Focus on finance options

Learn more about your options for business finance in the UK, the benefits and risks of taking it, and how to apply.

Equity: Get investment

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CORPORATE VENTURE CAPITAL
Equity
Corporate Venture Capital is an investment made by a large company into a smaller business, in return for a share of that business.

Corporate Venture Capital

Corporate Venture Capital - Investors like

An early stage business - no revenue or profit is needed - willing to give up a share of control.

Corporate Venture Capital - You're looking for

£1m+ of finance within 6-12 months of your application for things like acquisition or research and development.

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Corporate Venture Capital
Equity
Corporate Venture Capital is an investment made by a large company into a smaller business, in return for a share of that business.
about Corporate Venture Capital
Purpose of finance Acquisition, research and development
Amount of finance £1m+, depending on business
Duration of finance 3-5 years
Cost of finance None
Time to finance 6-12 months
About your business
Business stage Any
Annual turnover Depends on the business
Sectors All
Regions All
EXPANSION CAPITAL
Equity
Expansion Capital firms give established businesses money to grow and reach maturity.

Expansion Capital

Expansion Capital - Investors like

Post revenue, profitable and growing businesses with a turnover typically between £5m and £50m. Businesses need to be willing to give up a stake in the business in exchange for finance.

Expansion Capital - You're looking for

Between £2m to £20m, depending on the shareholding you’re offering, to create new products, enter new markets, acquire other businesses or invest in new systems or equipment to drive growth.

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Expansion Capital
Equity
Expansion Capital firms give established businesses money to grow and reach maturity.
about Expansion Capital
Purpose of finance Create new products, enter new markets, acquire other businesses or invest in new systems and equipment to drive growth
Amount of finance £2m-£20m (depending on % shareholding acquired and value of company)
Duration of finance 3-5 years
Cost of finance Due diligence and legal fees will apply. If you appoint an advisor, they will expect a retainer fee
Time to finance Minimum of 3 months but can be up to a year
About your business
Business stage Post-revenue, profitable and growing
Annual turnover £5m-£100m
Sectors All
Regions All
ANGEL INVESTMENT
Equity
Angel Investors act as mentors and invest their own money in early-stage businesses for a share in the company.

Angel Investment

Angel Investment - Investors like

Early-stage businesses with a turnover of less than £5m. They invest in any sector but like businesses with a scalable business proposition.

Angel Investment - You're looking for

Between £15,000 and £500,000 within two to six months from a single Angel for working capital, product development, entry into new markets, to build teams or increase sales. Large Syndicates may offer up to £2m.

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Angel Investment
Equity
Angel Investors act as mentors and invest their own money in early-stage businesses for a share in the company.
about Angel Investment
Purpose of finance Working capital, product development, entry into new markets, build teams, increase sales
Amount of finance Usually £15k-£500k, but large Syndicates may offer up to £2m
Duration of finance Typically 3-8 years
Cost of finance None
Time to finance 2-6 months
About your business
Business stage Generally early stage, pre-revenue or pre-profit
Annual turnover Less than £5m
Sectors All sectors, but especially suitable for companies with a scalable business proposition
Regions All regions
VENTURE CAPITAL
Equity
Venture Capital invests in businesses with high growth potential, often after Angel investors have got the business started.

Venture Capital

Venture Capital - Investors like

Early stage businesses, regardless of whether they have made a profit or revenue, with an annual turnover of less than £3m.

Venture Capital - You're looking for

Significant growth and £1m+ of finance within six to 12 months with the option for multiple funding rounds.

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Venture Capital
Equity
Venture Capital invests in businesses with high growth potential, often after Angel investors have got the business started.
about Venture Capital
Purpose of finance Acquisition; research and development
Amount of finance £1m+, depending on funding round
Duration of finance 5-10 years
Cost of finance None
Time to finance 6-12 months
About your business
Business stage Early stage; no revenue or profit needed
Annual turnover Depends on the business, but is often below £3m
Sectors All
Regions All
EQUITY CROWDFUNDING
Equity
Using an online platform, investors buy shares in a company to help it grow.

Equity Crowdfunding

Equity Crowdfunding - Investors like

Businesses of any size who sell their product or service in a compelling way on Crowdfunding platforms.

Equity Crowdfunding - You're looking for

Either large or small sums of finance to create new products, for acquisition, to develop products, fulfil projects or enter into new markets.

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Equity Crowdfunding
Equity
Using an online platform, investors buy shares in a company to help it grow.
about Equity Crowdfunding
Purpose of finance Creating new products, acquisition finance, product development, project fulfilment, entry into new markets
Amount of finance Up to £4.3m without a prospectus, higher with a prospectus
Duration of finance Dependent on the business being funded
Cost of finance This is platform specific. Platforms often charge a success fee (usually a percentage of the amount raised) with a listing fee. Others will charge a percentage of profit
Time to finance Once your documents are in order, it can take as little as a month
About your business
Business stage Pre-revenue through to more established businesses
Annual turnover Any
Sectors Any
Regions Any
PRIVATE EQUITY
Equity
Private Equity firms invest in established businesses in return for a large or controlling stake, to help them grow to the next level.

Private Equity

Private Equity - Investors like

Mature, growing and profitable business with an annual turnover typically between £10m and £100m.

Private Equity - You're looking for

Finance in the region of £10m to £50m to shake up your business through management buy-outs, acquisition, product development or entry into new markets.

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Private Equity
Equity
Private Equity firms invest in established businesses in return for a large or controlling stake, to help them grow to the next level.
about Private Equity
Purpose of finance Change in shareholder ownership, management buy-outs, acquisition, product development, entry into new markets
Amount of finance £10m-£50m
Duration of finance 3-5 years
Cost of finance Monitoring and director fees; loan note interest
Time to finance Minimum of 3 months but can take up to a year
About your business
Business stage Mature and growing; profitable
Annual turnover £10m-£100m
Sectors All sectors
Regions All
IPO
Equity
An IPO (or Initial Public Offering) is when a business sells shares via the public markets, such as the Main Market or AIM operated by the London Stock Exchange.

IPO

IPO - Investors like

Established and growing businesses, with predictable revenues and a proven track record. Smaller companies, including those who are pre-revenue, can also be attractive depending on the proposition.

IPO - You're looking for

Unlimited equity capital. Up to £200m on AIM or even larger sums on the Main Market and exposure to a wider pool of investors.

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IPO
Equity
An IPO (or Initial Public Offering) is when a business sells shares via the public markets, such as the Main Market or AIM operated by the London Stock Exchange.
about IPO
Purpose of finance Acquisition, product development, new markets
Amount of finance Up to £50m on AIM; unlimited on the Main Market
Duration of finance 10 years +
Cost of finance You will need to appoint an accountant, a law firm and usually a PR firm. Assume this will cost 8% of the amount you hope to raise
Time to finance IPO processes takes 10-12 weeks; but planning and negotiations can take 12-18 months
About your business
Business stage Established and growing
Annual turnover Over £5m; this does not apply to healthcare businesses
Sectors All sectors; healthcare and tech may be able to list earlier in their lifecycle than other sectors
Regions All

Debt: Get a loan

OVERDRAFT
Equity
Businesses can borrow money on demand up to the limit of their overdraft. Overdrafts can be expensive, but a business will only pay interest on the amount they actually borrow.

Overdraft

Overdraft - Lenders like

Established businesses with assets and a trading history.

Overdraft - You're looking for

Short-term working capital, quickly.

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Overdraft
Equity
Businesses can borrow money on demand up to the limit of their overdraft. Overdrafts can be expensive, but a business will only pay interest on the amount they actually borrow.
About your business
Business stage Established with assets and a trading history
Annual turnover Any
Sectors Any
Regions Any
BUSINESS LOANS
Equity
A business borrows money from a loan provider such as a bank and then pays it back with interest over an agreed period.

Business Loans

Business Loans - Lenders like

Businesses with assets and a trading history that meet their eligibility criteria.

Business Loans - You're looking for

Finance quickly, with decisions on applications made quickly.

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Business Loans
Equity
A business borrows money from a loan provider such as a bank and then pays it back with interest over an agreed period.
About your business
Business stage Established with assets and a trading history
Annual turnover Any
Sectors Any
Regions Any
START UP LOAN
Equity
A government-backed loan that helps people who are starting their own business.

Start Up Loan

Start Up Loan - Providers like

Businesses within the first two years of trading or that have yet to start.

Start Up Loan - You're looking for

Up to £25,000 unsecured loans to help start or grow your business.

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Start Up Loan
Equity
A government-backed loan that helps people who are starting their own business.
About your business
Business stage Yet to start or trading for less than two years
Annual turnover Any
Sectors Some exclusions apply (see <a href='https://www.startuploans.co.uk/am-i-eligible/' target='_blank'>here</a>)
Regions Any
ASSET-BASED LENDING
Equity
A business secures finance against its existing assets; these can include invoices and also machinery, property and even intangible assets such as IP.

Asset-Based Lending

Asset-Based Lending - Lenders like

Established businesses with assets and a trading history.

Asset-Based Lending - You're looking to

Raise finance from untapped assets on your balance sheet.

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Asset-Based Lending
Equity
A business secures finance against its existing assets; these can include invoices and also machinery, property and even intangible assets such as IP.
About your business
Business stage Established with assets and a trading history
Annual turnover Variable – dependant on asset values
Sectors Any
Regions Any
INVOICE FINANCE
Equity
Businesses sell or borrow against their unpaid invoices, giving them access to the money before the invoices are paid.

Invoice finance

Invoice finance - Providers like

Businesses of all sizes and stage of growth with invoices.

Invoice finance - You're looking to

Capitalise on an untapped asset on your balance sheet to raise finance quickly.

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Invoice finance
Equity
Businesses sell or borrow against their unpaid invoices, giving them access to the money before the invoices are paid.
About your business
Business stage Any but must have invoices
Annual turnover Any
Sectors Any
Regions Any
PEER-TO-PEER LENDING
Equity
A business borrows money through an online platform and pays it back with interest over an agreed period.

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-Peer Lending - Lenders like

Businesses with a trading history that meet the eligibility criteria of the platform you choose.

Peer-to-Peer Lending - You're looking to

Get a loan quickly and maintain full control of your business.

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Peer-to-Peer Lending
Equity
A business borrows money through an online platform and pays it back with interest over an agreed period.
About your business
Business stage Established with a trading history
Annual turnover Any
Sectors Any
Regions Any
DIRECT LENDING FUND
Equity
A business borrows money from a fund and repays it with interest. A fund may be able to provide loans where a bank will not.

Direct Lending Fund

Direct Lending Fund - Lenders like

Businesses with assets to use as security against lending.

Direct Lending Fund - You're looking to

Flexible and tailored loans and to maintain full control of your business.

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Direct Lending Fund
Equity
A business borrows money from a fund and repays it with interest. A fund may be able to provide loans where a bank will not.
About your business
Business stage Established with assets and a trading history
Annual turnover Any
Sectors Any
Regions Any
LEASING & HIRE PURCHASE
Equity
A business can use Leasing and Hire Purchase to buy specific assets, like vehicles, machinery or other equipment.

Leasing & Hire Purchase

Leasing & Hire Purchase - Providers like

Businesses at all stages who can demonstrate their ability to fund payments.

Leasing & Hire Purchase - You're looking to

Get finance to acquire equipment, machinery and vehicles without putting a strain on your working capital.

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Leasing & Hire Purchase
Equity
A business can use Leasing and Hire Purchase to buy specific assets, like vehicles, machinery or other equipment.
About your business
Business stage Early stage to established with a trading history
Annual turnover Any
Sectors Any
Regions Any
EXPORT FINANCE
Equity
Businesses can get guarantees and protection against late and non-payment by their customers to reduce risk of selling overseas and help fulfil their contracts.

Export Finance

Export Finance - You need to be

Looking for finance to help you sell your product or service overseas.

Export Finance - You're looking to

Grow your customer base internationally and need finance to enable you to do so.

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Export Finance
Equity
Businesses can get guarantees and protection against late and non-payment by their customers to reduce risk of selling overseas and help fulfil their contracts.
About your business
Business stage Established with assets and a trading history
Annual turnover Any
Sectors Any
Regions Any

Other options

GRANT
Equity
A Grant is a non-repayable type of funding, usually awarded by governments, organisations or companies to invest in certain assets or activities, or to help a business achieve a particular goal.

Grant

Grant - Providers like

Businesses and products that meet the eligibility criteria for their Grants, whether that’s region, sector or focus based.

Grant - You're looking to

Benefit from finance without giving up a stake in your company or repaying the support you are provided.

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Grant
Equity
A Grant is a non-repayable type of funding, usually awarded by governments, organisations or companies to invest in certain assets or activities, or to help a business achieve a particular goal.
About your business
Business stage Any
Annual turnover Any
Sectors Any
Regions Any