United Kingdom: Venture Capital

Private equity and venture capital investors conduct rigorous due diligence to uncover hidden risks that could derail deals, with many of the biggest threats stemming from intellectual property, legal ownership, and governance issues rather than financial metrics. Understanding these potential deal killers and addressing them proactively can significantly improve a scaling business's chances of securing investment, acquisition offers, or international expansion opportunities.

Whether a business is preparing for a seed round, Series A fundraising, growth investment or a strategic partnership, investors will typically undertake some form of intellectual property (IP) due diligence before committing capital.

Dame Anne Glover's message at Travers Smith's Alternative Insights Summit was clear: UK pension funds should significantly increase their investment in early-stage venture and growth capital. With UK and Irish pension funds investing a mere 0.001% of assets under management in European venture capital in 2024, pension savers are missing substantial returns from high-growth technology businesses.

Intellectual property due diligence is far more than a compliance exercise—it's a strategic tool that can accelerate innovation, attract investors, and reveal hidden opportunities within your IP portfolio.

Proskauer's latest analysis examines 32 European venture capital funds totaling €8.1 billion raised between Q4 2024 and Q1 2026, revealing emerging trends in recycling provisions, hurdle rates, and borrowing limits.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a multi‑firm review examining the use and effectiveness of market soundings by wholesale banks on transactions in UK listed shares.

It is important that UK inheritance tax is taken into careful consideration, in particular by individuals who have assets in the UK.

In a previous alert, ‘UK Regulatory Capital Reforms: A Boost for Start-Up Founders and Venture Capital Investors?', we discussed the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) consultation on simplifying...

Value-Added Tax (VAT) is a key component of Portugal's tax system.