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Smart and simple cap tables

Capitalisation (or simply, ‘cap’) tables are a vital part of a start-up’s finances. They help you track ownership stakes in your business, plan share option schemes and plan your investment strategy.

Cap tables ‒ a spreadsheet or chart ‒ show who owns your company. They include the percentage of shares, or equity stakes, that belongs to each shareholder.

Cap tables are particularly important for start-ups because they can provide a solid foundation for understanding how the business can grow. However, they are often neglected and misunderstood.

Cap tables have many benefits, including:

Planning employee share option schemes ‒ one of the main ways start-ups can retain their brightest staff while they lack the cash to offer them big salaries. Unless you keep track of the proportion of equity you’re giving away and which employees own what stake, share-option schemes can become tricky to plan and execute.
Attracting investment. Investors expect start-ups to have up-to-date and accurate cap tables, which are often seen as a barometer of management and financial discipline.
Helping start-ups comply with tax reliefs including the EIS (Enterprise Investment Scheme) and SEIS (Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme), which can make you more attractive to investors. (Giving away too much of your start-ups equity, especially the owner’s stake, can have negative financial consequences.)

Capitalisation tables can seem hard to get your head round, especially when you’re focusing on numerous other tasks. Let us manage and update your cap tables, so you can focus on growing your business and attracting investment.

A happy client using our Smart & Simple Cap Table Services

(Alumni) Cubitts

Founded in in 2013 from the kitchen table of a flat on Cubitt Street in London’s King’s Cross, Cubitts eyewear combines traditional methods with modern technology. The business, which provides glasses from £125 including free worldwide delivery, has grown fast thanks to its stylish frames and slick online-based sales model, including trying on glasses “virtually”. It now has 11 stores and about 70 employees.

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Smart and simple cap tables

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(Alumni) Cubitts

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