FeaturedEarly-stage capital feels scarcer. Here’s what’s really happeningUK early-stage funding stabilised in 2025, but capital is more selective, concentrated and network-driven than ever.What are warm investor intros, and how can UK startup founders get them?Warm investor introductions depend on trust, alignment and relevance. It doesn't always come from relying on your network.PreviousNextArticleHow academic founders raise capital in the UKUK universities produce world-class research, but the path from lab to scaled company is getting longer. Sara Palmer (Innovate UK), James Baker (Amadeus Capital Partners) and Josh Silverstone (Hartley Ultrafast) on how academic founders should sequence their funding stack, what investors actually look for, and how to escape the science-project trap.Matt ThomasMay 11, 2026Latest ArticlesFrom liquid to logistics: what it really takes to build a successful drinks businessWhy more and more UK startups are looking for investment from the USResilience, clarity, and timing: what defines fundraisers who succeedFunding your deeptech startup: from idea to MVP to MLPWhat is ‘seedstrapping’? A new route for startup founders in 2025The art of pitching: how to get investors excited about your idea