117 guides.
Every step from idea to investment.

Your company name has to clear Companies House, trade mark registers and domain availability. A clash found after launch can mean an expensive rebrand at the worst moment.

Inside — • How names are checked against UKIPO, EUIPO and Companies House • Domain and social-handle traps, and what buying them back can cost • Regulated and sensitive words to watch for

Your IP is often your most valuable asset at seed, but each type of right protects something different. This guide maps patents, trade marks, designs, copyright and confidential information.

Inside — • What is automatic and what must be registered • Costs and timelines for each right • Building an IP register and running a one-day IP audit

A pitch deck gets the meeting; a business plan answers the follow-up questions. This guide covers a plan investors actually read.

Inside — • Structure from thesis to milestones • Market, competition, risks and mitigations • Use of funds tied to milestones

At seed, investors often back the team before the product. This guide explains what they assess in a founding team and how to present yours.

Inside — • Skills gaps and founder-market fit • How solo founders raise • Commitment signals and a strong team slide

The right advisers open doors; the wrong ones just dilute you. This guide covers building an advisory board that adds real value.

Inside — • Advisers, mentors and NEDs compared • Approaching senior people • Advisory agreements, equity and getting value

If buyers cannot tell quickly what you do, they move on. This guide covers positioning and messaging that land.

Inside — • Defining your ideal customer and alternatives • Value propositions and a messaging hierarchy • Positioning for investors versus customers

Grants can fund development without giving away equity, but the programmes are scattered. This directory maps the main UK grant and non-dilutive programmes.

Inside — • National, sector-specific and regional programmes • Research council and university routes • Eligibility at a glance and a 12-month grant calendar

SEIS and EIS sit behind many UK early-stage investments. This guide explains both reliefs, with the 2026/27 limits.

Inside — • How SEIS and EIS work for investors • Whether your company qualifies and the current limits • Keeping relief intact after investment

VC funds have their own economics, which shape what they invest in and when. This guide explains how they work.

Inside — • LPs, GPs, fees and carry • Fund lifecycle and follow-on reserves • What fund economics mean for your raise

Investors often spend only minutes on a deck. This guide explains what they look for, slide by slide.

Inside — • A 12-15 slide structure • Problem, market, traction and business model slides • Team, ask and use of funds

Medical devices face strict regulation before they can reach patients. This playbook covers the route from prototype to NHS adoption.

Inside — • MHRA regulation, UKCA and CE marking • Clinical evidence and ISO 13485 • NICE, NHS adoption and MedTech investors

AI is a crowded market where investors look hard at defensibility and margins. This playbook covers raising for an AI company.

Inside — • Defensibility beyond the model • Data rights, compute costs and margins • UK principles, the EU AI Act and AI investors

University spinouts follow their own deal terms with tech transfer offices. This guide explains how spinouts form and are funded.

Inside — • How a spinout works and the 2023 Independent Review • University equity, licences and royalties • The academic founder's position and funding