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ARTICLES IN Funding
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How will the contactless limit increase affect you?

As part of the last budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that the limit for contactless payments is to be increased from £45 to £100. As a large portion of UK businesses have been closed for months, there’s an obvious reason to want to stimulate the economy by making larger purchases easier. While this increase in the contactless limit seems to be a good move on the surface, we must look at the impacts of this change and debate the case for alternative payment methods.

Funding 11 hours ago
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How to Compensate Startup Advisors

A common question from startup founders looking to bring advisors on board is how to compensate them. What framework can you use to design a suitable package for your advisors?

Funding 2 days ago
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Five steps to securing funding for your business

Whilst the UK is home to a large number of innovative startups, and has even been proclaimed the ‘unicorn’ capital of Europe, it also has a disappointingly high gender funding gap. According to a report commissioned by the British Business Bank, for every £1 of VC investment, less than 1p went to all-female teams and only 10p to mixed-gender teams. The initial reaction may be to point fingers at the VC industry, however interestingly the report also noted that in fact only 5% of all pitchdecks received are from all-female teams.

Features, Funding 1 week ago
6/7
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Recovery Loan Scheme

On April 6th 2021 a new Government loan scheme has come into force to help those businesses with the next steps after they have been affected by the economic difficulties and uncertainties caused by the Covid lockdowns. 

Funding 1 week ago
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How raising money has changed during the pandemic and what raising investment will look like during economic recovery

Pre-pandemic, the economy was expanding. We’d come out of the global economic crisis wounded but wiser, and looking for change. With startups everywhere and SMEs acknowledged for their serious contribution to the economy, things were pretty good. But no one was prepared for COVID-19.

Funding 2 weeks ago
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The importance of having a healthy startup budget

Asides from having a great idea, one of the most important things you need to do as a startup, is consider your budget. It’s important to have a clear understanding of what you can spend, what you can expect to make, and how the two balance out. Without undertaking this process, you risk ending up in a situation where your finances are out of sync, causing significant issues for your business.

Funding 2 weeks ago
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Fintech needs women – 5 reasons why this is the place to be

A recent study cited by a leading Fintech publication found that whilst 30% of the fintech workforce is female, only 17% of senior fintech roles are held by women and just over 5% of founders are women. These statistics are pretty shocking as Fintech is such a dynamic world of discovery and innovation.

Funding, Diversity 2 weeks ago
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Tips all Entrepreneurs Should Know When Fundraising

One of the most common questions that entrepreneurs ask at the early stage of a company is - how do you secure funding? After all, it’s one the most crucial steps in developing a company and will give entrepreneurs the ability to hire employees, develop their product and take the company to new heights. And as the company matures, the process can be slightly different along the way – there are different objectives when raising seed funds, versus Round A, B, and C because at each stage the company itself is at a new level. 

Funding 2 weeks ago
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Six Tips for Startups from an investment manager

Matthew Singleton, Investment Director at Throgmorton Capital Management has spent most of his career advising his clients on how to manage their wealth and plan their financial futures. From time to time Matt advises clients on strategies that may involve investing in startups. He is also a passionate champion of startup businesses and has been involved in early-stage businesses himself. Here, he shares his financial and investment advice for any early-stage business looking to grow quickly without exposing themselves to unnecessary financial risks in his six top tips.

Funding 2 weeks ago
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How Salary Finance is Changing the Need For High Cost Loans

Salary finance is the fast-growing concept that helps employees earn wages in real-time from their employers, defeating the need for high cost loans.

Funding 3 weeks ago
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The VCs that founders need to know

After another record-breaking year, in which VC investment surpassed more than €38bn in Europe, Dealroom has released its annual ranking of the Most Prominent Venture Capital Investors for 2021 - and this time, it’s gone global. 

News, Funding 1 month ago
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What should you consider before you start investing?

A growing number of people are showing interest in investing. This has been evidenced by an increase in the number of trading and investment accounts opened over the last 18 months and the interest is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Additionally, more and more business and startup entrepreneurs are getting involved as well. This is due to an interest in becoming more financially literate as well as the desire to benefit from investment yield. But how to go about it?

Funding 1 month ago
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The potential of Open Finance and the digitisation of tax records

The world is undergoing huge changes at the moment. Between coronavirus pushing the economy to the limit and a group of Redditors challenging the financial market hegemony, people are questioning the role of established institutions. If finance doesn’t work to enable the economy, businesses or individuals, then who is it for?

Features, Funding 1 month ago
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5 Types of Investments That Will Help Fund Your SME

Entering a flash recession, with signals the UK economy is already on the recovery following the financial difficulties of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s never been a more important time to secure additional investment for SMEs to help continue growth for their business.

Funding 1 month ago
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How and why you should consider investment in your business

You don’t need investment to start a business. However, you do need money and, depending on the nature of the business, probably more than you think. Even the smallest start-up businesses need money for marketing and to buy the equipment.

Funding 1 month ago
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What the right VC brings to the table - besides funding

Any startup that’s raised venture funding knows it can be a gruelling process. It can take hundreds of meetings, calls, and pitches to land the capital you need to grow. However, VCs provide more than just capital and this can be a huge enabler for startups as they grow and scale. It’s therefore vital to look beyond the cash and ensure any VC you’re looking to work with is able to offer you more than just money.

Funding 2 months ago
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Why investing in financial technology is so important

The challenges presented by COVID-19 have been a force for good in some organisations where it has accelerated a digital-first mindset and driven some positive developments.

Funding 2 months ago
16/3
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Part three - Risk

In the final part of this series, I’m looking right in the eyes of the elephant in the room: risk.

Funding 2 months ago
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Seven Financial Mistakes Freelancers Make in Their First Year

There are many joys that come from starting life as a freelancer or small business owner – the empowering feeling of striking out on your own, the freedom to set your schedule, the sense of accomplishment when your ideas come to life. But one of the biggest headaches is suddenly being in charge of your own finances, from payroll to budgeting to taxes, especially if you have limited experience in these areas.

Funding 2 months ago
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What do you need to know about Impact Investors

If you’re growing a business that has a purpose beyond making profit the world of investment might feel daunting. But there is a breed of investors who are looking to see their investments making a social and environmental impact and they are on the look out to back the leaders of the future. This is an opportunity you can’t miss.

Funding 2 months ago
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Preparing for the Investment Ride

The great idea has started to come to fruition. You are excited about the future for your business and yourself. You have a team in place, and you have got the startup started. The investment market has predetermined that you should go and look for investment to drive your business forward. A good majority of startups follow this route without question.

Features, Funding 2 months ago
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Startup founders get by with a little help from their friends and family

New data from SeedLegals has revealed a surge in investment from family and friends over the last year, which has helped to prop-up new and existing startups.

News, Funding 2 months ago
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Building diversity within venture capital

Included VC, the first-of-its-kind global initiative building diversity within venture capital, has in a collaborative partnership with 11 funds from around the world, kicked off its Fellowship II. It is the only offering on the market that offers a nine-month, fully funded Fellowship to diverse individuals globally who are looking to enter the VC ecosystem.

News, Diversity, Funding 2 months ago
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Workspace accelerator launches new series to help founders looking to raise funds

Workspace accelerator, Huckletree has launched a new quarterly series, Huckletree VC Connect, which sees them partner with leading VC firms to help founders who are looking to raise in the near future with informal and personalised advice. 

News, Funding 2 months ago
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London – Fintech Capital of Europe

It’s official – London is Europe’s global tech city, with London based technology firms having raised more than $10.5bn in new investment from venture capital firms in 2020. As good as that is, the good news just keeps on coming, as 2021 looks to be even more promising given that London based VC firms have raised record amounts of fresh funds ready to deploy this year.

Funding 2 months ago
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How to Make Money from a Creative Startup

The online world has often been difficult for inventive startups that want to make a living from their passion. You have an idea that you believe consumers want, but getting it to them is hard. Your strength is in the idea, but to get it out there you have to create a website, decide on ecommerce or charging capabilities, plan a marketing strategy, resolve accounting issues and even organise customer service. So before you even get started you are defeated by too many obstacles. However, for the creative person there are a great many platforms and technology solutions that will do all of this for you.

Funding 3 months ago
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Startups turn to online banks and startup funds

As high street lenders back down amidst the COVID crisis, more and more startups are turning to online banks and startups funds. We caught up with Jeb Buckler, CEO and Founder of Startups Giants on the current situation. 

Funding 3 months ago
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Five financial management tips for startups

Staying on track financially can be one of the most challenging aspects of creating and managing a startup. If it wasn’t hard enough, the global pandemic has added another dimension of difficulty which even the most robust of businesses have struggled to navigate. However, there are a few key things that startups can do to stay on top of their finances. Below are five tips for startups aiming to become a thriving and profitable business.

Funding 3 months ago
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Lets get Money Savvy

As we enter a new year, and unfortunately another lockdown lets get down to business. Our lastest issue out at the end of January focuses on the different ways to fund your startup.  

Funding 3 months ago
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What makes a business idea fundable

One of the advice I always give to founders before they go to investors – make sure you are fundable. But what is a fundable business idea? Having been working with startups for more than ten years and supporting them in the fundraising process I summed up these seven questions that could help you understand whether you are ready to raise funds

Funding 3 months ago
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Can we blame COVID entirely for startups failing?

Can we blame COVID entirely for startups failing or is it the investor system failing them? Stats from Beauhurst show that maybe now isn’t the worst time to be a startup?

News, Funding 3 months ago
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How to fund your startup

This is a question we ponder often at Seed, the readers of Startups Magazine no doubt question and every new Entrepreneur needs to consider. How the hell do you fund this great idea of yours.

Funding 3 months ago
15/3
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Part two - It’s complicated...

In the first part of this series I looked specifically at why women aren’t investing. This time, I’m exploring what’s stopping everyone else.

Diversity, Funding 4 months ago
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How COVID-19 terraformed the startup funding landscape

All hope abandon ye who enter here. If 2020 had a tagline, that would be it. It's been a rotten year for the startup community. The Coronavirus pandemic has caused unprecedented economic damage, imperilled revenues, and poured cold water on investor confidence.

Funding 4 months ago
9/10
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Kickstart Scheme

How much do you know about the Kickstart Scheme that was introduced by the Government in September 2020? If you are a startup or early stage business, my guess would probably be, not very much, but perhaps you are missing out on something that could be very good for your business.

Funding 4 months ago
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Why leaving funding too late will store up problems

Bored of the adage 'If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail'? You're not alone. Sadly, truisms - much like a parent's advice - tend to be worth heeding. When it comes to funding, it's best to do it well in advance. Too many companies leave it until there's a cashflow crunch before acting. As trusted advisers, accountants need to play the role of parent, use their wisdom to identify future funding opportunities, model a couple of scenarios, and help clients find a source of finance that doesn't leave them with unfavourable terms.

Features, Funding 4 months ago
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Is the VC pitch process failing female entrepreneurs?

Overall VC investments in 2020 are at par with previous years – but in Q3 2020, venture capital funding for all female founders is on pace for its worst year since 2017 (US data). In the week of Global Women's Entrepreneurship Day, four of Europe’s top early stage venture funds (Speedinvest, Amplifier, La Famiglia and Redstone) got together to look into the reasons behind the grim statistics and explore what changes need to take place for more female entrepreneurs to get to a term sheet.

Funding 4 months ago
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8 fundraising tips for startup founders

One of the top ten reasons why startups fail is lack of financing and investor interest. That is why fundraising is an important part of a startup journey. There are some principles following which might increase your chances for success in closing your next investment round.

Features, Funding 4 months ago
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Government grant funding – is really worth it?

During lockdown, the UK Government awarded over £130m of grant funding for Research and Development (R&D) activity to innovative businesses and their collaborators in the United Kingdom. The awardees were from multiple sectors including creative, engineering, digital health, education and sustainable energy.

Funding 5 months ago
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COVID-19 boosts investment seeking startups

Historically, startups based in the regions have been 50% less likely to secure funding than those in London. This has created a situation where 72% of all venture capital deals in the UK involve London companies.

Features, Funding 5 months ago
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Reinventing Venture Capital: why VCs are turning their attention to influencers

Since the launch of London’s Silicon Roundtable in 2008, UK tech startups have enjoyed more than a decade of strong interest from Venture Capitalists (VCs). Spurred on by the success of fast-growth consumer tech companies like Uber or Deliveroo, VCs have sought out startups that could break into the public zeitgeist to become the world’s next big thing. This culminated in more than $13bn being pumped into British technology startups in 2019. Then, the pandemic struck.

Features, Funding 5 months ago
4/5
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Is there a diversity problem in venture capital?

The year 2020 is a year like no other. While data shows the pandemic hasn’t affected the overall amount VC dollars invested in tech companies (on par with previous years; US), it has already had a disproportionate effect on the funds allocated to women-led businesses. Venture checks for female founders are at their lowest since 2017. The broader picture is even grimmer, with a real threat to roll back the last 30 years of economic progress for women (according to the International Monetary Fund).

Funding, Diversity 5 months ago
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Creationism: De-risking early stage investment

“The grass is always greener…”, there are many catchphrases that describe life and business, but they always seem to be in the future tense and suggest some sort of heroic journey.

Funding 6 months ago
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As Crowdcube and Seedrs merge – what does it mean for equity crowdfunding?

When it comes to equity crowdfunding, the go-to platform for any European investor, young company or growth stage business is either Crowdcube, Seedrs, or both. In the first half of 2020, the two platforms topped Beauhurst’s State of UK Crowdfunding report, with similar, impressive performances. Seedrs closed 95 deals and raised £49.7m, while Crowdcube secured 97 deals and generated £48.5m  – all throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funding 6 months ago
14/3
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Part one - Unconscious bias

Only one in five women in the UK hold investments... why? In the first of this three-part series I’ll be exploring this question and sharing some of my experience working in the male-dominated world of finance.

Funding, Diversity 6 months ago
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MarketFinance banks £50m as it ramps CBILS support for SMEs

Fintech business lender, MarketFinance has secured an additional £50m from one of Israel’s largest asset managers, Viola Credit, to lend to UK SMEs under the HM Treasury and British Business Bank CBILS initiative. The announcement comes as MarketFinance launches a 'unified application' process in which SMEs will, through one application, be presented with a variety of finance options and be able to select those best suited to their needs.

Funding 7 months ago
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What to look for in a financial advisor?

For startups, the importance of quality professional advice cannot be overstated. While business owners are quick to seek advice from lawyers and accountants there is considerable resistance to seeking financial advice.  A survey conducted by OpenMoney earlier this year, which polled 2,080 adults, provides a worrying insight into how business owners view financial advisers and the advice that they provide. We spoke to Pradeep Oliver, Partner, Cripps Pemberton Greenish who gave us more insight on the topic.

Funding 7 months ago
3/5
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Raising a VC fund

European VC funds are raising a record amount of capital in recent years - $13B in 2018 with over 40% going into funds greater than €250M. Venture is not only a vital source for startup companies to achieve growth and create value through innovation - it is key for the overall economy. In essence, it is a two-sided business, where exceptional founders are matched with capital. While a lot has been said and written about the ‘front’ facing side of the venture industry, how do venture capital firms emerge and raise their funds?

Funding 7 months ago
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How to optimise cash flow in the crunch of 2020

Just as small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, cash is the beating heart of every SME. But getting cash flow wrong can have devastating consequences, so how can businesses use the fintech industry to protect themselves and create stability in the most uncertain of times?

Funding 7 months ago
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Top Tips to managing cash flow

It is often said that turnover is vanity and profit is sanity. But, even more importantly, do not forget that cash is king. Put simply, businesses fail because they do not have enough cash or other liquid assets to pay their bills or meet their immediate obligations. So, whilst increasing turnover and growing profitability are what every business owner is aiming to achieve, it is crucial to still have a very strong focus on cash flow and the levels of cash in the business.

Funding 7 months ago
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How startups can use specialist finance to grow their businesses

A lot of startups require funding to gain momentum and sustainable growth. For many entrepreneurs, they might start by investing out of their own pockets, or some prefer to use a business loan, bank loan or through a venture capital firm to raise several millions.

Funding 7 months ago
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Partnership allows startups gain fast access to flexible funding

Performance marketing agency, Journey Further, has teamed up with Europe’s first revenue-based finance provider, Uncapped, to offer performance marketing support to entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups across the continent.

News, Funding 8 months ago
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EFA opens its doors to new fintech companies

Fintech companies offer innovative and much-needed financial services and products; however, they have not been heard and seen at the political level sufficiently. EFA aims to become the united voice of the Fintech companies in Europe.

Funding 8 months ago
2/5
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Does branding matter when it comes to VCs?

The amount of information we are exposed to exceeds our ability to process it. Out of the about 70,000 thoughts we have per day, our short term memory can hold no more than seven for only about 20 to 30 seconds. How does this relate to branding? Our long-term memory stores our associations with specific brands which is also ultimately the desired effect of marketing campaigns or PR activities - for people to remember your company (or you as a person!) when in need of the products or services you provide.

Funding, Brand 9 months ago
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Future Fund – submit your application!

The Future Fund is the UK Government’s funding scheme designed to assist early-stage, high growth firms across the UK meet the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Funding 9 months ago
4/5
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How to fund your business in times of crisis?

The current financial climate is disturbing for technology founders. At the European level, we have over 300 VC funds continuing to actively invest and grant-making programmes in every country, yet founders face many hurdles accessing capital. 

Funding 9 months ago
3/5
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Capitalising research and development for early stage tech founders

I was asked very recently by a company to explain how I would approach their projected Intellectual Property (trademarks, patents, code of the platform) concerning their Balance Sheet or Statement of Financial Position. To make it even more complicated and they have asked me to consider both UK accounting rules as well as the US.

Funding 9 months ago
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Asto and Funding Options team up to offer loans to small businesses

Asto Business Capital loans are now available on the Funding Options platform as part of a long term partnership with the business finance marketplace. The Santander-backed app joins Funding Options’ roster of more than 200 lender partners, offering loans of as little as £150 or as much as £150,000, to help small businesses plug urgent cash flow holes.

News, Funding 9 months ago
1/5
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How to cold pitch a VC and get a response

2019 was a record breaking year for VC investment in UK startups ($13.2bn, an increase of 44% compared to the previous year) and the amount of VC dry powder in Europe is higher than ever before(more last year’s raises here). Success stories of companies raising millions without a formal pitch deck (Hopin, an online events platform) or still in beta and during lockdown (Clubhouse, a voice-based social media app) do sound inspiring.

Funding 9 months ago
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Can investors trust management?

Conducting a regular business audit is a vital document that is needed to help monitor and inspect the financial situation of a company. To prevent losing track of assets and overheads a business has, audits help bring clarity to managers where their cash in-flows and out-flows are going to and from.

Funding 9 months ago
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Demystifying unconscious bias in venture capital and corporate innovation

Since the Coronavirus outbreak, multiple concerns about the pandemic deepening social and economic inequalities have been raised. The latest ‘Ecoystem’ webinar session brought together leading investors and one of world’s largest engineering and manufacturing companies in a conversation on challenging industry perceptions to break down barriers to VC funding and innovation.

Funding 10 months ago
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The six biggest pitch deck mistakes and how to avoid them

Raising funding for your startup can be a challenging task at the best of times. And then along came a pandemic, making it even harder. 

Funding 10 months ago
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It’s time for tech to move fast and fix things

OurCrowd, a crowdfunded-venture investment platform, has announced the launch of its Pandemic Innovation Fund. The Fund plans to raise $100m for investment in urgent technological solutions for the medical, business, educational and social needs triggered by global pandemics and other health emergencies.

Funding, News 10 months ago
1/5
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VC fundraising in a pandemic

We are in a state of an unprecedented global health crisis. Coronavirus has spread with similar speed and impact to an earthquake – with confirmed cases surpassing 5.5 million people in under six months’ time. Economically, according to IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva, the world is facing the 'deepest recession since the 1930s Great Depression'.  A shock to the system, which has transformed the way we work, communicate and live. And fundraise. Last week a research by Plexal and Beauhurst revealed investment in UK tech startups has dropped by 50% year-on year. What should companies fundraising know, how to prepare and how has the VC landscape changed?

Funding 10 months ago
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4 cashflow tips to help you keep ahead

For many businesses, cash in the bank is often a concern especially during periods of uncertainty. Making sure you know exactly what’s going in and out and when has never been so important.

Features, Funding 10 months ago
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5 ways to secure finance and plan how to use it during COVID-19

Over £7.25bn has now been paid to more than 40,500 businesses under the UK government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). More than 130,000 applications were also received for the newer Bounce Bank Loan Scheme (BBLS) on the first day of launch alone, with SMEs able to apply for between £2,000-£50,000.

Funding 10 months ago
19/26
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"Is my business eligible for the Bounce Back loan scheme?"

As we are all starting to hope that the end, or at least a temporary reprieve, is in sight, thoughts are starting to turn to how we and our businesses can bounce back. In fact, another week and another acronym. 

Funding 11 months ago
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Raising VC funding in lockdown (and beyond)

With most countries in some form of lockdown to slow the spread of CoVid-19, the business landscape for both startups and investors is almost unrecognisable to the start of 2020.

Funding 11 months ago
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Future Fund - The complete guide

The UK government has taken a number of steps to support businesses and entrepreneurs during the Coronavirus pandemic. One of its flagship schemes is the Future Fund, a £250m package that provides a financial lifeline for innovative startups.

Funding 11 months ago
17/26
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"Can I raise finance during the coronavirus pandemic?"

Money most certainly does not buy happiness, but it does make the world go round. And the lack of money can lead to hardship in many ways. A question that I keep overhearing recently is about whether it is still possible to raise finance during the coronavirus pandemic. The simple answer is yes… maybe!

Funding 11 months ago
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Where to get help and cut costs during the coronavirus pandemic

We are now a few weeks into the UK’s ‘lockdown’, and the existence of many small – and large - businesses is under threat. An inability to operate cash flows as normal is undoubtedly a major concern and so many are seeking ways to cut costs and access cash, and fast.

Funding 11 months ago
1/2
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Growth vs profit: The ultimate conundrum

A staggering 66% of startups have less than 12 months runway and 39% have less than six.  These bleak statistics paint a somewhat gloomy picture and yet, in the UK alone, we saw a steady 8.5% increase in the number of companies being registered last year, so these figures are certainly not deterring the business leaders of today. Here James Hyde, CEO and co-founder of James and James, explains more...

Funding 1 year ago
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Fintech to the rescue?

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the economy hard, and small businesses in particular. The UK Government is moving at great pace to implement unprecedented economic assistance measures, but even with their best efforts, the dramatic drop in footfall over recent weeks has made it difficult for small businesses to survive even in the short interim period.

Funding 1 year ago
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Best crowdfunding platform 2020 awarded to Smartlands

Smartlands has received the 'Best Crowdfunding Platform' award from the fintech breakthrough awards, which recognises the top companies and products in the financial services and technology industry today.

Funding 1 year ago
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The rise of UK fintechs

In February, digital bank Revolut became the UK's most valuable fintech startup after a funding round saw its value triple to £4.2bn. It has since announced that it’s set to launch in the US very soon, where no doubt it will continue its swift growth trajectory.

Funding 1 year ago
13/26
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"How do I best preserve cashflow?"

In any business, at any time, cash is king and cashflow is much more important than turnover, and in the short term it can often even be more important than profit. If turnover is vanity and profit is sanity, then cash flow should be regarded as stark reality.

Funding 1 year ago
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Coronavirus business interruption loan scheme

The government backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) has been rolled out at unprecedented speed, and the size of the financial packages being made available to support businesses and employees are also unprecedented. But these are also, of course, unprecedented times.

Funding 1 year ago
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The change is us...

We invest in people that are very similar to us. That in itself it can be a good thing, the problem is that men invest mostly in men! Having spent the last eight years in venture capital investments working with many entrepreneurs during their journey from early stages into growth, I realised that there are differences in the way the women entrepreneurs in my portfolios experienced the fundraising journey.

Funding 1 year ago
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How to look at your company like an investor

Not all investors are equal. They each have different expectations and require subtly different information to be able to make a decision. So how do you know what kind of investor is best for your company?

Funding 1 year ago
How to make your business investable
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How to make your business investable

Let’s face it: if your business is growing fast, you’re likely to need capital. There are different ways of financing it (advanced or discounted sales, strategic partnerships, bartering, grants & loans, crowdfunding) with Venture Capital one that arguably poses the greatest risk for both founders and investors.

Funding 1 year ago
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The cashflow crunch bites hard

Fluidly, which is changing the cashflow management game through automated forecasts, is launching a funding service to aid the million-plus small businesses that have fallen into overdraft or that need funds to grow.

Funding 1 year ago
9/26
"Tell Me More About Funding Options?"
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"Tell Me More About Funding Options?"

Whatever any of us care to call it - funding, finance, getting investors, or any other variation on the theme – obtaining finance remains one of the biggest areas of both concern, and lack of detailed knowledge, for many startups.

Funding 1 year ago
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Accountancy Advice: Where things can go wrong and what to look out for

Getting accountancy advice and assistance is a natural and important step for all most businesses, especially those starting out. When you hire an accountant, the last thing you anticipate is that they will be negligent. Unfortunately, accountants and other professionals do not always get it right.

Funding 1 year ago
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The key trends shaping the angel investing landscape

Angel investment is one of the best ways early stage startups can raise investment. Therefore the behavioural trends of investors will be closely followed by savvy businesses looking to ensure they have what it takes to raise finance.

Funding 1 year ago
The missing link to unlock growth is 'Go To Market Fit'
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The missing link to unlock growth is 'Go To Market Fit'

As a three-time entrepreneur, I’ve been on the difficult journey of scaling from founder to big-company CEO. In one of my ventures I went from an idea on a whiteboard to a publicly trading entity in eight years, and it isn’t just one big celebration – it is hard to keep up with your company.

Funding 1 year ago
Your pitch is great, but can you answer the follow-up questions?
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Your pitch is great, but can you answer the follow-up questions?

You've rehearsed your pitch within an inch of your life. Your slides are well designed, hit all the relevant points and your timing was spot on at three minutes.

Funding 1 year ago
Scaling back entrepreneur tax relief could devastate UK startups
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Scaling back entrepreneur tax relief could devastate UK startups

When choosing to ‘go it alone’ as entrepreneur, there are numerous financial, operational hurdles in the way. Starting a new business from scratch is not easy, often requiring huge amounts of time and personal investment.

Funding 1 year ago
Building early momentum and raising capital
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Building early momentum and raising capital

Give yourself a well-deserved clap. You’ve done it! You’ve come up with a revolutionary new idea, quit your day job and launched your own business. But to really get this off the ground, you’re going to need funding.

Funding 1 year ago
How to prepare a pitch deck for a SaaS investor
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How to prepare a pitch deck for a SaaS investor

I've heard thousands of pitches from hopeful CEOs of startups in a vast array of formats. Many investors have strong views on what to include or not include in a pitch deck.

Funding 1 year ago
How will Brexit affect R&D tax credits?
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How will Brexit affect R&D tax credits?

Brexit is dominating the news and has created a lot of uncertainty for all of us in the UK. In this politically neutral article, I’m going to explore how I think Brexit will affect R&D tax credits in the UK. 

Funding 1 year ago
A 5-Week Diary of Fundraising
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A 5-Week Diary of Fundraising

The process of raising investment differs for every startup according to numerous factors, including the stage of development of your product, how much money your business requires and the type of investors you target.

Funding 1 year ago
Real Life not Unicorns: Venture Debt and Growth Funding
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Real Life not Unicorns: Venture Debt and Growth Funding

Many companies think the only way to grow is through Venture Capital (VC) investment. Most companies who seek VC investment, however, fail to get it.

Funding 1 year ago
Is crowdfunding plagued by myths and misconceptions?
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Is crowdfunding plagued by myths and misconceptions?

A survey of 200 startups and scale-ups – commissioned by Envestors in 2019 – has uncovered a number of misconceptions which are ultimately impacting the ability of companies to successfully raise funds using the crowdfunding model. Furthermore, the results show the approach - which hasn’t changed since its genesis in 2011 - is ripe for disruption.

Funding 1 year ago
7/6
19% of active UK Unicorns funded by Crowdcube
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19% of active UK Unicorns funded by Crowdcube

Beauhurst, the provider of data on growing British companies, has released a report mapping out the UK’s ‘herd’ of unicorns. Coined in 2013 by Aileen Lee, Founder of Cowboy Ventures, the term 'unicorn' refers to a young, private company whose valuation has reached £1bn or more.

Funding 1 year ago
Five whys and three ways to keep your investors happy
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Five whys and three ways to keep your investors happy

If your business has investors – then the importance of investor relations cannot be overstated - in Brazil, Egypt and Bulgaria, companies are mandated by law to have an IR function. That’s not the case in the UK – but it doesn’t mean you should ignore it.

Funding 1 year ago
5/9
Understanding R&D Tax Credits
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Understanding R&D Tax Credits

In the last two articles in this series I have looked at various aspects of finance and this time I am going to stay with the financial theme but from a very different angle – tax. But tax is a very broad topic and I wanted to focus on one unusual aspect of the UK tax system, and that is R&D (research and development) tax credits, and it is unusual in the fact that this time it is HMRC giving you money rather than taking it.

Funding 1 year ago
4/9
Getting finance as a startup
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Getting Finance – Part 2

In this, the second part of looking at the different forms of finance available to a startup, I look specifically at the different types of equity finance and try to summarise the benefits and drawbacks of each. The March edition of the magazine looks at the question of finance in full detail.

Funding 2 years ago
Growth Hacker on Crowdfunding
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Life's a Pitch

Sachin Dutta, Growth Hacker and Founder of Tractionic, shares a growth hacker's perspective on why humans fail and how to succeed at crowdfunding.

Funding 2 years ago
3/9
Getting Finance - Part 1
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Getting Finance - Part 1

So far in the series I have looked at some of the different types of assistance that is available to a startup and also about what benefits working with a Mentor can bring and how you should be trying to maximise those benefits. 

Funding 2 years ago
Cash for Innovation
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Cash for Innovation

Anyone who has received a PPI call in the past will know only too well the scepticism felt when the person on the other end of the line tells you that you’re entitled to thousands of pounds that you didn’t know about.

Funding 2 years ago
Paved with Gold
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Paved With Gold

A creative consultancy that helps people who make products to get them into the hands of people who will love them.

Funding 2 years ago

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