Looking for funding? Here’s your step-by-step guide to finding startup investors
Starting a business is exhilarating, but finding the startup funding to fuel your dreams can be a daunting task. Not only will you have to prepare your business by becoming “investment ready” but you will also need to find startup investors. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essentials, focusing on equity funding – […]
Startup funding: A guide to navigating the funding journey
One of the most frequent questions we are asked is “What’s the best way to fund my startup?” Startup funding doesn’t have to mean equity funding. There are other options – but all too often they don’t get a look in. So many founders automatically assume angel investment or Venture Capital funding are the only […]
Dorset LEP announces Funding Accelerator support for Dorset businesses
Dorset LEP announces Funding Accelerator support for Dorset businesses and is calling on local businesses, that are looking to raise equity investment, to get in touch. The LEP is partnering with Dorset-based funding specialist, Focused For Business, to offer heavily subsidised places on their Funding Accelerator programme starting in January 2024. The tailored 3-month online […]
What being a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards has taught me
My weak spot is I don’t like talking about my achievements. I think it dates back to my childhood when I was told not to boost. I’ve taken that to mean it’s wrong to talk (even factually, not boastfully) about what we have achieved. In most cases this probably doesn’t matter. But, when you run […]
Choose your startup co-founder wisely
So you’ve had a light-bulb moment, a world-changing idea – you’re excited and want to share it with the world. But where do you start? With a bombardment of advice, opinions and knowledge at your fingertips, it’s easy to feel confused. It’s no wonder so many startups falter at the starting line. We asked Guy […]
“What’s the best way to fund my business?”: Ten founders give the lowdown on the best way to fund your business
One of the fundamental questions, and perhaps the most frequently asked when it comes to business growth, is “What’s the best way to fund my business?” We asked ten founders who have raised investment for their businesses to share the pros and cons of different funding options. A quick question to ask, but a complex […]
3 Things Investors Look for in a Financial Forecast: The Perfect Blend
Much like brewing a delicious cup of coffee, a compelling financial forecast for investors requires a complex blend of data, strategy, and storytelling. It’s more than just numbers; it’s about creating a compelling narrative that showcases not only where a company stands but also where it’s headed and how it plans to get there. We […]
How equity investors can better support underrepresented founders
Raising equity investment is a challenge for any startup, but especially for underrepresented founders. They don’t just face “the usual” questions about their business, their growth plans and valuation, the process by which founders pitch to investors is loaded against them. We’ve written about the underlying research and issues before but Hatty Fawcett (Focused For […]
Raising investment in difficult economic times
It’s tough raising investment right now. There are fewer investors and the amounts being invested are smaller. How should startups respond if they still need to raise investment? There’s a saying, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”. The sentiment of perseverance is positive – you need a good dose of that as […]
