Resources

Following the launch of The UK ScaleUp Investment Report, it is clear that while £17 billion was invested in innovative UK companies in 2025, accessing capital is still one of the biggest barriers faced by scaleups. For founders preparing to navigate the investment landscape in 2026, the report highlights several specific realities. Below we recap the key implications for founders raising this year. 1. The "ScaleUp Gap" is a precision task While around 6,000 companies raised

For any UK scaleup that has crossed the £1m ARR threshold, the fundraising environment for Series A and B has fundamentally shifted. It is no longer enough to sell a vision of what might be; institutional investors now demand a rigorous demonstration of what is. At the recent UK ScaleUp Investment Summit, Rashesh Joshi, Managing Director of Alexander Rosse, delivered a keynote that challenged founders to look beyond their financial models. His core message was clear: investor

Last week, we launched The UK ScaleUp Investment Report  at the inaugural UK ScaleUp Investment Summit. This report comes at a time when the UK has an unprecedented opportunity to build world-leading businesses, yet faces significant "disconnects" in the funding landscape. As catalysts of the UK ScaleUp Investment Mission, we have participated in over 75 Government meetings to help determine opportunities to improve the investment landscape. This report is the culmination of

A capitalisation table, or cap table, is one of the key sources of truth for your company’s ownership structure.  At its simplest, it should tell you who owns how many shares, what class those shares are, and what percentage in the company those shares represent. Properly maintaining your cap table will give you and your investors a clear picture of your ownership and equity structure, making fundraising easier and helping to prevent any unwelcome surprises.  Your investors w

As your company prepares to raise venture capital, the legal foundations you put in place become as critical as your pitch. Investors aren’t just assessing your growth story - they’re assessing your structure, your documentation, and your ability to scale without friction. Clean ownership, protected IP, and coherent governance all become core to valuation, negotiation speed, and investor trust. Polly Mears, Associate in Lewis Silkin’s Venture Capital team, shares practical gu

Successfully exiting a business isn't a sudden event; it's the culmination of processes you put in place from day one. Our recent panel, "Investment to Exit: What Moves The Dial For Investors & Acquirers," brought together perspectives from a serial acquirer (Sage), a VC/PE fund (Foresight), and an exit strategist (The Grafter). Here are the key things founders need to get right to make their business attractive to both investors and acquirers. 1. Don't Build Two Systems: Get

The latest VenturePath Venture Bulletin reveals a cooling in UK Series A activity, with both deal value and average round size slipping in Q3. According to our analysis, Series A deal volumes fell around 9% quarter-on-quarter, while the total amount invested dropped by roughly 15% - equating to £91m less capital deployed into scaling UK companies. The average deal size hit £4.44m, the lowest point this year. Year-to-date, the picture is flatter: total Series A investment stan

A conversation with Francis Ireland from Gresham House Ventures on what founders need to know about today's funding environment - from the death of "growth at all costs" to the metrics that actually matter now. Key Insights:   The Rule of 40 has replaced pure growth metrics as the gold standard. Financial projections that can't be justified will kill your deal. Don't fundraise until you've moved beyond founder-led sales. In this episode of VenturePath's VC Voice series, we si

At VenturePath, we're witnessing the familiar September surge - that post-summer rush where founders and investors scramble to close...

A conversation with Theo Wethered from Nauta, on the realities of raising VC funding - what to expect from the process, and how to run a successful campaign. Key Insights:  The most successful fundraisers may start planning a raise as long as 12 months before launch, with founders treating investor conversations like customer discovery. Building genuine partnerships matters more than optimising terms and valuation. For founders navigating their first VC funding round, the pro

New data reveals the stark reality facing UK scaleups as access to growth capital continues to contract The latest VenturePath Venture...

In recent months, headlines have raised questions about the future of scaleup funding in the UK. But behind the noise, one fact remains:...

As a founder, we know you are wearing many hats to keep the wheels turning in your business. Throw a fundraise into the mix, however, and...

When you’re in the midst of raising funds, your exit might seem far off and not at the forefront of your thoughts. A well-researched exit...

VC funding is a sought-after milestone for many founders. Unlike earlier stage investors such as angel investors, VCs require higher...

Consistency, scalability, momentum - these three things provide VCs with confidence when making an investment at Series A. Not only are...

Raising money through investment is HARD. Given the volume of founders investors meet along with your investment proposition, it’s a...

Scaling a tech business is never easy, especially when you have a strong plan, but you don’t have the necessary capital to execute your...