Raising in the UK, explained properly.
Deeply researched, current guides for UK founders — the tax schemes, the instruments, and the moves that decide whether a round closes. No fluff, no recycled US advice.
What UK investors actually want in 2026: the three questions behind every yes
Fundraising is harder than it has been in years, and UK investors have got blunt about what they look for. This is the 2026 evidence: the three questions behind almost every yes — is the market big enough, why do you win, and where is the proof — the AI-buzzword test that is quietly killing pitches, and how to rebuild your deck and profile around what actually gets a cheque.
Read the guideUK term-sheet red flags in 2026: the clauses that quietly cost founders
Founders obsess over valuation and skim the clauses that actually decide what they keep. This is the 2026 guide to UK term-sheet red flags: liquidation preferences above 1× and the participating “double-dip”, full-ratchet anti-dilution, board control and broad investor vetoes, plus the option-pool and exploding-offer traps — with the BVCA-standard baseline and exactly how to push back.
ReadHow to get warm investor intros when you have zero network
Warm intros make you ~13x more likely to get funded, yet most first-time founders start with no network at all. Here is the 2026 playbook: the data, the ranked ladder of paths from zero, the forwardable-email mechanics, the UK funds and networks you can approach directly, and the cold email that actually works.
ReadSEIS/EIS Advance Assurance in 2026: getting it right the first time
Advance Assurance is the HMRC letter most UK angels demand before they wire. This is the 2026 founder's guide: what it is (and isn't), how long it takes, what to submit, the named-investor rule, the SAFE-vs-ASA trap, and the accounting mistakes that void relief later.
ReadSEIS and EIS in 2026: the complete guide for UK startup founders
How SEIS and EIS work in 2026, the new EIS limits from April, what qualifies your company, the SAFE-vs-ASA trap that can void relief, and how to find SEIS/EIS-friendly UK investors.
ReadHow to raise a UK pre-seed round in 2026: valuations, instruments, and a timeline that works
A current, practical playbook for UK founders raising pre-seed in 2026: typical round sizes and valuations, choosing between a priced round, ASA and SAFE, what investors check first, and the 8–12 week process that closes.
ReadNow find the investors who'll actually back you.
SeedPilot matches you to UK investors who actually fund companies like yours, on verified data rather than what their website claims. Free, 90 seconds, no email.