Resources

SWAIN Bristol HQ
SWAIN Argentum location

Newsletter Autumn 2007
Latest update on progress at SWAIN.

Newsletter Summer 2007
News about investments.

Newsletter Summer 2008
SWAIN's summmer newsletter.

Director's declaration form
Director's or principal's declaration form

HM Treasury Explanatory Memorandum
Provides some background about the FSMA 2000 and financial promotions. The subsequent concept of self-certification.

Instructions to presenters at SWAIN Expert panels
The SWAIN Expert panel is a key part of the evaluation process. It also provides the company presenting with invaluable advice from a corporate lawyer, accountant, banker and a investor representative. This document also contains a template that describes the points that should typically be covered in a 12 minute presentation.

Statement for Certified High Net Worth Individual
Statement for Certified High Net Worth Individual

Statement for Self-Certified Sophisticated Investor
Statement for Self-Certified Sophisticated Investor

Becoming Transaction Ready - Bishop Fleming
The buying or selling of a business can be a very complicated and often difficult process for the parties involved. Typically, you will only undertake such a transaction once or twice in your working life and it is therefore absolutely crucial that you properly prepare for the process, taking advice from professionals (whether accountants, lawyers or non-executive directors) who are used to managing transactions and who are able to guide you through the various stages. There are a number of key considerations that need to be dealt with very early in a transaction process, whether you are preparing your business for a potential sale or looking to acquire another business.

Biotech and Medtech
This guide aims to provide a brief overview of some important technology growth areas for the 21st Century. It covers a diverse range of sectors across industrial biotechnology (including marine and agricultural), pharmaceuticals, food technology, environmental technologies and healthcare.

Buy-outs and Buy-ins - Burton Sweet Corporate Finance
The following guide has been produced to help you understand Buy-outs and Buy-ins and the value that good commercial corporate financiers can bring to your deal. It is especially targeted at companies looking to combine investment with an effective exit but the potential Business Angel will also find it of interest.

Exiting your Company of Business - Bond Pearce
Selling all or part of your business may be the most important financial deal you will ever undertake, or one of a series of successful investment realisations. This guide gives an overview of the exit process from the point of view of existing shareholders selling their interest. It applies equally to founder entrepreneurs and business angels, although the latter will have particular tax and strategic goals and time lines which are unique to them.

Getting the best from Financial Projections - Winter Rule
Financial projections are a key factor in establishing whether a business is investment attractive and typically form a basis for establishing a valuation. Unrealistic or badly constructed projections will almost certainly put an investor off continuing discussions.

Getting the Best from your Lawyer - Foot Anstey
The following guide has been produced to help you understand the value that good commercial solicitors can bring to your deal. It is especially targeted at companies looking for investment, but the potential Business Angel will also find it of interest.

Intellectual Property - Ashfords
Why is intellectual property important when raising finance? Whenever you seek to raise finance you need to be able to demonstrate that you own or have sufficient rights to use the intellectual property employed by your business and that the risks of infringing someone else’s rights are low. You need to understand what IP rights are, how they fit into your business, and how to manage them like any other important asset. This is a basic guide explaining the nature of some of the more important rights

Investment Readiness - SWAIN
The following guide has been produced to help you prepare for your search for equity capital and to allow you to evaluate how attractive your opportunity will be to potential investors. This document is intended primarily for those businesses, which have successfully prepared their business case and may be said to be ‘Business ready’. A ‘Business Ready’ opportunity is one where the concept has been fully developed based upon a clear and robust model and with all operational issues resolved.

Preparing a Business Plan - Hazlewoods
The following guide has been produced to help you prepare a business plan. It is not intended to be a definitive guide as there are 1000’s of books dedicated to the task. It is rather intended to help you think about the key components. It is strongly advised that you seek professional advice to ensure that the plan is not only well drafted, but also makes sound commercial sense

Taxation Issues and EIS - Winter Rule
The following guide has been produced to help you understand the taxation issues in connection with buying a business or making an investment into one. It is aimed at investment through a corporate vehicle although investment through a traditional partnership, a limited liability partnership or as a sole trader may also be appropriate.

The Art of Effective Negotiating - Milsted Langdon
The following guide has been produced to help you understand the issues involved in negotiating the right deal for you. It is especially targeted toward the process of achieving investment and has a bias toward those seeking such investment rather those seeking to invest (although inevitably Business Angels will find the content of interest).

The Companies Act 2006 - Michelmores
The following guide has been produced in association with Michelmores to help you understand the changes which are being introduced by the Companies Act 2006.

Valuation - Francis Clark
The following guide has been produced to help you understand the nebulous and difficult topic of business valuation, and the intricately linked concept of deal structuring.