How to kiss frogs and raise investment (or how to network with investors)

A practical guide to networking with investors Raising investment for your start-up or small business is not easy. It doesn’t matter whether you are raising investment via crowdfunding, through business angels or venture capital, the key to success is your ability to network with investors. In this blog start-up founders share their advice on investor […]

How to get investors “on the hook”

How to get investors on the hook April 2019 600

Your business needs investment. You are out there networking and pitching like crazy but despite your best efforts investors remain elusive. It’s a familiar story. How do you get investors “on the hook”? The Allbright Academy which supports female entrepreneurs, approached Hatty Fawcett, Founder of Focused For Business and an AllBright Academy Ambassador, to ask […]

Crowdfunding is booming – but it’s changing too

Back in 2016 there was a slight dip in the number of crowdfunding deals causing speculation as to whether crowdfunding was plateauing as a route to investment. However, according to recent research from Beauhurst, the sector has “bounced back” in 2017 – particularly in the final quarter of 2017. Looking at the investment sector as […]

Changes to SEIS Advanced Assurance Scheme

In January HMRC announced changes to the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and will no longer provide advanced assurance that a company qualifies for either scheme on a speculative basis. It is now necessary for any company applying for advance assurance to name at least one investor or fund […]

New crowdfunding regulation could make it harder to get accepted onto a crowdfunding platform

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) which regulates both peer-to-peer lenders and equity crowdfunding platforms has announced that it plans to introduce more regulation to protect potential investors and help them understand the risks of investing via crowdfunding. Areas likely to come under scrutiny include: more prescriptive requirements on the content and timing of disclosures better management […]

“Crowdfunding enabled us to turn a shared vision into a tangible financial commitment” says Robert Woodford, Marketing Director for Deep Time Walk

Robert Woodford from vision to financial commitment website

Schumacher College in Dartington, South Devon seeks to inspire, challenge and question people as co-inhabitants of the world. They are an international centre for nature-based education, personal transformation and collective action. They offer a range of residential courses on ecological themes and transformative courses for sustainable living. A number of co-creators from the college developed […]

Crowdfunding Success: “Momentum is the key to crowdfunding success” says Peter Ramsey, founder of Movem

Picture of Hatty Fawcett

Movem, the online community marketplace for landlords, agencies and tenants to list and review rental properties, raised £200,000 on crowdfunding site Crowdcube in just ten days (in August 2016). The investment allows Movem to expand into the residential lettings market, growing the business significantly. Hatty Fawcett, experienced crowdfunder and Founder of Focused For Business and […]