Smith & Williamson have recently announced the launch of their “Dream Bigger: Funding Ambition” report which is the largest ever study into raising finance for scale-up businesses. The report showed that raising capital is tough, but preparation and targeting can turn the odds in your favour.

Guy Rigby, Chairman, Entrepreneurial Services at Smith & Williamson LLP introduces the report:

“Over a long and varied career, I have seen a small number of businesses grow into substantial enterprises without raising external equity, or even accessing debt. However, as the saying goes, it’s the exception that proves the rule and the majority of UK businesses have either raised money in the past or hope to in the future. To help them make this well-trodden path successful, we’ve studied the fundraising experiences of over 1,000 companies. By exploring their rationale for seeking finance and their understanding of the different routes available, our report should offer valuable insights to any business embarking on its finance-raising journey.

Crucially, of the businesses we spoke to, half were scale-ups. These are the UK’s turbo-charged companies, undergoing rapid growth, and most of them recognise that their funding strategy and capability has been fundamental to their success. As this report shows, not everybody gets it right but, by drawing on some of their unique experiences and insights, we aim to help fund ambition, encouraging our entrepreneurs and founders to maximise their opportunities, creating both jobs and wealth along the way.”

To learn more, download the report here: https://smithandwilliamson.com/en/solutions/entrepreneurs/