Buckworths is one of the UK's leading start-up law firms for fundraising. We advise start-ups, scale-ups, and high-growth companies throughout the fundraising process, as well as advising angel investors, VCs, and institutional funds.
We advise at every stage, from friends and family rounds and pre-seed through to seed, Series A, Series B, and Series C. We lead on drafting and negotiating investment documentation, keep things as straightforward as possible, and resolve problems quickly.
We do not require upfront fees. We invoice on completion of the investment round, which means our fees are covered from the proceeds. We provide fixed or capped fee quotes for every investment round, giving you full transparency on cost.
We have an in-depth understanding of the SEIS and EIS schemes, handle advance assurance applications with a 99% success rate, and are experienced at working with crowdfunding platforms. We also advise on Advanced Subscription Agreements (ASAs) and convertible loan notes.
Book a free consultation to discuss your fundraising round.
Funding Services
FAQs
The main options for early-stage start-ups are friends and family investment, angel investment, SEIS and EIS qualifying rounds, crowdfunding through platforms such as Crowdcube and Seedrs, advance subscription agreements, convertible loan notes, and venture capital. The right approach depends on your stage, sector, and how much equity you are willing to give up. We advise founders on the full range of options at a free initial consultation.
No. We do not require upfront payment for investment round work. We invoice on completion of the round, so our fees are covered from the proceeds. We provide fixed or capped fee quotes before we begin so you know exactly what to expect.
The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme is for very early-stage companies raising up to £250,000. The Enterprise Investment Scheme is for companies at a slightly later stage raising up to £5 million per year. Both offer significant tax reliefs to investors. SEIS offers income tax relief of 50% on the amount invested. EIS offers 30%. We advise on eligibility for both schemes and manage the advance assurance process with HMRC.
SEIS and EIS advance assurance is confirmation from HMRC that an investment in your company is likely to qualify for tax relief. It is not legally required, but most investors insist on it before committing funds. We handle between 10 and 15 advance assurance applications per month with a 99% annual success rate.
A term sheet is a non-binding document setting out the key commercial terms of a proposed investment, including the valuation, the amount being invested, the share class, investor rights, and conditions to completion. It forms the basis for the legal documents that follow. We advise founders on what is and is not standard market practice and negotiate on their behalf.
A convertible loan note is a short-term debt instrument that converts into equity at a future funding round, typically at a discount to the round price. It is faster and cheaper than a full equity round. The terms need careful review to avoid giving away too much equity when conversion happens. We advise founders on convertible loan note terms and negotiate on their behalf.