Getting Finance Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on getting finance for uk businesses.

SAFE Notes for UK Startups: Key Terms and Pitfalls for Founders
A safe note can be a fast way for UK startups to raise early funding, but the terms can affect dilution, investor rights and your next round. Here is what

Term Sheet vs Shareholders Agreement "What's The Difference" (2026 Updated)
If you're raising investment, bringing on a co-founder, or just trying to formalise who owns what in your company, you'll usually hear two documents mentioned early on: a term sheet and a...

Raising Capital From Friends And Family ? How To Do It Right (2026 Updated)
When you're building a startup or scaling a small business, it's completely normal to look first at the people who already believe in you. Friends and family funding can be fast, flexible...

Can You Accept Investment Before Your Shareholders Agreement Is Ready?
Can you take investment before your Shareholders Agreement is signed? Yes, but only if the right funding documents and company approvals are already in place.

What Is A Shareholders Agreement? (2026 Updated)
If you're building a UK company with one or more co-founders, investors, friends, or family members, it's easy to focus on the exciting parts first: product, customers, growth, funding. But when you're...

Founder Secondary Sales in the UK: Legal Issues for Startups and Shareholders
A founder secondary sale can create liquidity for founders, but it also raises real legal issues around transfer restrictions, investor consents

SAFE Notes and Cap Table Impact for UK Startup Founders
A SAFE can be a fast way to raise early-stage funding, but it can also create cap table confusion if founders do not model conversion properly. This guide

What Is A Share Subscription Letter And When Do I Need It? (2026 Updated)
If you're raising money for your company, bringing on a co-founder, or issuing shares to an early supporter, the paperwork can feel surprisingly "corporate" for what might be a small and fast-moving...

Bounce Back Loan Write-Off in the UK: What You Can and Can't Do (2026 Updated)
If you took out a Bounce Back Loan (BBL) during the pandemic, you're not alone. For many small businesses, it was the difference between shutting the doors and staying afloat. Fast forward...

Capital Raise Board Consents in the UK: What Founders Need to Approve
Raising investment in the UK is not just about signing a term sheet. This guide explains the board consents, shareholder approvals and practical corporate

The Difference Between A Promissory Note And A Loan Agreement (2026 Updated)
If you're lending money to (or borrowing money from) another business or individual, it's tempting to think a quick written IOU is enough. But when payment is late (or never arrives), the...

Bank Guarantees in the UK: Risks and How They Work
A bank guarantee can unlock leases, supply contracts and major projects, but the wrong wording can expose your business to serious risk. This guide

What Happens During The IPO Process? (2026 Updated)
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Vendor Finance Interest Rates
Vendor finance can bridge the gap in a business sale, but the interest rate is only part of the picture. This guide explains how UK businesses can

SAFE Notes in the UK: Key Terms and Risks for Startup Founders
A SAFE note can speed up early-stage fundraising, but UK founders need to understand how conversion terms, valuation caps, discounts and investor rights

What Actually Happens in a Startup Legal Due Diligence Process
Think investors only care about your pitch? Startup legal due diligence can make or break a deal before funding even lands.

5 Legal Risks That Quietly Scare Away UK Investors
Could hidden legal issues be killing your funding round before it starts? These five risks can quietly reduce valuation or send UK investors walking away.

Legal Advice On Whether To Lend Money To A Friend's Business (2026 Updated)
Lending money to a friend's business can feel like a great way to back someone you believe in - and in plenty of cases, it works out well for everyone. But mixing...

VC Assumptions Explained: What Founders Need To Know
If you’re building a startup and thinking about raising investment, it can feel like VCs speak a different language. You’ll hear things like “standard terms”, “market”, “founder-friendly”, “we assume you’ve got the...

Future Fund Convertible Loan Agreements for UK Startups
If you ran a UK startup during the pandemic, there’s a good chance you came across the UK Government’s “Future Fund” scheme and the idea of using a convertible loan note. Convertible...

UK Limited Partnerships: How They Work, Legal Requirements & Uses
If you’re weighing up business structures and you’ve come across searches for limited partnerships in the UK , you’re not alone. A limited partnership can be a really useful option when you...

UK Seed Funding Rounds: What Founders Must Know Before Raising Capital
Raising money can feel like a huge milestone - and it is. But seed funding rounds also have a habit of moving fast, with founders juggling pitch decks, investor calls, product timelines,...

Investor Contract Essentials: Key Terms, Pitfalls And How To Protect Your Startup
Raising money is exciting. It can also feel like you’ve suddenly been dropped into a world of term sheets, cap tables, “standard” clauses and documents you’re expected to sign quickly. If you’re...

Public Limited Company (PLC): Characteristics, Requirements & Pros and Cons
If you’re growing quickly (or planning to), you’ve probably heard that a public limited company (PLC) can be the “next level” corporate structure. But a PLC isn’t just a bigger version of...
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