The early-stage, equity finance journey of potential high-growth companies in the UK
Technical report
Roper, S. and Owen, R. 2026. The early-stage, equity finance journey of potential high-growth companies in the UK. London, UK Department for Business & Trade (DBT).
| Type | Technical report |
|---|---|
| Title | The early-stage, equity finance journey of potential high-growth companies in the UK |
| Authors | Roper, S. and Owen, R. |
| Abstract | Early-stage equity finance plays a critical role in supporting the commercialisation strategies of potential high-growth firms and helping them to scaleup. This study explores the under researched early-stage equity funding of UK potential high growth startups. The study provides a market assessment drawn from key informants and draws on a unique survey of 1200 UK startup firms seeking equity in the period from 2023-2025.The report finds that despite a broadening of the SME equity finance base in the UK in recent times, accessing early-stage equity rounds remains very tough. Insights are revealed in terms of the numbers of applications, stages of application process bottlenecks, timelines and success rates of equity applications. Recommendations for improved government support for tax incentives, and targeted patient capital and minority entrepreneur policies are made. |
| Keywords | SME potential high growth; entrepreneurial finance; equity finance; financial instruments; government policies; innovation finance |
| Sustainable Development Goals | 10 Reduced inequalities |
| Middlesex University Theme | Sustainability |
| Research Group | Centre for Enterprise, Environment and Development Research (CEEDR) |
| Publisher | Department for Business & Trade (DBT) |
| Place of publication | London, UK |
| Publication dates | |
| 27 Feb 2026 | |
| Publication process dates | |
| Accepted | 03 Nov 2025 |
| Deposited | 19 Mar 2026 |
| Output status | Published |
| Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
| Web address (URL) | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-early-stage-equity-finance-journey-of-potential-high-growth-companies-in-the-uk |
| Language | English |
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