than the year before.
500+
ideas supported
£1.69m
in grants awarded
£1.28m
in social investment
2,700
hours of start-up support
471
hours of investment-readiness support
270%+
rise in applications to investment programmes
Almost £1.5m
extra funding leveraged by enterprises after investment readiness
Outcomes for enterprises
Firstport-supported enterprises outperform mainstream business benchmarks.
Return on investment
Value generated for every £1 invested, by programme.
Empowering diverse leadership
Among award and support clients. Solutions are shaped by people with lived experience of the issues they tackle.
67%
are female
18%
identify as disabled
14%
belong to ethnic minority groups
10%
identify as LGBTQ+
Our strategic ambitions
Ambitious
We will deliver high-quality, client-centred support.
Impactful
We will demonstrate the difference we are making.
Influential
We will build trusting relationships and collaborative, high-performing partnerships.
Innovative
We will inspire innovation in our own work and the pioneering work of others.
Progressive
We will challenge traditional ways of doing business.
Sustainable
We will be socially, environmentally and financially sustainable.
More reports
Economic impact study (Social Value Lab) · Our impact · Resources and news