Finance

Dilutive and non-dilutive capital

November 13, 2019 Jane 0

There are two types of capital to consider when starting your biotech; dilutive and non-dilutive. Becoming too diluted at the beginning risks loss of motivation and feelings of ownership for the founders – two elements crucial to its success. Go for a combination of both, advises entrepreneur and consultant Peter Harboe-Schmidt.

Non-dilutive capital

There are various types of non-dilutive funding available if you have the discipline to look for them. They include grants (see box), prizes and awards like the Red Herring award (which also helps with visibility and recognition) subsidies and customer and industry partnerships.

Grants and writing the grant application

Company grant applications are often a complex endeavor…

Attached Issue № 0819

Spotlight on Tax

September 19, 2019 Jane 0

Not many would argue that tax is the most thrilling part of starting a company. While it can be dry, implementing it correctly from the start will set you up well, from the beginning of your company right through to exit.

All countries and governments operate differently. In this first ‘Spotlight on Tax’ we spoke to Colin Hailey from Confluence Tax, for specialist advice on how to approach tax in the UK as a start-up. Confluence Tax are the only tax advisory firm who specialise in biotech and technology businesses.  

Always start by thinking about the end goal. If you offer fantastic intellectual property but have made a horror show of the tax affairs, it’s going to be much more difficult to convince someone to purchase it. If your goal is the exit route, then aim to…

Attached Issue № 0519

Is crowdfunding an option?

September 19, 2019 Jane 0

Crowdfunding is a mechanism of raising money by putting out a public call to a wide group of people, the crowd. It allows you to take ownership of the fundraising process and broadens the participation base with more funders involved in the process.

It is an extension of the digital empowerment we have seen in sectors like the music industry, where groups can now record and distribute their creative output by themselves, reaching their fans directly.

Crowdfunding is the financial manifestation of that. It disintermediates the process and removes the middlemen, expanding the groups that you can reach. It provides opportunities for…

Attached Issue № 0519