Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)

SEIS is the seed-stage companion to EIS, targeting very early companies that are too small or young for EIS. Companies can raise up to £250,000 total (raised from £150,000 in April 2023). Investors receive 50% Income Tax relief plus a 50% CGT reinvestment exemption on gains reinvested in SEIS shares. Eligibility is narrower than EIS: trade must be less than 3 years old at share issue; gross assets must be ≤£350,000; fewer than 25 FTE employees; company must never have received EIS or VCT investment previously. Process mirrors EIS: optional Advance Assurance → issue shares → submit Compliance Statement (form SEIS1) once either qualifying trade has been carried on for 4+ months or 70%+ of raised amount has been spent → HMRC issues SEIS3 certificates to investors → investors claim relief on personal tax returns. Raised funds must be spent within 3 years of share issue. The SEIS-then-EIS progression is a one-way ratchet: once EIS or VCT shares are issued, SEIS becomes unavailable for that company.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.