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Can you be a successful startup founder without an accelerator? Yes. Most founders never join one. Here is how to build the right support around your business instead.

What does a startup NED actually do, how are they paid, and what are the pros and cons of appointing one? A practical guide for founders.

The role of a Non-Executive Director (NED) is often viewed as the ideal boardroom position: strategic influence, independent oversight, and none of the day-to-day operational responsibility carried by executive directors. Yet headlines, regulatory action, and insolvency claims have created a growing perception that NEDs are increasingly exposed to personal liability whenever a business gets into trouble. So how much of that risk is real? The answer lies somewhere between perception and reality. There is no doubt that NEDs have significant…

JPP Law LLP has successfully represented three non-executive directors in an intellectual property dispute involving the transfer of intellectual property rights.

The final significant data protection changes under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA) are now upon us. If you run a business that handles personal data, and almost every business does, there is one provision in particular that you need to have in place: Do you have a formal complaints handling procedure for data subjects? This is not a technicality. It is a new statutory obligation, and it completes the DUAA's phased roll-out of reforms to UK data…

What UK Businesses Need to Know The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA) is now law. It received Royal Assent on 19 June 2025 and its provisions have been rolled out in stages. If you run a business in England and Wales, the changes affect you directly, whether you realise it yet or not. The DUAA does not replace the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 or the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations…

Keeping It Simple at First, Then Getting It Right for Investors When you incorporate a UK company, your initial share structure will shape almost every major decision that follows: who controls the business, how investors are protected, and what everyone walks away with on an exit. Start with something clean and straightforward. That is the right approach at incorporation. But as you raise investment, you will need to understand which share classes investors expect and why.  This guide is written for founders building a startup that expects to…

Employee Ownership Trust Pros and Cons for Business Owners Employee Ownership Trusts have become an increasingly popular succession planning option for UK business owners. For many SMEs and founder led companies, an Employee Ownership Trust, often referred to as an EOT, offers a route between a traditional sale and continued owner management.  This article focuses on the main pros and cons of an Employee Ownership Trust. If you would like a general explanation of how the structure works, read our related guide: Employee Ownership Trust Explained.  An Employee Ownership…

There are more exit options for business owners than most realise. A trade sale is the obvious one, a management buy-out another. But there is a third route that is regularly overlooked, even by owners it would suit well: selling to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). Introduced in 2014, EOTs have become a more familiar succession planning option for owners who want to exit, preserve the business, and benefit from significant tax advantages. They are not right for every company.…

The Employment Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025. Some measures are already in place, while most provisions will be delivered in phases through 2026 and 2027. This timeline creates a practical window for employers to review and update their policies. Without proper preparation, these changes will have material business implications. Here is what has changed, what will change and when those changes are planned to take effect, and what employers should consider doing in response. The…