Founder guides

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.

UK Private Capital (formerly, the BVCA) aims to standardise Series A transactions and focus negotiations on (fewer) key points. The increasing use of AI to generate initial drafts based on standard terms like these, which are effectively created by VCs and their lawyers, will likely only accelerate this trend.

The National Security and Investment Act 2021 (the “NSI Act”) is legislation that was introduced by the UK government in 2022.  Its purpose is to give the government the power to look into investments made in UK businesses and intervene if they think an investment might pose a risk to the UK’s national security.

You have a killer business idea and have started building. But to reach the next level, you need capital. So, what are your options?

Every new hire is a big decision for a small business.  The tips below will help you find the right person faster through a clear process that stands up to scrutiny.

Parting ways – for whatever reason – can be smooth and positive.  If an employee resigns, then follow these simple steps to protect your business and keep goodwill alive.

An IP Audit is a process which looks at the material IP owned and used by your startup. Most businesses will only carry out an IP Audit in preparation for a funding round or an exit, but the best time to start your IP Audit is at an early stage. This will help you to ensure that your startup owns or properly licences any IP which is material to it and will also inform your IP strategy, which may in turn add value to your business.

An explanation into the basics of what a contract is, and whether you need one 

The GDPR (and the UK GDPR in the UK) puts different obligations on organisations depending on how they process personal data about their customers, prospects, staff or anyone else.

How to prevent IP leaks and encourage a smooth investment process.

Easy improvements to your Terms of Business to ensure they cover you properly.

Top tips for start-ups to avoid employee competition risks when recruiting.

Commercialisation of data is the future for any forward-thinking business.

Here we discuss the confusing world of warranties and indemnities, and how to go about protecting your levels of risk appropriately.

To successfully grow and deliver your startup, you need to learn how to collaborate and, equally as important, consider what happens if you disagree with your co-founders.

Here are four mistakes that we've seen cropping up quite regularly, and some practical tips on why they matter and how to avoid them.

Frequently Asked Questions.

What options are available for short-term occupation and what are the pro's and cons?

What is EIS and how can you benefit from it?

What are the key considerations when entering into an NDA?

What does it mean for start-ups?

Your Intellectual property (IP) is your business.

Who owns your IP and how do you know?

What do I need to consider when setting up a company?

How much of their 'whole selves' should employees bring to work?

What are IP rights and what is the value of them to your business?

A well-structured dataroom is essential when starting your fundraising journey.

Pros and cons of the types of security commonly requested.

There are 10 things you need to do/think about when employing staff for the first time.

AI needs to be developed and used with real care, to avoid crossing legal red lines and/or incurring avoidable cost further down the line.

10 ways for startups to get on top of data protection compliance.

Key questions and considerations

Top tips on how to recruit, retain and motivate your staff with share incentives.

What do I need to consider when setting up a company?

What is SEIS and how can you benefit from it?

R&D tax regimes and when a project may be eligible for R&D tax relief.