Startup funding explained: grants, Innovate UK loans and angel investors

Grants, loans or angel investment: which funding fits where your business is right now? Search the funding options that could suit your business, for free, in minutes: https://swoopfunding.com/?utm_source=... Most early-stage founders ask "what kind of money do I need?" Funders ask a different question: "how much risk is left in this business?" In this webinar, Swoop co-founder Ciaran Burke and Hattie Fawcett, founder of Focus for Business, walk through how grants, loans, R&D tax credits and angel investment line up against each stage of building a business, from idea and prototype to first paying customers and scaling. Hattie has taken a startup from zero to £3m revenue in two years, raised two angel rounds and worked with Dragon Kelly Hoppen. Ciaran has helped raise over £25m for Swoop from grants, equity and debt. CHAPTERS 0:00 Introductions 3:33 Why funders think in risk, not cash 8:13 Funding stages and why bootstrapping comes first 10:01 Which funders back which stage 13:30 Risk, amount and return: how funders decide 16:44 Grants and technology readiness levels 19:21 Innovate UK loans for pre-profit businesses 21:17 EIC Accelerator for UK businesses 22:39 R&D tax credits 23:30 How lending options grow with your business 29:51 What an angel investor brings beyond cash 35:52 What angel investors want to see 37:27 The five documents every raise needs 41:44 Case studies: blending funding and Peequal's eight-week raise 49:59 Q&A QUESTIONS THIS WEBINAR ANSWERS When is a business ready for a grant? Most grant funding goes to projects in the middle of the technology readiness scale: you have a prototype, you know your first customers, and you need to reach commercialisation. What is an Innovate UK loan? A loan for innovative businesses that are generating revenue but may not yet be profitable, with low interest-only payments for the first three years. Can UK businesses apply for the EIC Accelerator? Yes, for the grant element, which covers up to 70% of project costs. It starts with a short proposal, video and deck. When do angel investors get involved? Usually once you have a working product and pilots or first paying customers. Angels must qualify as high-net-worth or sophisticated investors, so prepare before you pitch. What do angel investors look for? The problem and market size, a team with the right mix of skills, a tested go-to-market plan, traction, a business model that can reach profit, and a clear plan for the money. Can you combine different types of funding? Yes. Grants often need matched investment, and grants and R&D tax credits can be advanced to bring cash in sooner. RESOURCES MENTIONED Search your funding options and get your free Business Health Score with Swoop: https://swoopfunding.com/?utm_source=... Focus for Business startup investment scorecard and funding strategy workshop: https://seed-investment.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT SWOOP Swoop is a whole-of-market funding platform helping businesses find loans, grants, equity and more from over 300 providers. ABOUT FOCUS FOR BUSINESS Focus for Business helps founders raise their first and second equity rounds faster and more fairly, through free webinars, a funding strategy workshop and the 90 Days to Equity Investment programme. #StartupFunding #AngelInvestment #BusinessGrants