SEIS (Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme)
A UK tax-relief scheme encouraging investment in very early-stage companies by giving investors income tax relief.
SEIS offers individual investors 50% income tax relief on investments up to £200,000 per tax year, plus capital gains exemptions, in qualifying early-stage companies. A company can raise up to £250,000 in total under SEIS and must meet conditions (under ~3 years trading, fewer than 25 employees, under £350k gross assets). It is one of the most powerful tools UK founders have for attracting angel money.
Examples
An angel invests £20k under SEIS and reduces their income tax bill by £10k. — A pre-seed startup raises its full £250k SEIS allowance before moving on to EIS.
How it relates to The Startup Foundry
SEIS eligibility is a major draw for the angels the Foundry connects you with. The Foundry’s tools help you present your SEIS status clearly, and the founder dashboard tracks tax scheme status (SEIS/EIS) on your reports.