About Harby:

Investor focus is on founder‑led, SEIS‑eligible businesses at the pre‑seed and seed stage, focusing on innovation, scalability, and strong leadership. Investors are sector‑agnostic but require UK incorporation and compliance with SEIS rules.

Core Investment Criteria for SEIS (Founder‑Led Businesses)

1. Stage & Eligibility

• Pre‑Seed / Seed stage – typically before significant revenues.
• SEIS‑eligible – must meet HMRC requirements (UK incorporated, trading less than 2 years, gross assets under £200k, fewer than 25 employees).
• Founder‑led – preference for businesses where founders are actively driving growth and strategy.

2. Investment Ticket & Structure

• Typical ticket size: £100k – £500k per company.
• Fund structure: Angel Fund SEIS, diversified portfolio across 10+ companies.
• Minimum investment (for investors): £10,000, but founders receive capital aligned to growth milestones.

3. Sector Focus

• Sector‑agnostic – open to fintech, SaaS, life sciences, consumer tech, and beyond.
• Innovation priority – preference for businesses with defensible IP, scalable models, or disruptive technology.

4. Founder & Team

• Strong founder commitment – founders must be full‑time and demonstrate resilience.
• Governance readiness – ability to work with investors on reporting, compliance, and board oversight.
• Vision & execution – clear roadmap for scaling, with evidence of traction (early customers, pilots, partnerships).

5. Financial & Compliance

• SEIS compliance – founders must ensure HMRC Advance Assurance is in place.
• Use of funds – capital should be allocated to growth activities (product development, hiring, market entry).
• Reporting discipline – founders must provide regular updates, financial statements, and align with investor expectations.

6. Value Proposition for Founders

• Capital + network – Investors provide not only funding but also access to its investor network.

• Portfolio support – mentoring, introductions, and follow‑on funding opportunities.
• Insurance against dilution – SEIS/EIS tax reliefs make early investment more attractive to angels, reducing founder pressure.

Strategic Takeaway

For founder‑led businesses, the key to securing SEIS investment is demonstrating innovation, resilience, and compliance with SEIS rules. Founders should prepare HMRC Advance Assurance, a clear growth plan, and evidence of traction to stand out.

About Level39:

Level39 is a melting pot of innovators, investors, industry experts and ambitious entrepreneurs, pioneering change across the sectors that
dictate our experiences in daily life – FinTech, Cyber Security, Data & AI, GreenTech, Life Sciences and more.

Our flexible co-working, private office space and ecosystem activities provide members with access to the environment and growth opportunities they need to develop into world-leading businesses, that have a major financial and social impact.