OPUS

Money is moving. The question is: will it move toward you? The British Business Bank’s new strategy is £13bn of direction. We’ve pulled out what early-stage founders actually need to know: → Where capital’s going → Who it’s for → What’s changed 5 key points and one thing you’ll actually need to navigate it

Waiting on this Budget was nerve-wracking for everyone… especially us founders. We picked the 5 things you need to know from the Autumn Budget. So you can skip the PDF and get back to building. 1.⁠ ⁠EMI now covers bigger teams and now covers up to 500 people / £120M in assets 2.⁠ ⁠EIS is expanding which could make raising early-stage capital a little less painful and a little more rewarding  3.⁠ ⁠SDRT dropped for 3 years which means buying UK-listed shares just got cheaper 4.⁠ ⁠Talent visa reform’s on the table, it’s long overdue, but moving 5.⁠ ⁠Gov procurement is getting a reboot, potential wins if you sell to the state Useful? More than we thought.  Transformative? Not yet. Swipe for the intel.

Your name’s on the list… right? The Easies Afters is nearly at capacity. Surprise acts. Headline DJs. Epic vibes. If you want to dance with the founders shaping tomorrow, RSVP now… or regret it.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is powering our newest award: The Professional Services ESEY. HSF Kramer’s support reflects their commitment to backing emerging leaders and driving innovation across the professional services landscape. This award celebrates the founders reshaping how the world works, building the platforms, tools, and services powering people, business, and progress. The shortlist is live, and it’s exceptional. Voting is open. Make it count.

The Impact ESEY shortlist is here.  Sponsored by Making The Leap. Founders solving big problems with even bigger heart.  This one’s for the mission-driven and the momentum-makers. Vote for the change you want to see!

The Female Founder ESEY shortlist is out.  Sponsored by British Business Bank From breaking barriers to building empires, these women are doing it their way. Big ideas. Brave execution. Back them now

The Consumer ESEY shortlist is live.  Sponsored by Boodles. These aren’t just great products, they’re bold ideas backed by even bolder founders. Brands you don’t just buy. You believe in. Vote now.

It wasn’t ESEY. Over 1000 incredible founders, from 50+ countries applied for The Investec Early-Stage Entrepreneur of the Year awards, and the ambition was truly unlimited. The calibre was so high, we added a brand new category: the Professional Services ESEY, recognising founders building the tools, platforms and services that are changing how the world works. Now, the shortlist is here, 50 early-stage founders across 5 categories who dared, built, and broke through. Voting is open. The stage is waiting. Cast your vote. Back the bold.

Web Summit brought 70,000+ people to Lisbon. We brought fifty of the right ones into the room. Founders, funders, operators, all building at pace. Some on stage, some behind the scenes. All with skin in the game. We hosted a private gathering for those who wanted more than noise. No agenda. No pitching. Just music, drinks, and space to connect properly, off the record and off the clock. We do this because founders need each other. Not just for intros, but for context. For momentum. For the stuff that doesn’t fit into keynotes and booths. We believe the best conversations don’t happen by accident, they happen when the room is built with intention. That’s what OPUS is about. Massive respect to everyone we met across Web Summit. And to those who stepped into our world, thank you for showing up with honesty and ambition. We’ll see you again soon.

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