Raising Investment

Raising investment is where startups accelerate, or where they stall. The founders who close well in 2027 will be the ones who understand the legal, structural and strategic essentials before they enter a single investor meeting.

This free live webinar with Michael Buckworth, founder of Buckworths, gives UK founders the complete fundraising playbook. Sources of funding, cap tables, SEIS/EIS, valuation, term sheets, and the mistakes that kill rounds.

Why UK founders need a fundraising strategy, not just a pitch deck

Fundraising is not a single event. It is a project that combines commercial storytelling, legal preparation, financial modelling and investor relationship management. Founders who succeed treat all four seriously. Founders who focus only on the pitch deck struggle to close.

In this session, Michael Buckworth walks through what really goes into a successful UK startup fundraise: how to prepare your cap table, structure your legal documents, position your SEIS/EIS eligibility, negotiate a term sheet, and pick the right investors for your business.

How UK startups actually get funded in 2027

UK startups have six main sources of funding: angel investors, venture capital, friends and family, grants (like Innovate UK), venture debt and crowdfunding. Each has different characteristics, expectations and legal requirements.

Angels remain the most common source of pre-seed and seed capital in the UK, particularly for SEIS/EIS-eligible companies. VCs typically enter at seed or Series A, expect strong traction and negotiate more sophisticated term sheets. Michael will explain how to think about the right mix of funding for your stage and sector, and how to prepare the term sheet and shareholders’ agreement you will need at each stage.

About the speaker

Michael Buckworth is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales and one of the UK’s most experienced lawyers working with founders. Over 20+ years he has advised hundreds of UK start-ups and scale-ups on the legal decisions that shape their growth, from first incorporation through to exit.

He is the author of Built on Rock: The busy entrepreneur’s legal guide to start-up success, an Amazon Best Seller written for UK founders. Michael has served as “entrepreneur in residence” at London South Bank University and University College London, is a regular speaker at UK start-up and scale-up events, and has been quoted on start-up law in The Telegraph, The Daily Mail, The Independent and City AM.

About the host

Buckworths is the UK’s only law firm working exclusively with start-ups and scale-ups. From incorporation and SEIS/EIS advance assurance to seed and Series A rounds, EMI share option schemes, commercial contracts, employment law and successful exits, we support UK founders at every stage of the start-up and scale-up journey.

In the heart of London’s tech quarter, we work with UK founders across every sector, from AI and deep-tech to SaaS, consumer, healthtech and fintech. Book a free consultation with our start-up lawyers at buckworths.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can I raise as SEIS and EIS in the UK?

A company can raise up to £250,000 under SEIS in its lifetime and up to £12 million under EIS (higher limits apply for knowledge-intensive companies). Individual investors can invest up to £200,000 in SEIS and £1 million in EIS per tax year.

Do I need a lawyer for my first angel round?

Yes. Even simple angel rounds involve a subscription agreement, articles of association, shareholders’ agreement and potentially SEIS/EIS advance assurance. Getting these documents right at your first raise saves significant cost and complication at your Series A.

How do UK investors value early-stage startups?

UK investors use a combination of methods: comparables (what similar startups raised at), the Berkus method (assigning value to specific milestones), and increasingly a market-benchmarked pre-money valuation based on stage and sector.

What is the difference between a pre-money and post-money valuation?

Pre-money valuation is the value of the company immediately before the new investment. Post-money valuation is the pre-money plus the amount invested. If a UK startup has a £4m pre-money and raises £1m, the post-money is £5m and the investor owns 20%.

Should I use a SAFE or a priced round for my UK startup?

Priced rounds are more common in the UK than SAFEs, particularly because UK investors expect SEIS/EIS-eligible instruments. Advance Subscription Agreements (ASAs) are the UK’s SAFE-equivalent and are common at pre-seed.

What term sheet clauses should I be careful about?

The most important clauses to understand are liquidation preference, anti-dilution, board composition, drag and tag rights, and founder vesting. Michael will explain what is market and what is aggressive in each case.

How long does a UK fundraising round typically take?

A well-prepared UK angel round typically takes 3 to 6 months from first pitch to funds in the bank. VC-led rounds usually take 4 to 9 months.

For fundraising legal support, book a call with the Buckworths team.