Online network with over 300,000 followers UKStartUp, launches its first online programme “How to Raise Finance for your Startup” to help self-start entrepreneurs access the funding they need to unlock opportunities to launch, grow their business.
With a 300,000 strong online following of startups, pre-start individuals as well as small businesses, UKStartUp has released its first online programme to help aspiring entrepreneurs and founders of early-stage businesses navigate the challenges around raising finance.
In 2013, it was estimated that only 5pc of early-stage businesses seeking investment was successful. Equally, with more traditional forms of finance such as bank loans less accessible for a startup business with no track record, startups have to find more creative ways of addressing this challenge when trying to grow their business. After running a national survey in November 2015 and polls in the first quarter of 2016, with an overwhelming majority of budding entrepreneurs citing a lack of finance as their main challenge, UKStartUp CEO of Dee Dosunmu, decided it was time to address this significant barrier for startup businesses across the UK. Having worked with several early-stage businesses to help them grow as well as in the routes to finance stream of the national Business Growth Service, Dee now spends her time providing fundraising advisory to entrepreneurs determined to raise capital to take their business to the next level.
Crediting programme instructor Dee’s tailored support for early-stage businesses, Director of a manufacturing startup based in the North West of England, Lee R. says: “Dee understands the process from both the funders’ and the client’s perspective and is happy to break each step-down and guide you through every challenge faced. I’ve been privileged to have had help from Dee from startup through to expansion.”
Leveraging Dee’s experience on both sides of the fundraising arena, the UKStartUp team have produced a comprehensive 4-week online training programme, with the knowledge, insights and useful strategies entrepreneurs need to help them successfully raise finance in 2016. With an average 50pc of business owners stating access to finance as the main barrier of business growth and an estimated 80pc of startups failing every year, it would seem that this educational offering might just be exactly what the self-start community in the UK need. Launching Monday 27 June, the online programme is now open for enrolment with entrepreneurs who sign-up early benefiting from additional resources to equip them to play the ‘fundraising game.’
Of the benefits to entrepreneurs who take the programme, UKStartUp commends that learners will be empowered to:
- learn all of the options available and decide which avenues of finance are right for their business;
- learn the strategic way of finding and connecting with lenders and investors;
- save time, energy and money on their fundraising journey
Arranged into 4 weeks of live training sessions as well as open office hours so learners on the programme can ask their burning questions, ‘How to Raise Finance for your Startup’ is designed to make the entire fundraising process clear and build increased confidence in entrepreneurs, with templates and additional resources that aims to inspire the entrepreneur to take action in realising their ambitions and achieving real business growth.
“This programme is all about how startups and early-stage businesses can understand their options, become investment ready, and get over the hurdle of being seen as too high risk to successfully raise funding to take their business to the next level,” says Dee Dosunmu.
