Futurebuilders England has introduced a new ‘quasi-equity’ alternative finance option, where organisations receiving funding repay the investment according to an agreed percentage of their annual gross revenue.

The first recipient of the royalties-based investment package was social enterprise Urgent Care Ltd – which provides nurses and emergency care practitioners in Greater London – to the tune of £399,000. Futurebuilders said the investment would provide financial backing for the organisation, which formed in 2006, while it secured the contracts it needed to become self-sustaining.

Commenting on the new investment package, Futurebuilders’ chief executive Richard Gutch said: “For certain organisations, this system will offer a win-win finance option, for both us and them. Not only does the investment generate a social return, it also has the potential to generate a much higher financial return, as repayments are directly proportional to the financial success of the investee. This means if the organisation does well, there will be more money to put back into the fund to distribute to other organisations.”

Bamber Postance, chief executive of Urgent Care said: “This new form of investment gives us the backing and flexibility we need to help us roll [our services] out across London.”