Funding & Investment
Understand funding options, investor terms, and how to raise capital for your business.
34 articles
What Is Equity Funding?
Equity funding means selling a percentage of your company to investors in exchange for capital. Learn how it works and when it is the right choice.
What Is SEIS and EIS?
SEIS and EIS are UK tax relief schemes that make investing in startups significantly more attractive for investors. Essential knowledge for any UK founder raising capital.
What Is Venture Capital?
Venture capital funds invest in high-growth startups in exchange for equity. Learn how VC works, what VCs look for, and whether VC is right for your business.
What Is Bootstrapping a Business?
Bootstrapping means building a business without external investment, using revenue and personal savings. Learn the advantages, trade-offs, and when it is the right strategy.
What Is Crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding raises money from a large number of individuals, often via an online platform. Learn the main types and whether it is right for your business.
What Is Due Diligence in Investment?
Due diligence is the investor's investigation of a company before completing an investment. Learn what investors look at and how to prepare.
What Is a Pitch Deck?
A pitch deck is the presentation you use to raise investment. Learn what investors expect to see and the most common mistakes founders make.
What Is Runway and Burn Rate for Fundraising?
Runway and burn rate determine how long your company can survive on current cash. Learn how investors use these metrics and how to manage them strategically.
What Is a Lead Investor?
A lead investor anchors a funding round, sets the terms, and takes primary responsibility for diligence. Learn why finding a lead is the hardest part of fundraising.
What Is a Business Grant?
Business grants provide non-repayable funding for eligible companies. Learn what grants are available in the UK and how to apply successfully.
What Is a Startup Accelerator?
Accelerators provide intensive support, mentorship, and often investment to early-stage startups in exchange for equity. Learn how they work and whether to apply.
What Is an Exit Strategy?
An exit strategy defines how investors and founders will eventually realise the value of their equity. Learn the main exit routes and how they affect business decisions.
What Is Investor Relations?
Investor relations is how you communicate with your investors after you have raised capital. Learn what good investor communication looks like and why it matters.
What Is Private Equity?
Private equity firms invest in established businesses, often using debt to fund acquisitions. Learn how PE works and when it is relevant to your business.
What Is a Convertible Note?
A convertible note is a short-term loan that converts into equity at a future funding round. Learn the mechanics, terms, and when to use one.
What Is a SAFE Agreement?
A SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) lets investors fund startups without setting a valuation. Learn how SAFEs work and their key terms.
What Is a Cap Table?
A cap table tracks who owns what in a company. Learn why it matters and how to maintain one properly from day one.
What Is Dilution?
Dilution occurs when new shares are issued, reducing existing shareholders' ownership percentage. Learn how it works and how to manage it.
What Is a Term Sheet?
A term sheet outlines the key terms of an investment before legal documents are drafted. Learn what to expect and what to negotiate.
What Is Pre-Money Valuation?
Pre-money valuation is what your company is worth before receiving new investment. Learn how it is set and why it matters for dilution.
What Is Post-Money Valuation?
Post-money valuation is the value of a company immediately after receiving investment. Learn how it relates to pre-money valuation and ownership.
What Is a Liquidation Preference?
A liquidation preference determines which shareholders get paid first when a company is sold or wound down. Learn the types and their impact.
What Is an Anti-Dilution Clause?
An anti-dilution clause protects investors from losing value if the company raises future rounds at a lower valuation. Learn how these provisions work.
What Is a Drag-Along Right?
A drag-along right lets majority shareholders force minority shareholders to join in a sale. Learn how it works and why it exists.
What Is Venture Debt?
Learn how venture debt provides non-dilutive financing to startups alongside equity rounds, extending runway without giving up ownership.
What Is Angel Investing?
Discover how angel investors provide early-stage capital and mentorship to startups in exchange for equity, fuelling innovation from the ground up.
What Is a Syndicate in Investing?
Understand how investment syndicates allow multiple investors to pool capital and co-invest in deals led by an experienced syndicate lead.
What Is a SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle)?
Learn how special purpose vehicles are used to pool investor capital, isolate risk, and simplify cap table management for startup investments.
What Is Impact Investing?
Explore how impact investing generates measurable social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns for investors.
What Is Blended Finance?
Learn how blended finance uses public and philanthropic capital to de-risk investments and attract private sector funding to development projects.
What Is Development Finance?
Understand how development finance institutions channel capital to promote economic growth and reduce poverty in emerging and frontier markets.
What Is Patient Capital?
Discover how patient capital provides long-term, flexible funding to businesses and projects that need extended timelines to generate returns.
What Is Catalytic Capital?
Learn how catalytic capital accepts disproportionate risk to unlock investment opportunities that would otherwise not attract commercial funding.
What Is a Fund of Funds?
Understand how fund of funds invest in multiple underlying funds to provide diversification and access to specialised investment strategies.