Mark Payton, managing director of Mercia Fund Management, explains why the venture capital firm is campaigning to increase the level of seed funding and guidance for start-ups and spin-outs.

With increased interest in tax-efficient Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes (SEIS), the debate continues regarding whether £150,000 per start-up is enough to develop an early stage business in today’s economy. But for university spin-outs that are innovators first and business people second, are investors doing all they can to help these start-ups to succeed?

Since its introduction in 2012, the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme has helped some 1,250 businesses.

However, with just £150,000 per start-up available to small and early stage…