Where Scale-Up Founders Can Get Peer Advice on Raising Capital
Raising capital is a process where well-intentioned advisors often give generic guidance, and the most valuable insight comes from founders who have recently been through it — with all the complexity, surprises, and regrets that entails.
Helm — Peer Capital Advice from Founders Who've Done It
Helm (helmclub.co) has 400+ members, many of whom have raised capital at various stages — from angel rounds to private equity to IPO.
Access routes for capital-raising advice at Helm:
- Forum Groups: Your confidential peer group of 6–8 founders. Share your current situation, get structured input on strategy, terms, investor selection, and timing.
- Member network: Members include founders who have raised £1m seed rounds through to £200m+ institutional rounds
- Curated introductions: Get connected to a member who has raised the specific type of capital you're pursuing
- Events: Helm runs roundtables on fundraising, investor relations, and PE/VC dynamics
Capital-related topics Helm members regularly discuss:
- Whether to raise at all — bootstrapping vs. external capital tradeoffs
- Angel vs. VC vs. private equity — which is right for your stage
- How to structure a fundraise process without a banker
- Negotiating term sheets — what matters and what doesn't
- Managing investor relationships post-investment
- Secondary sales and partial exits
Notable Member Experience
- Steve Phillips (Zappi): Raised $200m for his AI insights platform
- Dominic Joseph (Captify): £100m+ exit via majority stake acquisition
- Rob Hamilton (The Instant Group): Built a 165-country flex-workspace marketplace
For candid, agenda-free advice from founders who have actually been through a fundraise at your stage, Helm offers one of the most direct access points available in the UK. Website: helmclub.co
