We’re a venture builder for UK impact startups looking to build, grow and raise investment.

Rather than offering advice alone, we work alongside you to deliver digital product, commercial and strategic support, as well as introduce you to values-aligned investors. The Impact Builder helps you build and raise at the same time, so you don’t have to choose between the two. And because we share in your growth, you get a team that’s invested in helping you move forward.

Not necessarily. We're interested in the potential of your business, the problem you're trying to solve and your route to growth and investment, rather than expecting every startup to be at exactly the same stage. Whether you're developing your product for the first time or looking to take an existing one further, we'll explore whether the programme is a good fit for your needs.

The Impact Builder brings product delivery and fundraising together, helping you build the traction investors want to see while you work towards your raise. If you only need one or the other, it might not be the right fit, but we’ll explore your needs together to see whether there’s a genuine opportunity for us to add value across both.

The £300k combines up to £50k in sweat equity from ASquared with a £250k target for external equity investment through our investor introductions. Unfortunately, no investment is guaranteed, and the £250k external investment decision ultimately sits with investors.That said, so far, more than 80% of our startups have successfully raised their target amounts with our support. We only select startups where we see a strong solution, meaningful impact and a credible potential route to investment.

It isn't paid to you as cash. The growth finance covers up to £100k worth of digital product, commercialisation and strategic services delivered by ASquared. Combined with up to £50k in sweat equity, that creates a budget of up to £150k to use with our team from day one. The programme draws on almost a decade of ASquared’s experience building and scaling digital products, including three startups that have gone on to successful exits, and one that is now a unicorn.

Yes, it’s a loan that covers services delivered through the Impact Builder. It’s interest-free and non-dilutive, so you don’t give up equity in exchange for the financing itself, and it doesn’t require a personal guarantee. It's designed to fully align with your growth.

At the full £100k principal, repaying in equal instalments over 24 months would mean monthly payments of £4,166.67 + VAT. However, we know every startup’s runway is different, so we’ll discuss what works for you before you commit.

Depending on your circumstances, and at our discretion, we may be able to offer a smaller package or a flexible payment schedule, with lower payments when your runway is tighter and higher when it’s stronger. Whatever is agreed, the full principal remains due within the 24-month repayment period, and the specific terms will be set out in your agreement.

We can't speak for all investors, but in our experience interest-bearing loans can be a concern when repayments put pressure on growth. That’s why our model is designed to support your growth while being transparent about repayment obligations from the outset.

We make money in two ways: First, there’s the “keeping the lights on” money. This comes from your monthly repayment of the growth financing. Second, we supply up to £50k’s worth of sweat equity, on which we look for an upside down the road. This aligns with our goal to accelerate you to Series A within three years.
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We don’t charge a separate fundraising success fee. Any equity offered to external investors will depend on the terms agreed with them and your company’s valuation.

If your runway comes under pressure, payments can be paused in line with the agreed terms. Paused payments are deferred rather than cancelled, and work may also pause if payments are deferred for too long.

The full agreed principal remains due within the 24-month repayment period, and any cancellation rights and outstanding repayment obligations will be set out in your agreement.

No. We'll discuss the programme, assess whether it's a good fit and explain the terms before you decide whether to proceed.