The UK's Investment Readiness Platform
Investment readiness platform for founders raising their first round.
Raised by cohort 1 within 3 months
Guest speakers incl. Ada & Sure Valley Ventures
Founders per cohort, deeply supported
WHAT IS ROUND ONE
Round One is an investment readiness programme that gives pre-seed founders everything they need to raise their first round, with direct links to the most active pre-seed investors in the UK.
What you get
“The most in-depth, practical investment readiness programme running in Scotland.”
THE PROGRAMME
Eight workshops. One demo day. A complete transformation in how you approach investors.
Understand how VC really works, what investors look for at pre-seed, and how to structure your round from day one.
Build a deck that gets meetings — structure your story, know what to include and what to cut.
Know exactly what investors want to see in your numbers, and how to build a model that holds up under scrutiny.
Map the UK investor landscape, build your target list and learn how to get warm introductions.
Understand dilution, how to value your company at pre-seed, and how to protect your equity over time.
Master cold outreach, warm intros, pitch prep for different rooms, due diligence and how to close a round.
8-MODULE CURRICULUM
Every session is practitioner-led, practical and immediately actionable. No filler.
Investor types, what VCs look for, round structures
How to build a deck that actually gets meetings
What investors want to see in your numbers
Targeting the right investors and getting introductions
Equity, dilution and managing your cap table over time
Term sheets, shareholder agreements & due diligence
Cold outreach, warm intros and pitch preparation
Investor relations and corporate governance after the raise
THE TEAM
Founded and delivered by founders who've built inside the UK startup ecosystem.
Co-Founder · Sun & Planet
10+ years in the UK startup ecosystem. Early employee at gohenry (sold to Acorns), helping raise £8m+. Former Head of Investment at an advisory firm supporting 200+ startups and £60m+ raised in 6 years. Fundraising advisor since 2024 across FinTech, Consumer, CleanTech and BioTech.
alex@sunandplanet.vc →Co-Founder · Ecosystem Builders Network
15+ years supporting high-growth startups across the UK and internationally. Founder of FutureX — alumni raised £180M+ including Current Health ($400m BestBuy exit), Zumo (£30m) and Cyacomb Forensics (£13m). Former venture scout and angel investor with Ada Ventures.
bruce@ecosystembuilders.network →APPLY NOW
Applications for the next cohort are now open. We select 10 high-potential founders for each programme. Tell us about your startup and where you are in your journey. We'll be in touch within 5 working days.