Starting a Venture in the UK & EU

A battle-tested launch sequence protecting your personal downside while maximizing corporate venture upside.

4-Phase UK & European Founder Roadmap

Click each task upon completion. Progress is automatically computed.

Venture Readiness

38% Complete

Phase 1: Idea & Validation

2 / 2 Done

Problem Validation & ICP Interviews (15 customer calls)Confirm painful problem with willingness to pay

TAM / SAM Bottoms-Up Sanity ModelTarget at least €50M+ serviceable addressable market

Phase 2: Entity & Governance

1 / 2 Done

Entity Choice: UK Ltd (SEIS/EIS) vs Bulgarian EU OOD (10% Corp Tax)UK Ltd for angel investment; Bulgarian OOD for bootstrapped profit retention

Founder IP Assignment & Reverse Vesting (4-Year / 1-Year Cliff)Protect company IP from founder departures

Phase 3: Capital & Banking

0 / 2 Done

Corporate Banking & Multi-Currency Treasury (Revolut Business / Wise)Set up EUR and GBP sub-accounts with dual authorization

SEIS Advance Assurance (UK) or EU Non-Dilutive Grant SubmissionClaim up to 50% income tax relief for angel investors

Phase 4: Launch & Expansion

0 / 2 Done

Core MVP Launch & First 10 Paying CustomersTrack activation rate and Net Revenue Retention (NRR)

Post-Launch Unit Economics Audit (CAC, LTV, Payback < 12 Months)Ensure repeatable unit margins before hiring expansion

UK Ltd vs Bulgarian EU Holding (ЕООД)

If raising UK venture capital, an English Ltd is preferred for SEIS / EIS 50% investor tax relief. For bootstrapped software/e-commerce ventures, a Bulgarian ЕООД provides a flat 10% corporate tax and 5% dividend withholding under full EU Single Market compliance.

UK SEIS Angel Relief Simulator

Qualifying UK Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) allows eligible individual investors to claim 50% income tax relief on investments up to £250,000 + 100% capital gains tax exemption upon exit after 3 years.