Equity crowdfunding UK: A founder's guide to Seedrs, Crowdcube, and Republic

For UK founders looking to raise capital from the crowd, equity crowdfunding has become a legitimate alternative to traditional venture capital. Rather than pitching to a handful of institutional investors, you pitch to thousands of small investors who believe in your vision and buy real equity in your company.

The UK leads Europe in equity crowdfunding. In 2024, the market raised over £1.2 billion across regulated platforms. But which platform is right for your startup?

We've helped founders navigate rewards-based crowdfunding for years. More recently, we've expanded into equity crowdfunding campaigns, advising companies on structuring their raises and building momentum before launch. In this guide, we compare the three major UK equity crowdfunding platforms and help you choose the right one for your business.

What is equity crowdfunding?

Equity crowdfunding is a method of raising capital where a company sells shares to a crowd of investors in exchange for equity. Unlike rewards-based crowdfunding (Kickstarter, Indiegogo), where backers receive a product or service, equity crowdfunding investors become shareholders with voting rights and claims on future profits.

In the UK, equity crowdfunding is strictly regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This regulation protects investors but also means founders must meet certain criteria and follow specific rules when raising money.

Why UK equity crowdfunding matters

UK equity crowdfunding offers several advantages over traditional venture funding:

Access to capital without giving up board control. You're not obligated to hand board seats to investors. Many equity rounds are structured so investors have minimal governance involvement unless they collectively hold a large stake.

Proof of market demand. A successful equity round demonstrates that real customers and investors believe in your business. This social proof is valuable when approaching institutional VCs later.

Community building. Your shareholders become advocates. They use your product, refer friends, and defend your business publicly. This organic network is worth far more than the capital itself.

No dilution of existing founder control (compared to some VC deals). While you do dilute ownership, you retain more control than in traditional Series A rounds, where VCs typically demand board representation and significant voting rights.

SEIS and EIS tax relief. Investors in eligible startups get tax breaks: 50% relief for SEIS (Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme) investments and 30% for EIS (Enterprise Investment Scheme) investments. These incentives massively increase demand for your round because investors get to write off part of their investment against their UK income tax.

The three major platforms: Seedrs, Crowdcube, and Republic

Seedrs (now part of Republic)

What it is: Seedrs is the UK's oldest equity crowdfunding platform, founded in 2011. In 2022, it was acquired by Republic, a US-based equity crowdfunding platform. Today, Seedrs operates as the UK arm of Republic but maintains its own brand and regulatory identity.

Key features:

Nominee structure. Seedrs holds shares on behalf of investors in a nominee arrangement. This means your cap table shows Seedrs as a single shareholder rather than hundreds of individual investors. For founders, this is cleaner administratively and avoids unwieldy cap tables that complicate future funding rounds. For investors, the nominee structure can feel slightly removed from ownership, but it's fully legal and transparent.

Secondary market. Seedrs offers a secondary marketplace where investors can sell their shares before an exit. This liquidity is attractive to investors and can boost campaign momentum because early backers can realise gains before your company exits.

Strong tech focus. Seedrs built its reputation on tech startups and continues to attract engineering-led founders. If you're building a SaaS product, fintech platform, or deep-tech business, Seedrs investors understand your space.

FCA regulated. Seedrs holds FCA authorisation as an Authorised Fund Manager. All campaigns are vetted by Seedrs' investment team before launch. This gatekeeping means fewer campaigns go live, but each one that does meets a higher bar.

Typical raises: £150K to £1.5M. Seedrs doesn't tend to host megacampaigns (those go to Crowdcube).

Fees: Approximately 6% of funds raised, plus a 1–2% ongoing annual fee for the nominee arrangement.

Platform momentum: Seedrs has hosted over 1,000 campaigns and distributed over £1.5 billion to startups. High-profile successes include Gorillas (the ultra-fast grocery delivery startup), Depop (fashion resale app, later acquired by Etsy), and numerous fintech startups now worth hundreds of millions.

Best for: Tech founders raising their first institutional capital round, founders who prefer a cleaner cap table, founders with investor bases comfortable with nominee structures.

Crowdcube

What it is: Crowdcube is the UK's largest equity crowdfunding platform by campaign volume and capital raised. Founded in 2011, the same year as Seedrs, Crowdcube has become synonymous with equity crowdfunding in the UK. The platform has expanded internationally but remains UK-focused.

Key features:

Direct shareholding. Unlike Seedrs' nominee model, Crowdcube investors appear directly on your cap table as individual shareholders. This means you'll have many shareholders (often 500+), which creates administrative overhead. However, Crowdcube provides tools to manage shareholder communication, and many founders appreciate the direct investor relationships.

Consumer brand strength. Crowdcube dominates equity crowdfunding in the UK consumer space. If you're building a food brand, sustainable fashion company, or consumer health product with existing customers, Crowdcube's audience aligns perfectly.

Equity and debt options. Crowdcube supports both equity campaigns and convertible loan campaigns. Some founders use convertible loans as a stepping stone to a traditional Series A, avoiding the need for a full equity valuation at the crowdfunding stage.

FCA regulated. Crowdcube is authorised and regulated by the FCA as a Crowdfunding Service Provider. Like Seedrs, campaigns are vetted before launch.

Typical raises: £100K to £3M+. Crowdcube hosts larger campaigns than Seedrs and has become the de facto platform for megacampaigns (companies raising £1M+).

Fees: Approximately 7–8% of funds raised. Crowdcube also offers optional extras like video production and PR support.

Platform momentum: Crowdcube has hosted over 1,500 campaigns and raised over £2.2 billion. Famous successes include BrewDog (the Scottish craft brewery that raised millions across multiple rounds), Monzo (the fintech challenger bank), Grind+Brew (coffee brand), and hundreds of consumer companies now valued at tens or hundreds of millions.

Best for: Consumer-facing founders with existing traction, founders comfortable with large shareholder bases, founders raising larger amounts (£500K+), food and beverage brands, sustainable goods companies.

UK Equity Crowdfunding in 2026: Crowdcube vs. Republic Europe

The UK remains Europe’s most advanced equity crowdfunding market, and by 2026 it is effectively a two‑platform landscape: Crowdcube and Republic Europe (the rebranded, integrated Seedrs platform). For founders and investors, understanding how these two differ on regulation, fees, scale, and strategy is now critical.

At Blazon Agency, we’ve supported 500+ campaigns and helped raise $120m+ via equity crowdfunding. The platforms provide the infrastructure and regulatory wrapper; the real leverage comes from positioning, marketing, and execution. This guide distils where the market stands in 2026 and how to choose between Crowdcube and Republic Europe.

Market Overview: UK Equity Crowdfunding in 2026

Equity crowdfunding has moved from niche to mainstream in the UK:

The UK is still the European benchmark, and in 2026 the vast majority of equity crowdfunding volume flows through Crowdcube and Republic Europe.

Crowdcube: Europe’s Largest Independent Equity Crowdfunding Platform

Founded in 2011 by Darren Westlake and Luke Lang, Crowdcube has grown into Europe’s largest independent online private investment platform.

Crowdcube supports a broad mix of sectors: tech, consumer brands, F&B, hospitality, and more.

Business Model

Crowdcube is a managed marketplace:

Key Features

Pricing

Crowdcube charges a success fee on completed raises, typically 6-7% of funds raised plus a completion fee. There is no upfront cost to founders, which makes it accessible for early-stage companies. Additional fees may apply for legal and nominee services depending on the structure of your raise.

Track Record

Crowdcube has facilitated over 1,300 raises totalling more than 1.3 billion pounds. Notable raises include Brewdog, Monzo, Revolut, and dozens of well-known UK consumer brands. The platform's investor base is heavily UK-focused, which is both a strength and a limitation depending on your target market.

Best For

UK-based companies with strong consumer brands that want to build a community of investor-advocates. Particularly strong for B2C companies where customers becoming shareholders creates genuine brand loyalty and word-of-mouth growth.

Republic Europe (formerly Seedrs)

Seedrs was acquired by Republic in 2023, creating what is now Republic Europe. The integration has been gradual, and the platform currently operates under both brands in different contexts. For UK founders, Republic Europe is the relevant entity.

Business Model

Like Crowdcube, Republic Europe facilitates equity investment from retail investors into private companies. The platform uses a nominee structure, meaning Republic holds shares on behalf of investors. This keeps your cap table clean, which matters enormously as you grow and seek institutional investment later.

Key Features

FCA-authorised investment platform with nominee structure. Secondary market for trading shares in funded companies, giving investors liquidity options that Crowdcube currently does not offer. Global reach through Republic's US and international networks, which can expand your investor base beyond the UK.

The Republic acquisition brings access to US investors through Reg CF and Reg D frameworks, which can be valuable for UK companies with American market ambitions. However, the integration is still in progress, and the platform experience can feel fragmented during this transition period.

Pricing

Republic Europe charges a success fee of approximately 6-8% on completed raises, plus a carry on future returns from invested companies. The carry structure means Republic is financially incentivised for your long-term success, not just the initial raise. This alignment is worth noting when comparing platforms.

Track Record

The combined Seedrs and Republic platform has facilitated over 2,000 raises across the UK, Europe, and US. Seedrs-era notable raises include Revolut (before its massive growth), Chapel Down, and Landbay. The secondary market has processed millions in share trades, demonstrating genuine investor demand for liquidity.

Best For

UK companies that want international investor reach, particularly those with US market ambitions. Also strong for companies whose investors value the secondary market liquidity option. If your shareholders want the ability to trade their shares before an IPO or acquisition, Republic Europe is currently the only UK platform offering that.

Crowdcube vs Republic Europe: Head-to-Head Comparison

Here is how the two platforms compare across the factors that matter most for UK founders in 2026:

Investor base: Crowdcube is stronger in the UK with a larger, more active retail investor community. Republic Europe offers broader international reach through the Republic network.

Raise size: Crowdcube's POP status allows significantly larger raises (potentially 50M+ pounds) from retail investors. Republic Europe handles a wider range of raise sizes but does not have equivalent POP status for large retail raises.

Cap table management: Both use nominee structures. Republic Europe's is generally considered slightly more institutional-grade, which matters if you are targeting Series A+ institutional investors who scrutinise cap table cleanliness.

Secondary market: Republic Europe offers a secondary market for share trading. Crowdcube does not currently have an equivalent feature. This matters for investor retention and satisfaction.

Platform experience: Crowdcube's platform is more polished and purpose-built for UK equity crowdfunding. Republic Europe is still integrating the Seedrs platform with Republic's global infrastructure, which creates some friction.

Fees: Both charge comparable success fees in the 6-8% range. Republic Europe's carry structure means ongoing alignment. Crowdcube's fees are more straightforward and transaction-based.

Which Platform Should You Choose?

The honest answer depends on three factors.

Choose Crowdcube if: You are a UK-focused consumer brand that wants to build a community of investor-advocates. Your raise is in the 500K to 5M pound range (or larger, given POP status). You want a polished, proven platform with the largest active UK investor base. You value simplicity and a straightforward fee structure.

Choose Republic Europe if: You have international ambitions, particularly in the US market. You want to offer your investors secondary market liquidity. You value the nominee structure's institutional-grade cap table management. You want access to Republic's global investor network beyond UK retail.

Neither platform is objectively better. They serve different strategic needs. The worst decision is choosing based on fees alone, because the 1-2% difference in commission is irrelevant compared to the value of reaching the right investors for your specific business.

One more thing worth mentioning. Some founders run raises on both platforms sequentially. They use one platform for their initial raise to build momentum and social proof, then use the other for subsequent rounds to access a different investor pool. This is a legitimate strategy that more companies should consider.

Is equity crowdfunding regulated in the UK?

Yes. Both Crowdcube and Republic Europe are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means they must comply with strict rules around investor protection, financial promotions, and operational standards. For founders, this regulation adds compliance requirements to the fundraising process but also provides credibility and investor confidence that unregulated platforms cannot match.

How much can I raise through equity crowdfunding in the UK?

There is no hard cap, but practical limits exist. Under previous rules, public raises above approximately 8 million pounds required a full FCA-approved prospectus, which was prohibitively expensive for most startups. Crowdcube's new Public Offer Platform status changes this, allowing much larger raises from retail investors. Republic Europe raises typically range from 150K to 5M pounds, though larger rounds are possible through their institutional networks.

Will equity crowdfunding dilute my ownership too much?

Dilution depends entirely on your valuation and the amount you raise. Most equity crowdfunding rounds dilute founders by 10-25%, which is comparable to early-stage angel or seed rounds. The key is setting a fair valuation that balances investor attractiveness with founder protection. Both Crowdcube and Republic Europe provide guidance on valuation, and you should also seek independent advice. Remember that a smaller percentage of a larger, better-funded company is worth more than a larger percentage of one that ran out of money.

What is the difference between equity crowdfunding and rewards crowdfunding?

Rewards crowdfunding (Kickstarter, Indiegogo) involves backers paying for a product they will receive later. Equity crowdfunding (Crowdcube, Republic) involves investors buying shares in your company. Rewards crowdfunding is essentially pre-orders with no ownership transfer. Equity crowdfunding is genuine fundraising where investors own a stake in your business. They serve different purposes, attract different people, and have completely different regulatory frameworks.

Can international investors participate in UK equity crowdfunding?

Yes, though with restrictions. Both Crowdcube and Republic Europe accept international investors, but regulatory requirements vary by the investor's country of residence. EU investors generally face few barriers. US investors can participate through Republic's integrated platform, though they may face additional compliance requirements. The practical reality is that UK platforms attract predominantly UK investors, with international participation typically representing 10-20% of a raise. If international investor reach is critical to your strategy, Republic Europe currently offers better infrastructure for this.

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