The Complete Funding & Investor Toolkit

1. Startup Funding Secrets -- The SGI eBook

SGI's definitive guide to the UK funding landscape. Covers the psychology of funding decisions (what lenders and investors are actually thinking when they review your application), the documents and data points that are non-negotiable for each funding route, and the most common reasons UK funding applications fail for both debt and equity routes. Specifically addresses the two most critical metrics: Cash Flow Forecast quality for debt funders and Traction evidence for equity investors.

2. SGI Cash Flow Forecast Template

A dual-format financial modelling template covering both a 13-week rolling cash flow forecast (for operational management and short-term debt applications) and a 24-month forward projection (for equity fundraising and formal bank loan applications). Auto-calculates Runway, Burn Rate, and Closing Balance at each period. Built to demonstrate a minimum 12 months of positive runway post-funding -- the standard most UK lenders require before approving an application. The most important single document in any UK funding application.

3. SGI Investor Pitch Deck Template

A professionally structured 10-slide pitch deck template for raising equity investment at Pre-Seed, Seed, or Series A stage. Covers the ten slides in the sequence investors expect: Problem, Solution, Market Size, Business Model, Traction, Go-to-Market Strategy, Team, Financials (including LTV: CAC ratio, Gross Margin, and Break-even), Funding Ask, and Use of Funds. Each slide includes detailed guidance notes explaining what investors focus on and the most common mistakes.

4. Three Pitch Deck Examples -- Tech, Service Business, and Mobile App

Three complete, worked-example pitch decks that show how the template is applied across different business types. The Tech Pitch Deck shows a Series A pitch for an AI-powered enterprise SaaS platform seeking £5.5M (Year 5 revenue target: £25.8M at 42% CAGR). The Service Business Pitch Deck shows a Series A pitch for a management consulting business seeking £3.5M (65% Gross Margin by Year 5). The Mobile App Pitch Deck shows a Seed Round pitch seeking £2.5M (5.3x LTV: CAC, 4.2-month payback period). Use these to calibrate the level of detail and financial rigour required before approaching investors.

5. SGI Funding Readiness Scorecard

A 20-question self-assessment covering the five dimensions that determine whether a business is genuinely ready to approach funders: Financials (are your numbers in order and credible?), Team (do you have the right people?), Market (can you demonstrate market opportunity?), Traction (what evidence of commercial progress do you have?), and Documentation (are your key documents prepared?). Scores out of 20: 17-20 means READY to approach funders; below that, the specific gaps are identified. The single most useful thing to complete before starting a funding process.

6. Business Loan Application Prep Checklist

A comprehensive checklist of the documents, financials, and supporting information required for a UK business loan application -- covering requirements common to Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, and NatWest commercial lending, plus the specific additional requirements for Start Up Loan and British Business Bank-backed products. Requires 2-3 years of field accounts, six months of business bank statements, and a 12-month cash flow forecast as baseline documentation. Applying without this preparation in place is the most common reason UK loan applications are returned rather than assessed.

7. SGI UK Grant Funding Guide 2026

A comprehensive guide to the UK grant funding landscape -- covering Innovate UK programmes, R&D Tax Credits (the merged 20% scheme from April 2024), Local Growth Funds, and sector-specific grant programmes for social enterprise, creative industries, and clean technology. Explains the Match Funding requirement (typically 30-70% of total project cost), how to identify the grants your business is most likely to qualify for, and the application process for each major programme. Grant funding should always be explored before taking on debt or diluting equity.

8. SGI Startup Legal and Compliance Checklist

A checklist covering the legal and compliance requirements UK startups must address before approaching investors or lenders. Covers company formation and shareholders' agreement, ICO registration and GDPR compliance, IP assignment (ensuring the company owns what it has built), required insurance coverage, contract templates, and the specific documentation that investors conduct due diligence on. Compliance gaps discovered during investor due diligence are one of the most common causes of deals falling through at a late stage -- this checklist helps prevent that.

9. Ten Proven Investor Outreach Email Scripts

A swipe file of ten field-tested email scripts covering the most common investor contact scenarios: cold introduction to an angel investor, warm introduction follow-up, post-event follow-up, application to an angel network, response to initial investor interest, and follow-up sequences for investors who have expressed interest but not yet committed. Each script is accompanied by the specific principle it is built on and guidance on how to personalise it to your circumstances. Investor outreach is a process, not a single email—this swipe file provides the complete sequence.

10. Investor Due Diligence Checklist by Funding Stage

A detailed checklist of the documentation, financial information, and business evidence that investors expect to review at each stage of the funding process -- Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A. Most founders who go through investor due diligence for the first time are surprised by how extensive the process is. This checklist removes that surprise and allows you to prepare comprehensively before you need to respond under time pressure.