Startups Articles

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

Joint Venture Contracts: Key Terms, Risks And Drafting Tips

Joint Venture Contracts: Key Terms, Risks And Drafting Tips

If you’ve found a business partner who has the skills, contacts, technology, or capital you’re missing, a joint venture can be a smart way to grow faster (without giving up full control...

7 April 2026
Read more
How To Protect Your Business Name In The UK: Trademarks & Companies House

How To Protect Your Business Name In The UK: Trademarks & Companies House

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how to protect your business name in the UK, you’re already asking the right question. Your business name isn’t just a label - it’s brand value....

6 April 2026
Read more
What Is A Registered Design? Protecting Your Product’s Look

What Is A Registered Design? Protecting Your Product’s Look

If you’re building a product-based business, chances are you’ve spent a lot of time (and money) getting the look of your product just right. Maybe it’s a sleek piece of packaging that...

6 April 2026
Read more
IP Agreements: Key Clauses And Why Your Business Needs One

IP Agreements: Key Clauses And Why Your Business Needs One

If your business creates anything valuable - a brand name, a logo, code, designs, content, product formulas, training materials, databases, or even a distinctive process - you’ve got intellectual property (IP). The...

6 April 2026
Read more
What Is A Deed In UK Business Law?

What Is A Deed In UK Business Law?

If you’re running a startup or SME, you’ll probably sign plenty of contracts. Most of the time, a standard written agreement does the job. But there are certain situations where a normal...

6 April 2026
Read more
Governing Law And Jurisdiction Clauses In UK Contracts: How To Choose

Governing Law And Jurisdiction Clauses In UK Contracts: How To Choose

When you’re running a small business, contracts are meant to make life easier - not create a legal headache if something goes wrong. One of the most overlooked parts of a contract...

6 April 2026
Read more
Shareholders’ Agreement Template: Key Clauses And How To Customise It

Shareholders’ Agreement Template: Key Clauses And How To Customise It

If you’re running a UK limited company with more than one shareholder (or you’re about to bring in a co-founder, investor, friend, or family member), it’s only a matter of time before...

6 April 2026
Read more
Intellectual Property Risks For UK Startups And SMEs: How To Protect Your Business

Intellectual Property Risks For UK Startups And SMEs: How To Protect Your Business

When you’re building a startup or growing an SME, your “value” often isn’t just your stock, your equipment, or even your cashflow. It’s the things you can’t physically touch: your brand name,...

6 April 2026
Read more
ASA Agreements: What Startups And SMEs Need To Know In The UK

ASA Agreements: What Startups And SMEs Need To Know In The UK

If you’re raising money for your startup or scaling SME, you’ll quickly realise that “getting investment in” is only half the job. The other half is making sure the deal is structured...

6 April 2026
Read more
Venture Capital Funding: Internal vs External Options for UK Startups

Venture Capital Funding: Internal vs External Options for UK Startups

If you’re building a startup, money is rarely the only problem you’re solving - but it’s usually the one that determines how fast you can move. At some point, you’ll likely face...

6 April 2026
Read more
B2B Contracts: Key Clauses, Risks And Legal Essentials In The UK

B2B Contracts: Key Clauses, Risks And Legal Essentials In The UK

If you run a small business, chances are you’re doing B2B business every week - signing up new suppliers, onboarding service providers, working with distributors, or taking on commercial clients. And while...

6 April 2026
Read more
Directors And Shareholders In A Private Limited Company: Roles, Duties And Risks

Directors And Shareholders In A Private Limited Company: Roles, Duties And Risks

If you run a UK limited company (or you’re about to set one up), there’s a good chance you’re wearing more than one hat. Many founders are both a director and a...

5 April 2026
Read more
How To Find A Cheap Lawyer Without Compromising On Quality

How To Find A Cheap Lawyer Without Compromising On Quality

If you’re running a small business or building a startup, legal costs can feel like one more line item you can’t justify yet. At the same time, you already know what happens...

5 April 2026
Read more
What Are Investors? Types, Rights And Key Legal Documents

What Are Investors? Types, Rights And Key Legal Documents

If you’re growing a business, chances are you’ll hit a point where you need more than grit and good cashflow to reach the next stage. That’s where funding comes in - and...

5 April 2026
Read more
Promissory Note Template (UK): Example And Key Clauses To Include

Promissory Note Template (UK): Example And Key Clauses To Include

If you’re lending money to another business (or borrowing money to keep cash flow moving), it’s easy to want something quick in writing to confirm what’s been agreed. That’s where a promissory...

5 April 2026
Read more
UK Design Patents: How Startups Can Protect Product Designs

UK Design Patents: How Startups Can Protect Product Designs

If you’ve built a product with a distinctive look - whether it’s packaging, a physical product shape, a user interface, or even a pattern - you’ve probably asked the question that comes...

5 April 2026
Read more
UK Directors’ Conflicts of Interest: What You Must Disclose and Manage

UK Directors’ Conflicts of Interest: What You Must Disclose and Manage

If you run a small company, it’s completely normal to wear multiple hats. You might be a director, a shareholder, a supplier, and the person who “knows a guy” for everything from...

4 April 2026
Read more
Parent Company vs Subsidiary: Key Legal Differences In the UK

Parent Company vs Subsidiary: Key Legal Differences In the UK

If you’re growing fast, raising investment, launching new product lines, or expanding into new markets, it’s common to start thinking about setting up more than one company. That’s where a parent company...

4 April 2026
Read more
Trademark vs Registered Trademark: What’s the Difference?

Trademark vs Registered Trademark: What’s the Difference?

If you’ve started building a brand - a name, logo, slogan, or even a product line that customers recognise - you’ve probably come across trade marks pretty quickly. And then comes the...

4 April 2026
Read more
Free Business Partnership Agreement Template (UK): Key Clauses & Common Pitfalls

Free Business Partnership Agreement Template (UK): Key Clauses & Common Pitfalls

If you’re going into business with someone else, it’s easy to assume you’re “on the same page” because you trust each other (especially if it’s a friend, spouse, or long-time colleague). But...

4 April 2026
Read more
Title Deed vs Agreement: Key Differences for UK Businesses

Title Deed vs Agreement: Key Differences for UK Businesses

If you run a small business, it’s only a matter of time before someone asks you to “sign an agreement” or “sign a deed”. At first glance, they can look pretty similar:...

4 April 2026
Read more
Special Notice To Remove A Director In The UK: Requirements, Process & Pitfalls

Special Notice To Remove A Director In The UK: Requirements, Process & Pitfalls

If you co-own a company, director fallouts can get messy fast. Maybe the business has outgrown one director’s involvement, there’s a breakdown in trust, or you’ve discovered conduct that’s putting the company...

4 April 2026
Read more
Business Agreement Template: What To Include And When To Use It

Business Agreement Template: What To Include And When To Use It

If you’re running a small business, it’s only a matter of time before someone asks you to “just send over an agreement”. Maybe it’s a new client. A supplier. A freelancer you...

4 April 2026
Read more
Can You Copyright a Computer Program Algorithm in the UK?

Can You Copyright a Computer Program Algorithm in the UK?

If your business is building software, chances are you’ve had this exact thought at some point: you’ve spent months (and a lot of budget) developing a clever algorithm, and now you want...

4 April 2026
Read more
Need support?

Need help with your business legals?

Speak with Sprintlaw to get practical legal support and fixed-fee options tailored to your business.