VenturePath

Are you stuck in fundraising limbo? Most investors won’t tell you ‘no.’ Instead, they’ll say: 💬 “Stay in touch.” 💬 “Come back when you have more traction.” 💬 “Let’s check in next quarter.” The problem? You’re left chasing follow-ups that go nowhere. Meanwhile, months pass, your runway shortens, and you're no closer to a term sheet. The Venture Sprint is designed to prevent this. We help founders avoid the fundraising black hole by: ✅ Strengthening your investor proposition – Identify what’s missing before you go to market. ✅ Refining your strategy – Target the right investors, at the right time, with a compelling pitch. ✅ Getting direct investor feedback – Improve your approach with insights from investors and dealmakers. It’s fully funded and built for UK tech founders raising £2m-£20m with £1m+ revenue. Sound like you? Apply today: https://lnkd.in/eKh_6v4f

Are you diagnosing before prescribing? Too many sales teams focus on the future upside of their solution. But buyers don’t act on possibilities - they act on urgent problems or risks. VenturePath Sales Expert, Bob Apollo from Inflexion-Point Strategy Partners, breaks down the difference between: 🔴 Painkillers – addressing immediate problems 🟠 Vaccines – preventing future risks 🟡 Vitamins – driving long-term improvement In his latest article, Bob explains why framing your offer as a painkiller or vaccine - not just a “nice-to-have” vitamin - can make all the difference when it comes to building momentum. Take a read here: https://lnkd.in/erJNGfrF?

Access to capital isn’t just about who gets funded - it’s about who gets the right opportunities, networks, and support along the way. Too often, those doors open more easily for some than others. A more collaborative ecosystem - where founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders come together - creates shared opportunities, opens new doors, and drives greater success. By expanding access, we ensure more great businesses, from all backgrounds, get the backing they need to scale and compete at a global level. That’s what we’re building at VenturePath. ✔️ More founders supported ✔️ More investors engaged with high-potential businesses ✔️ More collaboration between the ecosystem And ultimately, more venture-backed success stories. A stronger UK tech ecosystem starts with who we back today.

“As a founder, your job description changes every few months - depends on how fast your startup is growing” - we couldn’t agree more Drishti Gupta. A while back, Joe Knowles, Smedvig Ventures, echoed this sentiment having talked to us about the Founder to CEO transition that takes place around Series A and there being a need for founders to essentially reinvest themselves every 12 months to fit the new business’ life stage. We often talk about the business traits and metrics investors need to see when a company is raising but we were keen to explore what are the characteristics a founder needs to demonstrate too. Holly Hudson explores this in her next article for Elite Business, watch this space. In the meantime, we help founders navigate the transitions encountered when scaling. If you’re facing this at the moment, our scaleup investment platform can provide some guidance. Get in touch for access.

Ever been hit with one of these? 👇 Timing can make or break a fundraise. You might have the right vision, the right team, and even the right product—but if the timing isn’t right, you’ll keep hearing the same rejections over and over again. Even the best founders hear ‘no’ - the difference is knowing when to go back with a stronger case. So, how do you know when the timing is right? That’s exactly what ScaleUp Score is for. Get clarity on where you stand and what’s needed to raise with confidence: https://lnkd.in/epCe_knV

February Monthly Musings ✍️ Another month concludes - here’s what’s been on our minds in February: 💡 Highlight: Growth Unleashed at Mansion House - a standout event bringing together 200+ founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders. With 18 high-growth tech companies pitching, it was great to see so much momentum behind UK scaleups. 🏔 Challenge: Scaling our partnerships. More founders are looking for expert guidance on everything from funding to exits, so we’re focused on expanding our network with the right partners to support them. If you’re working with scaleups and want to collaborate, let’s talk. 🛤 New Ideas: The UK ScaleUp Investment Mission isn’t just about numbers, it’s about balancing data with founder insights for a full view of the landscape. With new data partners and the ScaleUp Score, we’re tracking the market while capturing founder experiences. More on this in March. Onward to next month! 🚀

Scaling isn’t just about short term growth - it’s about having the right operational foundations to sustain it. Ashley Abrahams from Guinness Ventures, recently shared how inefficient ops, broken sales processes and lack of visibility on key metrics will hold a business back - even when growth is strong. Investors look beyond top-line numbers. They want to see scalable, repeatable growth backed by strong systems. Ashley’s talk covered the key operational signals that show a business is truly ready to scale. You can access his insights, and more expert perspectives, by completing your ScaleUp Score today: https://lnkd.in/epCe_knV

Growth vs fundraising, which do you prioritise? The paradox is clear: If your business isn’t growing quickly, fundraising becomes harder. If fundraising drags, your growth can stall. Too many founders get trapped in this vicious cycle, wasting months chasing investment when they should be scaling. The best way to avoid it? Know exactly where you stand before you start. Expertly crafted for busy founders, with input from investors and exited entrepreneurs, the ScaleUp Score is a brand new 15-minute assessment designed to help you spot any gaps before they slow down either your growth, or your fundraising. Take 15 minutes today to find out your score, unlock free access to some of VenturePath’s expert resources and save yourself months of frustration later 👉 https://lnkd.in/epCe_knV

Your exit is something you should never lose sight of. It’s not just about funding - it shapes key decisions throughout your scaleup journey, from growth strategy to investor fit. That’s why we’re excited to partner with The Grafter, helping founders take control of their exit strategy. Their guidance ensures founders navigate the challenges of exit planning, maximise value, and approach the process with confidence. It’s not just about preparation - it’s about exiting on the right terms, at the right time. Together, we’re making sure founders have the right strategy in place to maximise their success. Looking forward to working with The Grafter to support more founders on this journey!

With £1bn of Series A funding split between just 250 companies last year, competition is fierce. If you want to be one of the scaleups that secures investment this year, this is what it’ll take. For the full article, by Ian Merricks, FBCS FRSA for Elite Business , head to the link in the comments.