A working directory of where an early-stage company in London can raise
money, grouped so you can pull the relevant names into a tracker and build an
outreach list. Each kind of money comes with a different pitch, cheque size
and way in — pick the categories that match your stage
and sector. For how to actually run the raise, see the
fundraising guide.
Accelerators & incubators
Cohort-based programmes that combine a small cheque (often on standard terms), mentoring and a demo day in front of investors. Best when you’re pre-seed or still forming the team. Most run open application windows — apply directly through the website; a referral from an alum helps.
The most common sources of early, often SEIS/EIS-eligible money: individual angels and the networks that pool them, the syndicates and family offices that move as a block, and equity crowdfunding platforms that raise from many small investors at once. Reach angels and syndicates through a warm intro to one active member who then champions you; apply to platforms directly.
Raise from many small investors (and your own community) in exchange for equity, usually with SEIS/EIS relief. You typically need a lead or committed base before going live.
London’s resident venture funds and the London offices of global firms, from the first institutional cheque to growth rounds — plus the thesis-driven sector funds and corporate investors. They back team and traction early and metrics later. Most prefer a warm intro from a portfolio founder; many also read inbound, so check each site for a submission form or a named partner for your sector.
Investment arms of big companies. They bring distribution, pilots and credibility as well as cash, but move on a strategic clock — best once you have a product a corporate can partner on.
Money that doesn’t (or barely) costs you equity: government grants and schemes, R&D tax relief, and the vehicles that back university spin-outs and campus startups. Slower than equity, but it stacks with it and signals validation. Apply directly, or via your university’s tech-transfer office.
Funds built around the SEIS and EIS tax reliefs that draw in UK investors. Many are managers deploying a pooled fund; getting your SEIS/EIS advance assurance from HMRC first makes you far easier for them to back. Apply online or via warm intro.
Borrowing instead of (or alongside) selling equity — for companies with revenue or a recent equity round. Venture debt extends runway; revenue-based finance advances against predictable sales. Apply directly; decisions hinge on your metrics and bank data.
New to this? Start with the fundraising guide — how to match a source to your stage, get warm intros, and run the raise as a process.
The details in the tables on this page — who invests,
at what stage, cheque sizes and how to apply — were compiled with the help of
AI tools and may contain errors or be out of date; funds change focus, programmes
open and close, and links move. This is shared in good faith for general interest
only, not as professional, financial, investment or legal advice. Verify each
source directly, and check current eligibility and terms, before you rely on
anything here.