Raising your first round of investment

Raising investment is one of the most significant milestones for a startup. Done well, it can fuel rapid growth, bring in valuable expertise and open up networks that propel your business forward. Done poorly, it can drain time, dilute founders unnecessarily and saddle the company with complex structures that deter future investors. Here are four tips from Michael Bucksworth who is the managing partner of Bucksworths, a firm of soliciters working exclusively with startups. … More Raising your first round of investment

Funding your creative business: Navigating challenges and building confidence

At Creare Capital, a lot of time is spent thinking about how creative businesses grow, and, crucially, why so many promising ideas struggle to get off the ground. The government’s new Creative Industries Sector Plan offers a refreshed plan for tackling the challenges facing the sector but if you are launching your creative business now what can you do to overcome these funding barriers? Here are some practical steps that early-stage creative founders can take. … More Funding your creative business: Navigating challenges and building confidence

Access to Finance for Early-Stage SMEs: What we learnt at the conference

On 20 February 2025, we hosted the City of London Corporation’s first ever conference for SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), themed around Access to Finance. Finding funding is one of the biggest challenges many business owners face as they try to start and grow their business, so we wanted to bring together industry experts, businesses, and organisations to share knowledge and make connections that would make it easier for the SMEs in the room to access the finance they need. … More Access to Finance for Early-Stage SMEs: What we learnt at the conference

Meet Fabiha Khatun: Revolutionising financial education for young people through theatre

The Small Business Research + Enterprise Centre provides aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners with access to data for market research, free workspace in the City, and a range of events to support business growth. Recently, we spoke to Fabiha Khatun, founder of Money Talks Club, about how SBREC has helped her start and grow her business teaching young people about financial literacy through theatre. … More Meet Fabiha Khatun: Revolutionising financial education for young people through theatre