TAIU
UKIZUK Innovation ZonesA TAIU initiative

UKIZ/BUILD IN BRITAIN

Build your company

in Britain.

Access research, talent, investors, tax-advantaged early-stage capital and one of the world’s most connected innovation ecosystems.

Explore how to start →Find investors →Explore the ecosystem →

Proposed by UKIZ · independent · not a government designation

Who is this for?

I’m an international founder

I’m considering Britain as a base for my company, R&D or international growth.

Open the international founder guide →

The UK founder journey

Idea to export, one stage at a time.

Each stage connects to the part of the UKIZ ecosystem that is actually useful at that point, and to the official source where the rules live.

  1. 01 — Idea

    Establish what you are building, who has the problem and what capability it depends on.

    Use the innovation map to see which British ecosystems already hold the research, companies and skills your idea depends on.

  2. 02 — Company

    Incorporate. A UK private company limited by shares is the structure most early-stage investors expect.

    UKIZ links to the official process. It does not form companies or advise on structure.

    Official sources

  3. 03 — Eligibility

    Understand whether the tax-advantaged investment schemes could be relevant before you design your first round.

    Read the plain-English explainers, then check the current HMRC conditions.

    Official sources

  4. 04 — SEIS / EIS

    Consider Advance Assurance before approaching investors who expect it, and get the share issue order right.

    UKIZ explains what HMRC asks for. Only HMRC can give assurance.

    Official sources

  5. 05 — Capital

    Identify investors whose stage, sector and cheque size actually match what you are raising.

    The UKIZ investor directory maps who invests in what, and where.

    Official sources

  6. 06 — Research & infrastructure

    Find the universities, research organisations, testbeds and specialist facilities you need to develop the technology.

    UKIZ maps research centres and infrastructure by capability and location.

    Official sources

  7. 07 — Customers

    Find the corporates, operators and public buyers with the problem you solve.

    Use the ecosystem directory to see who is building what, in which sector.

  8. 08 — Scale

    Growth capital, senior hires, manufacturing and the constraints that typically bite in Britain at Series A and beyond.

    UKIZ documents where the funding ladder breaks in each mission.

    Official sources

  9. 09 — Export

    International market access, trade support and keeping ownership and value in Britain as you grow.

    UKIZ connects missions to international demand rather than treating export as an afterthought.

    Official sources

An investor incentive, not a grant

SEIS and EIS are not government funding.

SEIS and EIS are not government funding for start-ups. They are tax reliefs for eligible individual investors, designed to encourage private investment into qualifying companies. The company receives private money; the investor receives the relief.

SEIS explained →EIS explained →Capital Finder →Verification record →Advance Assurance →

Every figure on this page last verified against GOV.UK on 15 August 2026 · verification record

This is educational orientation, not tax, legal or immigration advice, and not an HMRC determination. Eligibility depends on the full circumstances of the company, the investor and the share issue under the rules in force at the time. Always check current HMRC guidance and take professional advice.

Building in Britain checklist

  1. 01

    Understand the UK opportunity

    Establish honestly whether Britain has the research, customers and capital your specific company needs — and where it does not.

  2. 02

    Decide company structure

    Most investor-backed companies are UK private companies limited by shares. Group structures with an overseas parent can complicate tax-advantaged investment.

  3. 03

    Understand immigration requirements if applicable

    If founders need to be present in the UK, identify the route early — endorsement and processing take time.

  4. 04

    Incorporate

    Register with Companies House, then register for Corporation Tax and, where relevant, PAYE and VAT.

  5. 05

    Understand SEIS/EIS eligibility

    Check the conditions against your company before you design the round. Get the order of share issues right.

  6. 06

    Consider Advance Assurance

    Many UK angels expect it. It is an HMRC opinion on the information given, not a guarantee.

See all twelve steps →

Attract, create, commercialise, scale, retain

Britain should not only commercialise the innovation it already creates.

It should attract ambitious founders, researchers, companies and capital from around the world to build here.

  • Attract

    Bring ambitious founders, researchers, companies and capital from around the world to build in Britain.

  • Create

    Turn British research and industrial capability into new companies and technologies.

  • Commercialise

    Convert discovery into products, revenue and customers rather than papers and pilots.

  • Scale

    Grow companies past the point where Britain currently loses them.

  • Retain

    Keep ownership, intellectual property, headquarters and high-value employment in Britain.

These are national objectives, not UKIZ interventions. The interventions remain Connect, Accelerate and Build — the ladder UKIZ climbs only as far as the evidence justifies.

Connect · Accelerate · Build →