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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.