Startups Articles

Expert articles and practical legal guides on startups for uk businesses.

FCA Regulated Activities: Do Startups And SMEs Need Authorisation?

FCA Regulated Activities: Do Startups And SMEs Need Authorisation?

If you’re building a startup or running an SME, it’s normal to want to move fast - ship the product, sign customers, and start generating revenue. But if your business touches payments,...

19 February 2026
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EMI Scheme Disadvantages In The UK: Key Risks And Drawbacks

EMI Scheme Disadvantages In The UK: Key Risks And Drawbacks

If you’re building a UK startup or growing an SME, you’ve probably heard that EMI options are the “gold standard” for rewarding and retaining key hires without burning precious cash. And they...

18 February 2026
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How To Protect Intellectual Property In Your UK Startup Or Small Business

How To Protect Intellectual Property In Your UK Startup Or Small Business

When you’re building a startup or small business, your “big value” often isn’t your laptop, your stock, or even your office space. It’s your ideas, your brand, your content, your product designs,...

18 February 2026
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What Is A Company Owner Called In The UK?

What Is A Company Owner Called In The UK?

If you’re building (or buying) a business, you’ll often hear people say “the company owner” as if it’s one simple role. In UK law, it’s usually not that simple. The “company owner”...

18 February 2026
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Why Corporate Governance Matters For UK SMEs And Startups

Why Corporate Governance Matters For UK SMEs And Startups

If you’re running a UK SME or startup, “corporate governance” can sound like something only big listed companies worry about. But in practice, good governance is simply the way you make decisions,...

18 February 2026
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Assignment vs Novation: Key Differences and When to Use Each in the UK

Assignment vs Novation: Key Differences and When to Use Each in the UK

If you run a small business, you’ll eventually hit a moment where a contract needs to “move” from one party to another. Maybe you’re selling part of your business, switching suppliers, refinancing,...

18 February 2026
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Commercial Loan Refinance: Key Legal Considerations For SMEs And Startups

Commercial Loan Refinance: Key Legal Considerations For SMEs And Startups

Refinancing a business loan can feel like a simple “swap the old loan for a new one” exercise. But when you’re running an SME or scaling a startup, commercial loan refinancing in...

18 February 2026
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Business Lawyer London: Costs, Contracts And Compliance For SMEs And Startups

Business Lawyer London: Costs, Contracts And Compliance For SMEs And Startups

If you’re running a small business or startup in London, you’ll know the pace can be intense. Deals move quickly, suppliers change terms at the last minute, new hires start “next week”,...

18 February 2026
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Commercial Contracts Law In The UK: A Practical Guide For SMEs And Startups

Commercial Contracts Law In The UK: A Practical Guide For SMEs And Startups

If you’re running a small business or startup, contracts are part of your day-to-day reality - onboarding customers, paying suppliers, hiring contractors, partnering with another founder, or signing up to a SaaS...

18 February 2026
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What Is an LTIP? Long-Term Incentive Plans in the UK

What Is an LTIP? Long-Term Incentive Plans in the UK

If you’re building a growing business, you’ve probably hit the point where salary alone doesn’t feel like enough to attract (and keep) the people who’ll help you scale. That’s where long-term incentives...

18 February 2026
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UK Company Owners: Legal Responsibilities, Liabilities And Key Documents

UK Company Owners: Legal Responsibilities, Liabilities And Key Documents

When you’re running a small business, it’s easy to say “I’m the owner” and move on. But in UK law, what it means to be the owner of a company depends on...

18 February 2026
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Consequential Damages Explained: What to Know Before Signing a Contract

Consequential Damages Explained: What to Know Before Signing a Contract

If you’re signing supplier terms, a client services agreement, a SaaS contract, or even a simple purchase order, there’s a good chance you’ll see wording about consequential damages. It often appears in...

18 February 2026
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How To Choose a UK Trademark Registration Service

How To Choose a UK Trademark Registration Service

If you’ve put time (and money) into building your brand, it’s completely normal to want to protect it before someone else starts using something similar. That’s where a trademark registration service can...

17 February 2026
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Employee Share Plans In The UK: A Practical Guide For Startups And SMEs

Employee Share Plans In The UK: A Practical Guide For Startups And SMEs

If you’re building a startup or growing an SME, there’s a good chance you’ve thought about offering equity at some point. Maybe you’re trying to hire great people before you can afford...

17 February 2026
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Long-Term Finance Options For UK SMEs And Startups: Key Legal Terms

Long-Term Finance Options For UK SMEs And Startups: Key Legal Terms

When you’re building a business, cashflow is only part of the story. If you’re hiring, buying equipment, moving into a bigger premises, developing a product, or planning a proper growth push, you’ll...

17 February 2026
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Minority Shareholder Rights In The UK: How To Protect Your Stake

Minority Shareholder Rights In The UK: How To Protect Your Stake

If you run a startup or SME, bringing in investors, advisors, friends-and-family funding, or key employees can be a great growth move. But there’s a common (and very fixable) risk: you end...

17 February 2026
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How To Start An Event Planning Business In The UK: Legal Essentials

How To Start An Event Planning Business In The UK: Legal Essentials

Starting an event planning business can be an exciting way to turn organisation skills, creativity and people-management into a profitable service. But before you book your first venue walkthrough or quote your...

17 February 2026
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How To Choose Business Solicitors In London For SMEs And Startups

How To Choose Business Solicitors In London For SMEs And Startups

If you’re building a startup or running an SME in the capital, you’re probably juggling a hundred moving parts at once - funding, hiring, sales, operations, and growth. It’s easy for legal...

17 February 2026
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How To Incorporate A New Company In The UK: Step-By-Step Guide

How To Incorporate A New Company In The UK: Step-By-Step Guide

When you’re ready to take your business idea seriously, choosing to incorporate a new company can be a big milestone. For many startups and SMEs, incorporation isn’t just a “paperwork” task -...

17 February 2026
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What Is a General Partnership in the UK? Key Risks and Setup Steps

What Is a General Partnership in the UK? Key Risks and Setup Steps

If you’re building a business with one or more co-founders, it’s completely normal to look for the simplest way to get started. For many UK small businesses, that “simple start” ends up...

17 February 2026
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Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV): What It Is, Why Use One, And How To Set Up

Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV): What It Is, Why Use One, And How To Set Up

If you’ve ever looked at buying a property through a separate company, raising investment for a specific project, or ring-fencing risk from your main trading business, you’ve probably come across the idea...

16 February 2026
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Corporate Governance Law In The UK: Practical SME Guide

Corporate Governance Law In The UK: Practical SME Guide

When you’re running a small business or scaling a startup, corporate governance can sound like something that only matters to huge listed companies with boards, committees and lots of paperwork. But in...

16 February 2026
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Commercial Lawyer Near Me: How UK SMEs Choose The Right Legal Support

Commercial Lawyer Near Me: How UK SMEs Choose The Right Legal Support

If you’ve ever typed “commercial lawyer near me” into Google, you’re not alone. Most small business owners only start searching when something feels urgent - a customer dispute, a supplier problem, a...

16 February 2026
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UK Shareholder Agreement Template: Key Clauses And Common Pitfalls

UK Shareholder Agreement Template: Key Clauses And Common Pitfalls

If you’re building a UK company with more than one shareholder (or you’re about to bring in investors), it’s completely normal to search for a shareholder agreement template in the UK to...

16 February 2026
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