NEL Fund Managers from the Finance for Business North East Growth Fund report that the group has made over £25 million in investments to regional businesses over the past year in the U.K. In the prior year, the fund had only provided around £5 million for expansion and growth capital to developing, regional businesses. The mission of the fund is to create 1,500 new regional jobs, while helping to sustain another 1,300. The company has more than quintupled that in a year. The fund launched in early 2010. It has made 125 investments averaging around £204,000 each.